I really enjoyed reading The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce. The setting and family drama made for an incredible dynamic that I was excited to dive into the pages. I think this could have been a five star book, but the last 10% felt unnecessary and very long; a strong epilogue detailing the siblings lives would have been sufficient. I also believe the author could have been a little more careful when creating the dialects and typed messages by her non-English speaking and dyslexic characters. Iris was the only character who had text messages transcribed in the novel and Loszalo was only able to speak in the present tense - these seemed to add very little to the plot or character development of this story and often took me out of the novel.

While much of the setting of this book-- Lakeside Italy-- is perfect for a summer read the plot and characters are less beachy and more a mix of seasons-- cold, windy, rainy, severe, hopeful, regenerating. Rich characters and an excellent portrayal of family dynamics in the wake of a death/understanding an elderly parent. Cinematic. You can see the future movie or HBO show.

This book was a real slog for me. It's heavy on the character development (which I ususally like), but very light on plot. Netta, Susan, Iris, and Goose are co-dependent siblings with a larger than life artist father who paints pop-art type canvases that are somewhat successful. They reminded me of those Patrick Nagel paintings from the 80's, 1/2 clad women in seductive poses.

Vic is 76 and has started dating a woman who is 27. When he tells his children he's going to marry her and they should all meet at his Italian lake house, they are shocked. They decide to ignore him for a bit, then find out he's died under mysterious circumstances. They all convene on the island, where they spent most of their childhood to meet their fathers wife, Bella-Mae. She has a 'cousin' there at the house, Lazlo, who becomes key in one of the siblings lives. It's just so slowly paced, and most of the characters are not that likeable, I got to the point I'd didn't really care what had happened to Vic. Did he die of natural causes or was Bella-Mae complicit in what happened?

All the siblings are co-dependent and needy and only Netta, the headstrong lawyer seems to be able to get things done. Once their dad is gone and they eventually go their separate ways, they seem to come into their own. So all in all, it was a story about the power that the father had over all of them, constraining their ability to find their own passions and purpose in life.

This is my fifth book by Rachel Joyce and I found it to be a bit of detour from her previous work. This story is heavily character driven, centering around four adult children and their aging artist father.

When he surprised them by marrying a much younger woman and invited them to the family lake house, they are stunned. Within a short time , they learn he has died and so they all rush to the lake house to find out what happened, where the will is and what kind of woman he married.

This is the point I became interested. His new wife acted oddly and kept the children guessing as to her motives. Netta, the oldest and an attorney, was the most suspicious. They all remain together at the lake house to await results of an autopsy and during this time the children’s relationship implodes.

They each end up going their separate ways and the only brother is the one who settles the estate and ends up becoming a successful artist in his own right. I also found him to be the most relatable and calm of the four siblings.

It appears the siblings were so close they were unable to be the individuals they truly needed to be. By separating, they each found their purpose or their passion in life and became much healthier individuals.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review and recommend to other readers.

2.75* The beginning of this book was slow and not very engaging. Then, the last 35% was amazing, fast-paced, and painted a beautiful landscape of a family. If the beginning had been more engaging, I would have rated it 4 or 5 stars. I am glad I stuck with it to the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for a copy. This is out now!

Rachel Joyce has created another unique story complete with complex characters we can all relate to along with a fascinating story. The Kemp children are raised by their eccentric artist father after their mother dies. Certainly a unique upbringing and while the father has had relationships he has never considered marriage until Bella-Mae comes along. The father’s death brings out suspicions and ugliness in the adult children and drew me in needing to unravel the mystery. I have read many of Joyce’s books and enjoy her often eccentric characters and plots. Kudos to Rachel Joyce for another entertaining read. And thanks to #NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC of #TheHomemadeGod.

Vic Kemp is a celebrated Painter aged 76 who lives a big life. He announces to his 3 adult children that he plans to marry a young woman 40 years his junior. Thus begins an intense family saga of 3 children each trying to find their own relationship with their father and then their new mother. From London to a small island in Italy the story unwinds with surprises and love to be found for each sibling toward each other and their dad. Thank you Net a galley for this interesting and revealing story. The book is at times slow moving but it is the writing and intuitive details that allow you to really get to know this dysfunctional family.

Thank you NetGalley, The Dial Press and Rachel Joyce for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of The Homemade God.
This is a huge family drama with many unlikeable characters who eventually warm my heart because they are raised in a toxic environment and don’t know anything different. Many bad choices are made along the way and selfish behavior reigns throughout the story. It’s easy to blame the young new wife but obviously there were huge problems before she entered the picture.
I enjoyed the story but the constant bickering and misunderstandings got a bit tiresome. The ending was satisfying but it took a long time to get there.

