At Home with the Templetons

February 28, 2011
Everything is not as it seems in McInerney's entertaining exploration of family relationships amid romance and turmoil. When the Templetons move from England to an inherited family manse in Australia, Henry, the charming but financially clueless patriarch, hopes to make a fortune by turning the new home into a tourist destination, dressing his family in old-timey costume as guides. His wife, Eleanor, struggles to balance the books, keep her husband's numerous financial schemes in check, and wrangle the kids: cynical Charlotte, naïve Audrey, precocious but wise Gracie, and young Spencer. Even Eleanor's sister, Hope, despite problems with alcohol, is in on the family business. Then there's artist-widow Nina Donovan and her son, Tom, living in a nearby rented farmhouse and both differently entangled with their flashy neighbors. McInerney (Greetings from Somewhere Else) follows her large cast over the course of 16 years as the Templetons disperse across the globe and become mired in their own individual struggles with, among other things, infidelity, loneliness, addiction, business, jealousy, and straightup growing pains. McInerney's greatest feat is to create a large cast of strong characters; they're individually tough and nicely considered, which lends a pleasing authenticity to the travails of an uncommon family.

April 15, 2011

Who wouldn't be fascinated by the Templetons? Henry Templeton, a charming Englishman, and his family come to Australia to take up residence in the large stately home willed to them. They set about turning the grand manor into a historical replica of 1860s Australia, giving tours in costume on weekends and generating more gossip than friendship. However, one of the locals, Nina Donovan, is drawn to the clan when her son, Tom, befriends young Spencer Templeton. McInerney's latest novel is an exploration of the relationships in the Donovan and Templeton families and the ways their families intersect over the years. For each character, truth becomes a central theme. Who controls the truth and who knows it at any given time? What is the truth of the Templetons? VERDICT McInerney is not a stranger to writing about strong families (Those Faraday Girls; Alphabet Sisters), and that experience shines through here. Highly recommended for fans of complex characters and compelling prose. [Three-city tour by request; library marketing.]--Anastasia Diamond-Ortiz, Cleveland P.L.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2011
In 1993, Henry Templeton inherits an estate and decides to move his wife, four children, and his sister-in-law from England to the Australian countryside. To outsiders, this unconventional family is fascinating, especially to Nina Donovan and her son, Tom. A series of encounters brings these two families together, intertwining their lives in the most unexpected ways. Fast-forward several years and a relationship between Gracie, the youngest of the Templeton girls, and Tom has developed, but a horrific accident and a series of lies tears them apart. Lying is the theme that runs throughout the novel. Lies told out of love, fear, anger, and resentment must eventually be revealed in the face of the truth, and the fallout will either sever relationships or bring about forgiveness and healing. However, this is ultimately a story about a family, and McInerney is at her very best when developing her characters, highlighting their idiosyncrasies and flaws with gentle humor, describing the ease and tension in their relationships, and recounting the small, everyday events that make up their lives.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)