Strange book
It was really good aside from the fact that there are 2 chapters that you have no clue where this book is going. It redeems itself in the end

This book is a compelling portrayal of four siblings in their hierarchical family struggles. Their unusual upbringing fostered an interdependent closeness until what appeared to be their unbreakable bond unexpectedly shattered. The depth of Rachel Joyce’s character development is beyond rich. I had vivid images of each sibling. They adored their commercially successful yet questionably artistic father and were conflicted over suspicions about his new, young wife and her cousin. I read with fascination of the factors and traits that resulted in a dramatic impact on the course of each of their lives. The author’s detailed descriptions of Lake Orta and the siblings’ childhood summer home there was entrancing. I devoured this book. What a spectacular writer who kept me wanting more.

Rachel Joyce writes a banger of a novel that makes you think about life and the challenges we all face and how hard we work to hide the struggle.

This was… idk fine? But it never really GRIPPED me. I never felt the NEED to pick it up and read it. The characters all felt a little one sided to me and idk I think I just needed more?

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc

If dysfunctional families and their drama are your thing, this book will be right up your alley. I enjoyed the drama and messy bits of this. However, it's very slow moving and overly descriptive on parts you don't need, then lacking description in the parts I wanted more. While I found it a good read, it did drag on and didn't truly grip me. I was left wanting more and not ever getting that feeling fulfilled. It was okay, but the writing style isn't for me. It took a lot to continue reading and to eventually finish it.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and The Dial Press to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

If you are a fan of dysfunctional family dramas, this book is for you. Excellent character development. I definitely wanted to keep reading to learn how and whether the Kemp sisters would ultimately reunite! I also appreciated the humor interwoven in this dark family drama. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for reaching out with this advanced copy.

I was very interested it in this boom given the plot and its locale , but I found the execution lacking. The author languidly unravels a tale that takes far too long to get where it's going. Not the book for me.

I was so excited to read this novel given its premise, excited for complex sibling drama and the hint of a thriller with a possibly suspicious death, but it never quite came together for me. The climax that proclaims to irrevocably change this family left me underwhelmed and relied too heavily on narration that this was the pivotal moment of their story, which left it somewhat flat, and made the rest of the novel drag.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for this ARC!

This story is about a family that revolves around its patriarch, Vic. Vic is a mostly unsuccessful artist and single father to his adult kids. The book starts with Vic announcing to his kids that he’s marrying a much younger woman. Then he suddenly turns up dead. Mysteries abound.

I really enjoyed the lush setting of this book at the family villa in Italy. The setting felt like its own character. However, the actual characters fell flat for me. I had a difficult time relating to them and the pacing was very slow.

A beautifully written novel about an incredibly dysfunctional family. Four siblings live idolizing their world famous artist father, until a virtual bomb is tossed when they are called to meet his much younger fiancée. The novel is set in London, then on an Italian island where the family journeys after the unexpected death of Vic, the father.

It is this fraught time that blows up the family. It is a dark novel, but the characters are so interesting and well formed that I felt I knew each of them.

They must face the fact that their father was fatally flawed, careless and cruel. Joyce takes the readers to the world after Vic’s death. I found that very fulfilling. I like the author to guide me to the lives of characters I like, rather than leaving it to my own devices.

This is a very fine novel, but be prepared for the dark soul of this emotional experience.

Thank you Netgalley for this well written, compelling novel.

This was a story that captured my attention and kept me interested. I wanted to know what really happened and I ended up relating and feeling for the characters in this story. Grief mixed with the birth order of siblings can cause chaos and Rachel Joyce did a great job capturing this. There was enough mystery and realization to keep a reader like me completing this book.

I wasn’t a huge fan of this book. First of all, the title didn’t make sense to me until the very end. Second, the characters felt too much like caricatures instead of like real people. The sequence of events that led to the huge rift between the sisters did not feel legitimate. The book was very slow to get through until finally picking up a bit at the end. It did have some poignant moments, but not my favorite.

When I read anything by Rachel Joyce I know I'm going to have my heart broken and put back together again. There is just something about her stories that leave me thinking about them long after the last page.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital review copy.

5 ✨ What a gorgeous and maddening book! 🎨🥹🍏

Four siblings venture to Italy, returning to their childhood home on Lake Orta after getting the tragic news that their famous and newly remarried father has drowned. His new wife, whom they've never met, has inherited everything.

