From the get go, the story of these two families is utterly absorbing. Patchett is a master of 'show, don't tell.' The story seamlessly opens in California in the 60s with an amazing scene of adults getting drunk on gin n' juice (made from the oranges in the backyard) during a christening party. Patchett just plucks you right into the scene and pulls you in with these nuanced and fascinating character portraits. After being introduced to the Cousins and Keatings, at the fateful moment their families are thrown together, the narrative takes big jumps around in time giving glimpses into the lives of the grown children. And as the ailing Keating patriarch dotes on the past, or we get an evocative glimpse into the summers the children spent together, something sinister seems to lurk just beneath the surface.

Since the chapters don't necessarily go in chronological order, it can get a little jarring - especially since there are so many characters within this blended family. But having those big gaps gives us a front row seat into the absolutely essential parts of this family's life, which is so compelling, forcing the reader to want MORE. A small scene, such as my favorite when the children spend their first summer at a lake and the eldest daughter shows off her ability to pick a car lock, gives us a perfect window into how each child feels about one another, their parents, the world at large. It's full of such indelible moments among family, and the ties that bound these characters were so fascinating and real. Patchett is deft with the little details and they are suffused with such meaning, even down to the fateful oranges that grace the cover.

Some authors with similar styles tend toward plots that are languid, or lacking plot altogether. Patchett manages to create a sophisticated, atmospheric novel filled with symbolism and still maintains a page-turning urgency that builds at a perfect pace. The ensemble cast of Commonwealth will stay with me for a long time. If you love a good family drama, or just a great novel, this is up there with the absolute best of them.

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