I’m truly grateful to have received an advanced copy of this book—thank you so much! As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

The story revolves around the four children of Vic Kemp, who recently passed away after marrying someone significantly younger. His sudden death raises suspicions—especially since his new wife, Bella-Mae, is only 27 years old, and their relationship was brief before they married. Vic’s children—Netta (Antoinette), Susan, Iris, and Gustav (aka Goose)—are at the heart of the story, and we learn more about their childhoods, their complicated relationships with one another, and their shared history with their father.

I absolutely adored this book. The characters are richly developed, and their individual stories were so captivating that I found it hard to put down. While reading, I was reminded just how much I love this genre—because it’s difficult to do well, and this author truly succeeds. The story digs deep into sibling dynamics and portrays each flawed character with nuance and empathy.

The narrative is messy in the best way—it reflects the emotional complexity and imperfections found in many families. While the Kemps are perhaps more dysfunctional than most, their struggles felt authentic and relatable.

I think it’s a real talent when an author can write this kind of story so effectively. It reminded me of books by Ann Napolitano or Jean Hanff Korelitz. If you enjoy character-driven fiction, this one will definitely draw you in. And if you’re not sure whether this genre is for you, I still encourage you to give it a try—it might just surprise you.

THE HOMEMADE GOD
BY: RACHEL JOYCE

I have read and loved, every novel written by one of my favorite Authors' RACHEL JOYCE. I thought this was a beautifully written story about family that I was hooked from the very first paragraph until the final one. One good thing that I'm glad I did was to go into it completely blind which made the narrative and the subject matter all the more immersive and was surprised how interesting the family dynamics were in this character driven novel. This is definitely among my top favorites of hers called, "THE HOMEMADE GOD." My other favorite of her's that I found unforgettable is "MISS BENSON'S BEETLE." That might make me somewhat of an outlier since these two books are very different in that "MISS BENSON'S BEETLE," was enjoyable for it's warmer theme where this one I thought was very different but explored family dynamics with insight and this one without giving spoilers had at times a few flawed characters, which they were developed as such I definitely, didn't feel that they were flawed throughout the narrative as I saw them in my opinion to not feel the same about them that way at all times. For example in Vic Kemp, the family Patriarch who is described as an amateurish artist by some. At first I felt him to be unlikable with his self centered personality towards his different children which made me not keep that opinion which I appreciated and what makes this have a unique style. He was complex as were some other characters who maybe a more accurate word is that they had traits that I saw as gray as opposed to black and white which made this novel not banal or trite and kept me more intrigued that there was a fluid feel rather than static and fixed. It's sort of what stood out that they were multifaceted which is rare. Vic is described at times to have been involved with some of the children's Au Pair's, and yet gentile with Iris when he invited her only to his flat and had lost weight after he took up with Bella Mae, shutting out his other three children he whispered to Iris, "I'm in it now." Then his dropping his close and longtime friend Harry who Vic thought held him back by expecting him to produce commercial art which he replaced Harry with this mysterious new woman named Bella Mae who he announces to his four adult children he is marrying.

There is a close approximate age difference of about fifty years with Vic in his late seventies and Bella Mae being in her late twenties, which ends up being a one year age difference from his youngest and most compliant daughter, Iris. He had been a widow losing his wife, Martha and he raised with his children with at times some help. He has his three daughters', and his only son, Goose who tried to follow in his father's footsteps to become an artist which his son doesn't continue, but longs to help his dad at the studio bedsit, which Vic has announced he is going to paint his Masterpiece in their second home in Italy. He makes this bombshell announcement to his four adult children out of the blue about marrying Bella Mae which they are all shocked since they had no prior knowledge of their father's involvement with mystery woman Bella Mae.

Vic was unrelenting of his daughters curiosity of wanting to meet and get to know Bella Mae who of course, they are surprised that he doesn't involve his adult children with meeting this mysterious younger woman who Vic goes to their home in Italy with Bella Mae, and it's later in the novel when they travel after being informed of their father's death. The adult children travel there and relationships shift. The descriptions of Italy come alive vibrantly so stunning I could picture the image and the well developed characters in my mind. The realism of this family throughout this novel was masterfully captured by RACHEL JOYCE.

The way that life goes on for Vic's three daughters' after he abruptly leaves for Italy and they're shocked again when they receive a group text announcing that Vic has married Bella Mae which is odd that he informs his three daughters Netta, Susan, Iris, and his only son, Goose that he married Bella Mae, instead of a conversation over the telephone. They still don't know anything more about Bella Mae as they scrutinized the picture of Vic and his new bride other than the age gap and that she has long black hair. Her face is completely covered up by a veil. They are experiencing life changes simultaneously. Some are more significant than others. Susan has a husband and she discovers during a book club held at her home that she might take more of an interest since her friends really love what she served them to eat. Netta has a revelation from her ex-husband Robert. Iris gets a new job that she loves and is successful at. Netta who is a litigator decides she's going to travel and inquire about Bella Mae quietly without alarming her siblings or Vic during an extreme heat wave. Another more extreme shock arrives the day before she left that Vic is dead. Vic had known Bella Mae five and a half months, and been married to her a total of forty-six days.

