Book review, full book summary and synopsis for Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, an understated novel about falling in love, family and the choices we make.
Synopsis
In Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, Lara recounts a story to her daughters about a brief romance she once shared with a handsome, famous actor, Peter Duke.
Beginning with a community theater audition as a junior in high school from a small town in New Hampshire, Lara tells them about her experiences that led her to Los Angeles and New York and eventually to the cherry orchard she and their father, Joe, own.
This intimate and beautifully written story is about falling in love, growing up, about family and the decisions we make and the paths we choose to go down.
(The Full Plot Summary is also available, below)
Full Plot Summary
Chapter-by-Chapter SummarySee the Chapter-by-Chapter Summary of Tom LakeQuick Plot SummaryThe three-paragraph version: It's harvesting season at the cherry orchard that Lara and her husband Joe own, and as they work, Lara recounts a story to her three 20-something daughters of how she once dated Peter Duke, a famous actor. It starts with her being discovered by a director, Bill Ripley, during a community theater production of Our Town, which results in a movie role. She's then cast in another production of Our Town for a theater company in Tom Lake, Michigan. There, she meets a then-unknown actor, Peter Duke. Peter and Lara have a whirlwind affair. While in Tom Lake, Lara makes a trip to a nearby cherry farm belonging to the aunt and uncle of the show's director, Mr. Nelson. It's also revealed that Mr. Nelson is Joe Nelson, who Lara later marries. Lara is charmed by the place, and Duke falls in love with it, commenting that he'd like to come back here.
An injury eventually causes Lara to step down from her role, and her understudy takes over, who Duke secretly starts sleeping with. Bill comes to Tom Lake to bring a heartbroken Lara back to Los Angeles to do publicity for her movie, Singularity, and he scouts Duke while he's there. Once the movie is released, Lara decides she's done with acting. Meanwhile, Duke is on his way to becoming famous. Lara spends some time caring for her grandmother in New Hampshire before moving to New York to work as a seamstress at a theater, where she runs into Joe again and they get together. Joe has been supporting his aunt and uncle financially, and he eventually becomes the owner of their farm. Joe and Lara marry and move to the cherry farm.
In present day, it's revealed that Duke passed away two weeks ago, drowned while boating in Capri. Lara thinks about how she saw him two more times after that summer. Once, when he dropped by the farm years after she and Joe were married. The other instance, Lara does not tell her daughters about. When she was working as a seamstress in New York, he'd called her asking for her to visit him in a mental hospital near Boston, saying he needed to see her as part of his treatment program. She went, but he just wanted to have sex with her, and she complied. Four weeks after Lara tells her daughters the story about Duke, Sebastian shows up at their house. It's revealed that Duke actually purchased a place in the cemetery from the Nelsons many years ago, having once decided he wanted to be buried in their graveyard. Sebastian is here to put him to rest, and together they bury Duke.
The book switches from the present, the Summer of 2020, to the past as Lara recounts a story to her three 20-something daughters about how she once dated Peter Duke, a famous actor. Lara's daughters are all at their farm, Three Sisters Orchards, which Lara's husband Joe runs. Emily lives nearby with her boyfriend Ben after having moved back after college, and the other two, Maisie and Nell, have come back from college to isolate during the pandemic.
In Chapters 1-5, Lara recalls how she starred in a production of Our Town in the role of "Emily". Bill Ripley, a director, was in the audience as a favor to his sister to watch his niece play a small role. Instead, he ends up approaching Lara and offering her a screen test in Los Angeles for a movie he's making. Lara is flown out twice, and she's given the role.
Meanwhile, in present day, due to many of their seasonal workers not being here, it's all hands on deck for cherry picking season. Joe relies heavily on Emily, since she studied horticulture and intends to take over the farm someday. Maisie is in veterinary school, while Nell is an aspiring actress. Emily's boyfriend Ben is busy helping his parents with their own harvest, since they own an adjoining farm.
As her story continues, Lara explains how the movie's release was delayed, so she ended up doing some commercials in the meantime. Then, after auditioning for and failing to get a role as "Emily" for an Our Town production on Broadway in New York, Lara is offered the opportunity to join a professional theater that needs an "Emily" for a production in Tom Lake, Michigan.
