The Homemade God

A Novel

By: Rachel Joyce

Narrated by: Rachel Joyce, Sarah Winman

With sparkling wit and insight, this “gorgeous . . . page-turner” (People) from the bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry reminds us that family is everything, even when it falls apart.

“The beautiful writing, unforgettable characters, and stunning setting make this a must-read.”—Bonnie Garmus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

“It’s all here, dear readers. Art. Beauty. Pain. Redemption. Rachel Joyce’s masterful skill and emotional breadth are dazzling.”—Adriana Trigiani, author of The Good Left Undone

There is a heatwave across Europe, and four siblings have gathered at their family’s lake house to seek answers about their father, a famous artist, who recently remarried a much younger woman and decamped to Italy to finish his long-awaited masterpiece.

Now he is dead. And there is no sign of his final painting.

As the siblings try to piece together what happened, they spend the summer in a state of lawlessness: living under the same roof for the first time in decades, forced to confront the buried wounds they incurred as his children, and waiting for answers. Though they have always been close, the things they learn that summer—about themselves—and their father—will drive them apart before they can truly understand his legacy. Meanwhile, their stepmother’s enigmatic presence looms over the house. Is she the force that will finally destroy the family for good?

Wonderfully atmospheric, at heart this is a novel about the bonds of siblinghood—what happens when they splinter, and what it might take to reconnect them.

Great characters

Story was interesting as it unfolded…different perspectives of the various characters was intriguing. Great listen!

Deep and Excellent

Joyce explored the impact of trauma and family in a realistic and compelling story. The author does a wonderful job reading.

A pleasure to read

This was a wonderful change of pace after reading Oscar Wilde’s “Portrait of Dorian Gray.” I had slipped back into my Prep school days trying to unearth all the meaning in Wilde’s classic, and I forgot how to enjoy a book.

“The Homemade God” had great characters that you got to know bit by bit. No problem if you zoned out for 20 seconds, you could get right back into the story.

I enjoyed the way you started out believing Netta’s perspective more than Bella Mae’s, then came to recognize you had it wrong. And I liked how Goose/Gustav came into his own at the end. (Maybe I mostly enjoyed catching glimpses of the great character he would become early on, then watching those predictions come true.)

Like a good walk, this book had a gentle pace and memorable observations that didn’t have to be earth-shattering to be meaningful.

Loved everything!

Another spellbinding novel. So much depth of characters, story, and a family drama that is like a terrible accident on the highway you can’t look away from. I loved the siblings and sided with all of them!

Beautifully written.

I enjoyed this so much. Great family story and read really well.
I didn’t want it to end. I seldom give 5 stars but I thought this book deserved it.