You will find that this is more of contemporary realism of a domestic family drama that if you enjoy that trope I recommend highly picking up a copy by a talented author that has once again out done herself. The enhancement for me was knowing nothing and I think that is a wise approach. The second half of the book is very different than the first in terms of the different characters interactions as they arrive and they can't locate this anticipated painting. Not before the four children process their grief differently. Susan goes first to her father's villa, and Netta looks into the fact that Vic left no will which means that Bella Mae is going to inherit half of Vic's estate leaving the other half to be divided up between the four adult children of Vic's. They find out that their Dad who was an excellent swimmer had drowned and his body found in the reeds. Gustav whom they call Goose is walking and ends up at Harry's and his wife Shirley patches up his nose from too much drowning his news by drinking too much vodka. Iris the youngest informs her sister, Netta that before their father left for Italy he invited her to his flat where he whispers to her, "I'm in it now." while Bella Mae is still a mystery and is sleeping. She feels remorse that she's to blame for not saving their dad. Netta learns there is to be no autopsy since the police in Italy don't suspect foul play. When Susan arrives first there is no sign of Bella Mae, but her male cousin is there to collect some of her personal belongings.

The writing is signature Rachel Joyce with her own unique style, which again is descriptive and the landscape in Italy a kaleidoscope of eye popping color with the villa surrounded with blooms of flowers of both striking rainbow breathtaking visual sensations that made me feel as though I could be there. The more serious but understated themes in this novel make it unique. Who is Bella Mae? Is she the villain in this story that Vic's daughters portray her to be? The descriptions of the characters are vast but this has a more serious, yet quirkiness feel to me. I think that this was well written and though serious not emotionally depressing which the characters were sketched with emotions along with this being about family interactions especially the siblings. This was another winning achievement by Rachel Joyce that had some unlikable characters at times, but that doesn't affect my rating since that doesn't feel as heavy as two other novels that I read last month that felt overwhelming which this didn't leave me feeling that way..

Publication Date: July 8, 2025

Thank you to Net Galley, Rachel Joyce, and Random House Publishing Group--Random House/The Dial Press for generously providing me with my splendid ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always.

#TheHomemadeGod #RachelJoyce #RandomHousePublishingGroupRandomHouseTheDialPress #NetGalley

It's always difficult for me to review a book that tells a great story but could have been executed better. The Homemade God is the story of 4 grown siblings who travel to the family villa in Italy after the father dies suddenly while swimming in the lake. They arrive to find the villa stripped of all his belongings, including his paintings. Their father's young bride and her cousin tell them nothing of the circumstances, leading to a lot of speculation and disagreement between the siblings. There is also a lot of reminiscing about the past. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen, especially when the autopsy was revealed, but the story just plodded on. Near the end, when the siblings were packing up to leave, I thought I was at the end of the book, but there were a couple more chapters that added nothing to the story. I think the author wanted to tie up loose ends, but it would have been better to leave the reader to speculate.

This is only my second Rachel Joyce, and I guess she's just not for me. The characters are too over the top. I think some readers will love it. Family drama and secrets in an exotic locale.

The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce is the story of four older siblings and their father, who is an artist. Their father announces he is going to marry… someone younger than his youngest daughter. But they never meet her. Then the pair move to Italy and the father dies. They are determined the evil wife has done him in so they go to Italy both to look for a will and to look into his death. It is a wordy tale of the impact the death of a parent can have. The characters are good and well-displayed. The interactions are pretty much what one would expect if they have siblings, each with their own personalities and lives. It was a decent story but would have been told using way fewer words. It was too easy to get bogged down by all the unnecessary verbiage.

I was invited to read The Homemade God by Random House. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RandomHouse #RachelJoyce #TheHomemadeGod

The Kemp family might be one of the most dysfunctional you'll ever encounter in fiction. After the sudden death of their father, the four Kemp siblings are forced to confront their complicated relationships with him—and with each other. While the premise had potential, the pacing was slow, and I struggled to stay engaged. I did finish the book, but it was more out of determination than genuine interest.

A story about family. The good the bad the very ugly. It was a quick read and heartwarming at times. Also a little disturbing and upsetting. But ultimately a beautiful story about siblings and the messiness of family relationships.

