Book Summary and Reviews of Going Home by Tom Lamont

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Jamie K. (Berkeley, CA)

Growing up in the Age of Parenthood
When single mother, Lia, takes her own life and leaves raising her toddler, Joel, up for grabs, four unlikely caregivers join forces to share in his upbringing. The learning curve is hard, but love does its magic until a mistake in judgment threatens to tear apart everything they have built.

Going Home is told in alternating characters' points of view. Joel's POV is only at the beginning, but this is his story, and his toddler behavior, quirky language style, and acceptance of his revolving caretakers made me want to reach into the book and hug him—other characters' behavior made me want to grab them and scream, "Grow Up!" These are just two examples of author Tom Lamont's talent for creating well-developed characters.

Funny, sad, sometimes improbable, Going Home is always heartfelt. The one difficulty I had with the book was believing that a mother who adores her son would choose to abandon him. But then I looked through Lia's eyes and realized she knew her son would be in good hands. Once I bought into this mindset, I immersed myself in Joel's life and watched as four imperfect, well-intentioned friends learned to look beyond themselves and find love in unexpected places.

Susan W. (Berkley, MI)

Would you be able to do the right thing?
I enjoyed this book. The descriptions of the Scottish countryside were lovely. The characters were very interesting, although at times tiresome. I think Ben's character development was inconsistent; he went from irresponsible to the other extreme. Are we to assume his character didn't change, he just used his unlimited wealth? How does he really feel about Joel? I would like to know more about the Rabbi (not to give away more plot). Is she meant to be only a secondary character? It doesn't feel like it. I ask if you would be able to "do the right thing" wondering if each of the adults in the book can/have.

Katherine P. (Post Mills, VT)

Parenting Is Not Innate!
Lia is gone but she's left a 21/2 year old toddler behind. Teo was babysitting Joel when Lia was discovered and so by default he becomes his temporary guardian. But what does a 30 year old bachelor know about taking care of a kid in diapers who speaks his own private toddler language? Not much, as it turns out. What does Teo want to learn about taking care of said child? Not much, either. No one seems to know who Joel's father is so therefore finding him is problematic. For the time being child services think Joel is in good hands--Lia trusted Teo to baby sit after all, Teo is stable with a good job from which he can get leave, and has a home with his father, Vic, for the duration. He can go back to his London flat when either Joel's family or a foster family can be found for him. Preferably, Jewish since Joel and Lia were Jewish. Teo doesn't practice but his father a Scot Catholic, widowed from a Jewish wife, has been active in the local synagogue.
Teo is surrounded by his old group of school friends to which Lia belonged -the only female. His best friend, Ben, is rich, unemployed and lives in a mansion that has been his since his 18th birthday. Whenever Teo came home he fell right back into the care-free card playing, drinking, partying, clubbing lifestyle they've shared since they emerged from childhood. Their relationship is old and fraught with the stresses that familiarity and established roles that over time have developed. Ben is the star, the leader, the jock and Teo is the shorter, quieter, steadier follower. He is also the one of the group that has broken free of the hometown--he's moved to London and only comes home once a month to visit his sick father, Vic. A toddler certainly changes the dynamic.
I loved the book because, despite the circumstances, a child alters everything about the life led by its caretaker before its arrival. It is funny, having had a child, to see the situation from the aspect of a male in charge. Though people think women are born knowing exactly how to raise children that isn't true. What is true, however, is that women from early on are more involved with children--younger siblings, cousins, and as teens babies for whom we babysit, then as we get older our friends' or older siblings new babies--we just are around them all the time and usually are interested in them even in their earliest stages. Men just don't pay that much attention and so if they find themselves in charge, they are really at sea. To see Vic attempt to make up for what he sees as shortcomings in his role as Teo's father, and Teo try to determine how much TV is acceptable and Ben try to avoid the whole situation is fun but serious, too.
In the end, since everyone cares about Joel and wants him to be safe and happy all three of them figure it out and somehow a new life develops for them all.
Interwoven with the questions of parenting are also the concepts of faith, jew vs jewishness and the process of maturing from our foot in adulthood 20's into 30 year olds with a touch of awareness of one's future.
One of the characters, new to the community,is the young rabbi, Sybil. Her affluent family considers themselves to have assimilated in the English community and are upset at her choice of career. This was only mentioned in passing but it was an idea that was a bit jarring, especially in the present time with the worldwide problems in nations finding themselves dealing with an influx of immigrants. She, too, as the religious leader becomes involved in the question of what to do with Joel. Also, being close in age to both Teo and Ben, she becomes involved in their relationship as well.
Closing the book brings with it a sense of satisfaction that the characters are on a path of success leading to lives filled with possibility.