In Chapters 6-10, Lara arrives in Tom Lake and meets Peter Duke, who charms her. They become an item early on, and it turns into a whirlwind romance. Lara is also fantastic as Emily. She meets Duke's brother Sebastian who comes to visit frequently, and he starts dating Pallace, Lara's understudy and friend. Meanwhile, the marquee name in the show is Albert Long, who used to play a beloved character on TV called "Uncle Wallace". However, Albert's drinking has worsened lately, and the director, Mr. Nelson is worried about it.
In present day, Emily mentions that she and Ben will likely get married between the cherry and apple harvesting seasons, though she's adamant she doesn't want kids because she feels so uncertain of what the world will look like for them and how climate change will affect their farm. Joe and Lara worry about what will happen to their beloved farm.
In Chapters 11-14, shortly before the show opens, the director invites Lara to his aunt and uncle's cherry orchard along with Sebastian and Pallace. Lara is charmed by it, but Duke falls in love with the place. (It's also revealed at this point that Mr. Nelson is Joe Nelson, Lara's husband, though they don't fall in love until later.) Soon, the show opens. One night, Albert seems to be struggling through his performance, and as the final curtain closes he begins coughing up blood due to an esophageal varices caused by excessive drinking. He's taken to the hospital, and he dies a few weeks later. Joe takes over for Albert when his understudy declines to take on the role. Meanwhile, Duke has begun drinking a lot as well, using his character in the other production they're rehearsing for, Fool for Love, as an excuse since he plays a heavy drinker.
In present day, Lara muses about how she wishes she could've done more to save Duke from himself and from what eventually became of him.
In Chapters 15-18, Lara ruptures her Achilles playing tennis, and she has pull out of the productions since she won't be walking for the next six months. Pallace takes her place as her understudy, and Duke start sleeping with Pallace. When Sebastian realizes this, there's a fight and he's out of the picture. Bill Ripley arrives at Duke's behest to take Lara back to Los Angeles, since their movie is also finally being released. Lara realizes Duke also brought Bill here to try to get him to see him in the play. Bill considers Duke for a part, and Lara spends the next month in Los Angeles. After all the press and the movie is released, Lara goes home and bids farewell to her life as an actress. Duke is cast in Bill's TV show and is soon on his way to becoming a movie star.
In Chapters 19 - 21, Lara spends some time in New Hampshire caring for her grandmother Nell until she passes away. She then takes a job as a seamstress for a theater in New York. There, she runs into Joe and they get together. Joe has been supporting his aunt and uncle financially, and he eventually becomes the owner of their farm. Joe and Lara marry and move to the cherry farm.
In present day, it's revealed that Duke passed away two weeks ago, drowned while boating in Capri. Lara thinks about how she'd saw him two more times after that summer. Once, when he dropped by the farm years after she and Joe were married. The other instance, Lara does not tell her daughters about. When she was working as a seamstress in New York, he'd called her asking for her to visit him in a mental hospital near Boston, saying he needed to see her as part of his treatment program. She went, but he just wanted to have sex with her, and she complied.
Four weeks after Lara tells her daughters the story about Duke, Sebastian shows up at their house. It's revealed that Duke actually purchased a place in the cemetery from the Nelsons many years ago, having once decided he wanted to be buried in their graveyard. Sebastian is here to put him to rest, and together they bury Duke.
For more detail, see the full Chapter-by-Chapter Summary.
If this summary was useful to you, please consider supporting this site by leaving a tip ($2, $3, or $5) or joining the Patreon!
I read the book twice. The first time, I thought, OK nice story. I’ll read anything Ann Patchett writes. But I didn’t know much about “Our Town”. I viewed the play, with Paul Newman as stage manager, on YouTube. Then I re-read the book. It had greater meaning after that. Provides more context. I’d recommend viewing the YouTube video before reading the book.
ooo interesting insight, thanks for letting me know!
“Tom Lake” by Ann Patchett is a poignant tale of love and loss, beautifully written with emotional depth. Pros include vivid character development and evocative storytelling. However, some may find the pacing slow at times. Overall, Patchett’s novel is a moving exploration of human connection and the complexities of relationships.
Thank you for your wonderful review. I really love Ann Patchett’s books but NOT this one. To me this was very dull and I got to the end thinking I knew in the first 50 pages and should have ended it there.
Your review is much more nuanced than mine but I loved reading it and being reminded of the plot and issues I had.