The Homemade God - by Rachel Joyce (Hardcover)

About the Book

"There is a heatwave across Europe, and four siblings have gathered at their family's lake house to seek answers about their father, a famous artist, who recently remarried a much younger woman and decamped to Italy to finish his long-awaited masterpiece. Now he is dead. And there is no sign of his final painting. As the siblings try to piece together what happened, they spend the summer in a state of lawlessness: living under the same roof for the first time in decades, forced to confront the buried wounds they incurred as his children, and waiting for answers. Though they have always been close, the things they learn that summer--about themselves and their father--will drive them apart before they can truly understand his legacy. Meanwhile, their stepmother's enigmatic presence looms over the house. Is she the force that will finally destroy the family for good?"--

Book Synopsis

With sparkling wit and insight, this "gorgeous . . . page-turner" (People) from the bestselling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry reminds us that family is everything, even when it falls apart.

"The beautiful writing, unforgettable characters, and stunning setting make this a must-read."--Bonnie Garmus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry

"It's all here, dear readers. Art. Beauty. Pain. Redemption. Rachel Joyce's masterful skill and emotional breadth are dazzling."--Adriana Trigiani, author of The Good Left Undone

There is a heatwave across Europe, and four siblings have gathered at their family's lake house to seek answers about their father, a famous artist, who recently remarried a much younger woman and decamped to Italy to finish his long-awaited masterpiece.

Now he is dead. And there is no sign of his final painting.

As the siblings try to piece together what happened, they spend the summer in a state of lawlessness: living under the same roof for the first time in decades, forced to confront the buried wounds they incurred as his children, and waiting for answers. Though they have always been close, the things they learn that summer--about themselves--and their father--will drive them apart before they can truly understand his legacy. Meanwhile, their stepmother's enigmatic presence looms over the house. Is she the force that will finally destroy the family for good?

Wonderfully atmospheric, at heart this is a novel about the bonds of siblinghood--what happens when they splinter, and what it might take to reconnect them.

Review Quotes

"The mysterious death of an artist causes havoc among siblings in a novel that astutely observes family dynamics . . . Joyce is also exceptionally good at blending the big stuff of life with the small . . . a sharp, absorbing and emotionally intelligent novel."--The Guardian

"The Homemade God shares the characteristic generosity of Joyce's seven previous novels but there's something darker at play."--Harper's Bazaar

"A beautifully written family drama . . . Long after I finished the last page, I found I missed these characters--always the sign of a special book."--Good Housekeeping

"Heartbreak and hopefulness marry in this warm, emotionally astute tale set in Italy."--The Daily Mail

"Who would have thought a book about four neurotic siblings and their impossible father could be so engaging, intriguing and satisfying?"--Prue Leith

"The Homemade God is an exquisite and beautifully written exposé of a family torn apart by tragedy and almost destroyed by love. It made me laugh, it made me cry and I couldn't put it down. If you are a fan of Maggie O'Farrell, you must read this."--Louise Minchin

"Rachel Joyce is firing on all cylinders with The Homemade God and I can't think of a better holiday read."--The Times (UK)

"I fell heart-first into this vivid, moving story. Joyce's assured, gorgeous storytelling captured me--her wit, her wisdom, and her rendering of time, place, and crisis was so vividly revealed through these indelible characters."--Therese Anne Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of A Good Neighborhood

"Joyce has rendered her relatable characters with such fondness you cannot help but hold space for them all-even the flawed ones."--DéLana R.A. Dameron, author of Redwood Court

"It's all here, dear readers. Art. Beauty. Pain. Redemption. Rachel Joyce's emotional scope is dazzling. Brava!"--Adriana Trigiani, author of The Good Left Undone

"Rachel Joyce is a genius at creating complex, real, fractured characters and relationships. I didn't just read about the four Kemp siblings, I became one of them, and I'm bereft now I've left them behind."--Clare Pooley, author of How to Age Disgracefully

"Rachel Joyce has a kaleidoscopic gift; at the slightest touch, the whole picture shifts. A rich and rewarding reaching experience in every way."--Susan Rieger, author of Like Mother, Like Mother

"The Homemade God has all the flexed, pacey tautness of a thriller, even though at its heart it's a quiet story about grief."--Catherine Newman, New York Times bestselling author of Sandwich

"With humor and compassion, Joyce paints a complex portrait of a family with all of its baggage, eccentricities, charm, and heartbreak. Beautiful."--Eowyn Ivey, author of Black Woods Blue Sky

"Emotionally potent . . . Joyce reveals the toll of unresolved conflicts, the danger of taking family bonds for granted, and the power of art to assuage grief and longing."--Booklist

"Readers will get caught up in what Joyce's characters have to contend with, particularly a larger-than-life parent who affected, even damaged, their lives and careers into adulthood. Joyce is skilled at creating fragile, complex characters, and book club members will enjoy hashing over this insightful family drama."--Library Journal

"The glamorous art world, juicy family discord, an Italian villa, potential murder--it's hard to ask more from a summer read."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Rachel Joyce is the author of the New York Times and international bestsellers The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Perfect, The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, The Music Shop, Miss Benson's Beetle, and Maureen, as well as the collection, A Snow Garden & Other Stories. Her books have been translated into thirty-seven languages and sold millions of copies worldwide. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize and longlisted for the Booker Prize, and the critically acclaimed film, for which she also wrote the screenplay, was released in 2023. She was awarded the Specsavers New Writer of the Year National Book Award in December 2012 and was shortlisted for the UK Author of the Year in 2014. Miss Benson's Beetle won the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize 2021 and in 2024 Rachel was awarded an honorary doctorate by Kingston University. She lives with her family in Gloucestershire, England.