Gwen C. (Clearfield, PA)

Going Home
This book grew on me. Teo's and Ben's up and down friendship-with its occasional hostility was hard for me to grasp. Teo was good and Ben was obnoxious it seemed. Sybil was intriguing )I loved "she was a glanced when it came to mirrors.") as was Joel's dead mother Lia. Vic was the easiest one for me to understand. I'm not that familiar with the Jewish religion and learned a lot. I admired Joel's language and what the author went through to invent it. By the end of the book I was crying for Vic and cheering for the others. Although I had difficulty initially warming up to the characters the book was a good, worthwhile read. I particularly liked the rather open ended ending leaving us free to finish the novel as we see fit.

Mary L. (Greeley, CO)

Toddler Upends Four Adults
Any reader who loves complex character development will be immersed in this novel as one toddler challenges each of four major characters as well as their relationships with one another. While I enjoyed that aspect, the detailed emphasis was just a bit slow for my taste. Since the novel is from a British perspective and set in a smaller town that may be the difference for me. It is a novel with great heart and both the turmoil and joy one little boy brings to these four adults makes it well worth a read.

Iris S. (rockaway park ny, NY)

Helping Out
Going Home

Going Home is a novel by Tom Lamont about a group of friends who end up caring for 2 year old Joel when his mother goes missing. All the characters are very believable.
Tao Erskine, on a visit to his dad outside of London, meets up with Lia, the only girl in his group of friends; he volunteers to babysit for her son Joel the following day and ends up being a guardian for him.
Tao is a reliable and responsible 30 year old unmarried man with a 70 year old father, Vic, who still tries to be independent. Vic insists on cooking a chicken dinner for Joel and Tao but when he realizes he has to make gravy, he fails and sends Tao to buy some. In addition, in his excitement to tell the social workers that he wants to be the sole caretaker of Joel tells them that his son drove under the influence of drugs and so possibly ruins Tao's chance of continuing to care for Joel.

Tao was a responsible person unlike his friend Ben Mossom who is invited to dinner and does not show up. Also when the two friends are putting together a trampoline, Tao reads the instructions carefully and Ben just puts it together haphazardly. Ben acts on impulse as when he blurts out to Joel the truth about his mom.

Ben likes to do things for people but also wants to be thanked or recognized .He opens his house to friends even when he is not there. Ben tells Tao that he will get someone to babysit if Tao comes to a football game with him. On the way to the game Ben tries to convince Tao to take some pills he has to make him high. Tao, being the responsible person he is, refuses until Ben starts talking about Lia and upsets him. Ben went with her even though he was aware that Tao liked her. He had a brief affair with her and swore his friends to keep this secret.
The person Ben asks to sit is Sbyl, the rabbi of the synagogue that Ben attends. Sybl had discussions with Lia and tried to advise her. Lia was selfish, and clever. Sybl wanted to make innovations at the synagogue. But the people who attended were traditional .Ben tells Sybl about a letter that came to his house in which her contract was not renewed because of this.

Joel is a typical 2year old with tantrums and lots of energy that energizes the people he is with. He can also be easily persuaded. When he is on the way to the zoo and stuck in traffic, he is convinced by Ben that eating burgers is a better idea instead.
I would recommend this book if you want a fast read and do not really want to delve deeply into characters.