Blaen-y-Llyn,
founded by Don and his wife, Freya, among others, is a commune
dedicated to a natural way of life. Though once a thriving community of
like-minded individuals, over the years membership has dwindled and now
even Patrick, one of the founding members, has left to escape Don’s
controlling nature. With Freya thinking of doing the same, Don’s
marriage is faltering as well. In search of stability his teenage
daughter, Kate, escapes to college, but living with her boyfriend’s
family isn’t the haven of normalcy she was hoping for, and she left her
beloved younger brother behind in her hasty retreat. As each of the
characters comes to terms with the reality of their lives and
relationships, a story unfolds that is about midlife crises, adolescent
dramas, and self-discovery. With well developed characters and a dark
humor reminiscent of that in his first novel Submarine, Dunthorne
delivers hilarity and heart-break while redefining the essence of normal
in this story about what makes a family, and what makes a family
dysfunctional.This was a great read.
Book 47 on my way to 52.
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