That's all I can tell you. It's a mysterious, heartbreaking meditation on the cracks within a family. Secrets are revealed. Stories we tell ourselves about ourselves may or may not be true. Ghosts visit. Love is all around. It's a dark book, but so, so beautiful in its unraveling.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @thedialpress / @randomhouse for the ARC! #TheHomemadeGod comes out on July 8th!

A family drama that explodes with the patriarch dies after marrying a younger woman. I thigh it was well-written, but really struggled to identify with the characters and I couldn’t get into the book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
My review: This novel went back and forth from meandering train of thought to action that moves the story. I would start to get bored and then it picked up, over and over.
The siblings are all interesting, flawed, and they share such a tumultuous childhood. Susan and Netta were definitely more fleshed out as the older siblings who took charge. Iris seemed very dependent on others and Goose was just a mess. The mystery of the woman who married their father started off interesting but tapered off as meandering trains of thought kept jumping to the forefront. I guess I was mostly confused why they worshipped their father so much when he was an absent father, a poor role model and made many dubious choices. Was it just because he was famous?
I was anxious to figure out the mystery and see how the siblings pulled themselves together so I kept reading. The last 1/3 of the book was more meandering with more family drama. I found it hard to pick sides, everyone was a little selfish, very disillusioned, and not thinking clearly-Netta drank, Susan was horny, Goose was confused and hurt, and Iris's anxiety and mental health stood in her way.

Overall, a massive amount of drama, some over the top scenes and insane sibling dynamics, it just took the long way to get there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advance digital copy in exchange for my review.

Rachel Joyce’s The Homemade God is a compelling exploration of family, art, and the echoes of the past set against the sweltering backdrop of a European heatwave. The story of four siblings returning to their family’s lake house to unravel the mystery surrounding their father’s final work and sudden death is equally atmospheric and emotionally resonant. Joyce masterfully captures the simmering tensions and buried wounds that resurface when family members are forced into close quarters after years apart. The characters are layered and relatable, each carrying their own scars and secrets, which makes the unfolding revelations all the more poignant. The enigmatic presence of the stepmother adds an intriguing layer of mystery—her motives and influence keep you guessing until the very end. While some might find the pace leisurely at times, it’s this slow-burning tension and richly detailed setting that elevate the novel beyond mere family drama. It’s about how we connect—and disconnect—with those closest to us, and whether understanding the past can ultimately heal or further wound. Overall, The Homemade God offers a beautifully written, reflective summer read that explores the complex bonds of siblinghood and the legacies we inherit. A thought-provoking and atmospheric journey worth taking.

Estranged siblings having to come together to deal with the death of their father and his widow? Fascinating. This is an emotional story about grief, trying to reconnect while keeping secrets that could change everything if they’re known

3.5
I truly enjoyed The Likely Pilgrimage of Harold Frye. I was excited to read this new book by Rachael Joyce.
This was book was not what I thought it would be. I expected more of a mystery thriller. It turned out to be a complex family drama about four adult siblings and how they dealt with the untimely death of their father.
Vic Kemp was a 76 yr old man who was an artist and was about to create his “masterpiece.”. He lost his wife, the mother of his children many years ago and raised his young children himself. He informs them that he is marrying Bella Mae a much younger woman, in fact she is even younger than his youngest child. Netta, Susan, Goose and Iris are shocked.
Vic and Bella travel to Lake Orta in Italy, Vic’s summer home. The children have never met Bella. Suddenly they are told that their beloved father has died. They travel to Italy to investigate what happened. They believe Bella must have something to do with his death. They do not trust Bella.
This is a slow burn story that went on and on. I found it hard to engage in the story. The setting in Italy was beautiful.
The writing was very good but too drawn out for me.
It is a story of family drama, grief and healing.
If you like family drama you will enjoy this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House/Dial Press for this advanced readers copy.

Thanks to Random House/The Dial Press for this ARC of 'The Homemade God' by Rachel Joyce.

I love Rachel Joyce's writing, it is beautiful, thoughtful prose. This book was very different from her previous books, which I have read; this one is darker and more serious. It's the story of a family that has a very larger-than-life parent, who had deeply affected his four children, causing them to be a very dysfunctional family. The characters are well-drawn and very different. It's very sad to watch the family come apart at a time when you would think they would be coming together. Original and compelling. 4-1/2 stars

I received an ARC for free and gave my honest opinion voluntarily.