Commonwealth

Locations
Call Number: Fiction / Patchett, Ann, Adult Book / Fiction / General / Patchett, Ann
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Malletts Creek Branch, Westgate Branch

"The acclaimed, bestselling author--winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize--tells the enthralling story of how an unexpected romantic encounter irrevocably changes two families' lives. One Sunday afternoon in Southern California, Bert Cousins shows up at Franny Keating's christening party uninvited. Before evening falls, he has kissed Franny's mother, Beverly--thus setting in motion the dissolution of their marriages and the joining of two families. Spanning five decades, Commonwealth explores how this chance encounter reverberates through the lives of the four parents and six children involved. Spending summers together in Virginia, the Keating and Cousins children forge a lasting bond that is based on a shared disillusionment with their parents and the strange and genuine affection that grows up between them. When, in her twenties, Franny begins an affair with the legendary author Leon Posen and tells him about her family, the story of her siblings is no longer hers to control. Their childhood becomes the basis for his wildly successful book, ultimately forcing them to come to terms with their losses, their guilt, and the deeply loyal connection they feel for one another. Told with equal measures of humor and heartbreak, Commonwealth is a meditation on inspiration, interpretation, and the ownership of stories. It is a brilliant and tender tale of the far-reaching ties of love and responsibility that bind us together"-- Provided by publisher.
"Commonwealth is the story of two broken families and the paths their lives take over the course of 40 years, through love and marriage, death and divorce, and a dark secret from childhood that lies underneath it all"-- Provided by publisher.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Disappointing for Patchett fans submitted by eapearce on December 20, 2016, 1:54pm I am a huge fan of Ann Patchett's and have read nearly all of her work. I enjoy her riveting writing style and the unique settings in which she often places her characters. Commonwealth just did not feel like a Patchett novel to me. Telling the story of the stepchildren of a broken family over the course of decades, the book was depressing more than anything else. It also focused on many different characters, with no single one jumping to the forefront, which made it impossible for readers to truly invest themselves in any of the character's storylines. Readers are exposed to various bits and pieces of information about the main characters over the course of the book, but none of these "family secrets" are particularly riveting. The book seems to move towards various potential climaxes, but then the storyline fizzles out before each one. None of the characters are particularly likable or unique. The one saving grace is that Patchett is such an excellent writer that there are still moments of beauty and perspective in the book. Her description of how a wife feels after her husband leaves her for their next door is poignant and heartbreaking. One of the main storylines--the relationship between a young woman and a much older, famous man--is described almost in vignettes, and yet Patchett's selection of what scenes to share from the relationship tells readers all that they need to know.

For those looking to read something as excellent as much of Patchett's other works, I would not recommend Commonwealth. However, for those interested in a somewhat interesting, long-term family portrait, this book may be worth picking up.

I tried, I really tried submitted by sirigottlieb on March 22, 2022, 9:52am I’ve enjoyed (some) Ann Patchett works over the years, but I couldn’t read this one beyond 50 pages. The characters were flat, the story line flat, and worst of all, her style is,well, smug. It’s as if she were saying to the reader, “Look at me and how clever I am.” Very distasteful.