World-famous artist Vic Kemp has relied on his four children ever since their mother died when they were young. Netta, the oldest, is a litigator who often serves as co-parent to her siblings; Susan, a housewife who cooks and cleans for both her husband and her father; Goose's own thwarted artistic ambitions have left him resigned to a job in Vic's studio; and Iris, the baby, drops everything the moment her father calls.
When Vic summons the siblings with the promise of big news, they hope their father is about to tell them he has finished the mysterious masterpiece he claims will be the capstone to his career. Instead, he announces he’s getting remarried. Bella-Mae, his wife to be, is apparently beautiful, a fellow artist—and twenty-seven to his seventy-six years. When his children dare to express concern, Vic decamps with Bella-Mae to his summer home in Italy. Six weeks later, he is found dead. There is no sign of his will, or his promised final painting.
Netta, Susan, Goose, and Iris gather at the house on Lake Orta to piece together what happened and prepare to bring their father’s body home. They spend the summer in a waiting game, living under the same roof as Bella-Mae, and forced to confront Vic's legacy and the buried wounds they have incurred as his children. So who is Bella-Mae? Is she the woman their father believed her to be? Or is she the force that will destroy the family for good? How long can their old bonds hold?
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This was my first book by Rachel Joyce, so I had no idea what to expect from the story. When I read the book's summary, it caught my curiosity enough to make me want to read it and find out what happens. Yet, The Homemade God wasn't what I had expected the story to be about; I thought it would be more mystery, but it mostly consisted of family drama. Even though I enjoy reading about family drama and have read a few books on the subject, I felt there was too much drama in this book. I understood why the siblings couldn’t seem to agree on some things, but it felt that all they did was argue. However, following the death of their father, they did come together and try to figure out what happened. I do think that siblings love each other, even if they don’t show it.
I enjoyed how vivid some of the writing was, particularly while they were in Italy. I enjoy books that take place in Italy. I liked that the story had a bit of mystery in it, even if it wasn't the type of mystery I was expecting. From the beginning, I felt curious about Bella Mae; sometimes I questioned if she was real, given how he appeared to keep her hidden. I couldn’t help but wonder what Bella Mae’s story was. I felt for her; I couldn’t imagine that it was easy to lose her husband so fast. In the beginning, I had trouble keeping up with all the siblings because some of the transitions were a bit confusing. However, as the book progressed, it go easier to keep up with them. I enjoyed the premise of the story, but I found myself unable to connect with half of the characters. I felt that some of the characters were more developed than the others.
I loved the end; it was one of my favorite parts of the novel. I liked how the author emphasized the complex connection between the four siblings. In overall, there were a few exciting events that kept me turning the pages, eager to see how everything would end. I'm thankful I had the chance to read this book.
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