I’ve loved all of Rachel Joyce’s previous books but The Homemade God left me a bit disappointed. The book revolves around a well-known artist and his 4 adult children. When he passes suddenly his children travel to Italy to sort out his affairs. We learn about the lives of these siblings and their years growing up with this eccentric father , who also leaves behind a wife of 3 months ( she’s 50 yrs his junior.).
For me there were too many petty squabbles going on amongst the young wife and the “step children” and perhaps it had to do with my own mood, that I didn’t enjoy it. I was hoping for an uplifting read and this wasn’t it.
It had its moments but for me, it wasn’t a great read. Judging by the reviews, many others thoroughly enjoyed the book. 3 1/2 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Canada. For my eARC.

Thanks to The Dial Press and NetGalley for the digital review copy!

While I found the majority of the characters to be fairly obnoxious, they made for a pretty entertaining and, ultimately, compelling read.

I really enjoyed the element of mystery in this story surrounding Bella-Mae—who is she, and what are her intentions? I think Joyce did a great job of building just the right amount of suspense and suspicion towards her while never actually providing us with any real, tangible reason to think she’s up to something nefarious. I think this would make an excellent pick for a book club or buddy read because I can see people taking different sides and having great discussions throughout the book.

The most interesting part of this story, to me, was the way in which Bella-Mae acted as the catalyst that exploded this family into pieces, forcing each member to take a long, hard look at themselves, whether she meant to be that for them or not. She exposed the cracks in their foundation (that the family was so adamant about not existing), showing how fragile this supposedly solid and important family actually was.

I thought the ending was great. I was originally assuming that there were going to be questions I wouldn’t have answered, and I was at peace with that. Instead, we actually got to know everything, and it made me like the book even more because learning the entire truth exposed so much more about the insecurity and fragility that plagued this family.

It’s not often I pay much mind to a book’s title, but I do think this one in particular is brilliant, for a number of reasons. I was already feeling this way about it throughout my reading, but when I got to the very end, it became even better.

This makes for a great summer read with plenty of mystery, drama, and suspense to keep you hooked, while also being satisfyingly clever and perceptive.

<i>The Homemade God</i> is full of family drama and childhood trauma in the most dysfunctional of ways. The 4 Kemp siblings were thick as thieves. They had to be once their mom died at an early age and they were essentially raising themselves alongside their artist dad. Things start to change once he announces his very sudden marriage to a very young woman. And now they are all reeling from the death not even two months after his wedding.
When all 4 siblings plus the new wife and her cousin are all under the same roof in an Italian villa trying to piece together the days leading up to his death, secrets are revealed, new understandings are made and lines are crossed.
The story is told from multiple points of view, supplying little pieces here and there to slowly build a full picture. This is a slow burn - starting off making you think one thing, allowing assumptions to be made, then little by little truths are revealed.
The family dynamic is strange but rightfully so. I appreciated the level of character development making it so that even the oddest of character and reasons for trauma made sense. It was a story that both made you wish you had a large family and thankful at the same time that you don't have a large family.

The Homemade God is a story of Vic Kemp and his children...his children's journey after his mysterious death and learning to deal with and get to know his new, very young wife, Bella Mae. This book was very much character driven, which I usually enjoy but I kept waiting for answers, waiting for more details. Vic was a terrible father and really did a disservice to his children by remaining immature and selfish his entire life.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Homemade God, by Rachel Joyce, is a work of literary fiction about a deeply dysfunctional family. I was interested in reading this novel because of the gorgeous Italian cover and the book description. However, the actual novel felt like dragging myself through mud, with all of the negative experiences the family endured throughout their lives.

This novel tells the story of Vic Kemp, an artist in his 70s, and his adult children. Kemp raised the children alone after his first wife died, and through flashbacks, the reader sees that Kemp was critical, erratic, lived in a mess and disorder, and neglectful. The four children have many complex feelings towards their father and each of them has sought his approval over many years without success. Vic meets a young woman, Bella Mae, is instantly infatuated, and marries her within a short time. They travel to Italy, where Vic drowns in the lake outside the family villa.

The rest of the novel focuses on how each child and Kemp’s wife deal with his sudden death. The children blame his new wife, who knows more than she is letting on. They all stay in Italy in the family villa while the authorities investigate Kemp’s death. Ultimately, their own demons implode their relationships and memories of their father.

This novel was very difficult to get through for me. The characters were not likeable and the events in the past and present of the story were very depressing. Because of the negative tone of the entire book, it was hard for me to appreciate Joyce’s skill in creating complex characters and prose.

Rachel Joyce is an acclaimed author, and this novel would appeal to a reader who enjoys intense, gut-wrenching family dramas. Her skill as an author is evident in every page of this book. Unfortunately, it was not a good match for me.

Thank you to Rachel Joyce, The Dial Press, and NetGalley for advance reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.