Lake Life

On Saturday I purchased a novel that had been recommend to me by my book club. The premise did not initially jump out at me but I decided to give it a chance. After 48 hours of stealing moments to read and staying up way too late all I can say is ...Wow.

Lake Life by David James Poissant (@djpoissant) [synopsis at the end], is a modern masterpiece. I don’t believe that I posses the words to describe how much I loved this novel. Everything from the writing, to the setting, to characters was absolute perfection.

The novel follows the Starling family as they spend a finally weekend together at the family's lake house in North Carolina before the sale on the houses closes. During this weekend the family witnesses a tragedy that shakes them to their core and makes them reevaluate their lives. I want to start by noting that all of the characters in this story are difficult to like and yet you find yourself rooting for them to be better, to learn from their mistakes, to truly commit to the changes they know they must make. Poissant does an excellent job of showing us the effects of trauma and how these can lead to mental health issues, as well as addiction. Additionally the novel tackles religion and the current political climate in a tasteful yet emotionally raw and gut-wrenching way. Ultimately, I believe that this novel does a phenomenal job of showing us the thin lines that families walk between keeping too many things unsaid that should be shared, and saying too much that can’t be unspoken.

In a time period where so many of us are experiencing fractures in our relationships because of crucial topics (i.e., civil rights, racism, politics, war, climate change, LGBTQ+ rights, addiction, poverty, etc.), Lake Life shows us why these conversations have become so difficult and why so many choose to stay quiet. However, it also shows us why it is important to do more listening in our path towards healing.

If you are looking for a beautifully written novel that is hard to put down, consider Lake Life.

Added bonus, the author is a professor at my alma mater, the University of Central Florida, so I highly encourage any fellow knights (@ucfalumni) to check it out.

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The Starling family is scattered across the country. Parents Richard and Lisa live in Ithaca, New York, and work at Cornell University. Their son Michael, a salesperson, lives in Dallas with his elementary school teacher wife, Diane. Michael’s brother, Thad, an aspiring poet, makes his home in New York City with his famous painter boyfriend, Jake. For years they’ve traveled to North Carolina to share a summer vacation at the family lake house.

That tradition is coming to an end, as Richard and Lisa have decided to sell the treasured summer home and retire to Florida. Before they do, the family will spend one last weekend at the lake. But what should to be a joyous farewell takes a nightmarish turn when the family witnesses a tragedy that triggers a series of dramatic revelations among the Starlings—alcoholism, infidelity, pregnancy, and a secret the parents have kept from their sons for over thirty years. As the weekend unfolds, relationships fray, bonds are tested, and the Starlings are forced to reckon with who they are and what they want from this life.