3.5***

A quote from Landvik’s debut novel - Patty Jane’s House of Curl - stays with me: What a big chunk of God is to be found by looking into the face of someone you love. In her second novel (published in 1997), Landvik continues to explore this idea. I’ve been a fan of hers for a while – I loved her debut work and have read several of her books, but somehow I missed this one until now.

The novel follows two families - BiDi (pronounced B-D) and Devera have been friends since childhood; their husbands Sergio and Dick are close confidants to each other, and their children share teen secrets. The women were voted “least changed” at their recent 20th high school reunions – a label they do not find appealing; but despite how others perceive them, change is inevitable. Their stories are told in alternating chapters – each of the adults and the youngest daughter, Darcy, take turns narrating. This allows the reader to have information that may be hidden from the other characters.

Landvik’s works are populated by quirky characters, usually living in relatively small towns, with a real sense of community. Flame Lake is typical of her books in this regard. I felt I got to know the inhabitants of the town through these two families and their interactions. But I was surprised to find that the male characters were much more likeable than the women; that doesn’t happen often in novels written by women. Still, I enjoyed the book and liked spending time looking at this chapter in their lives. ( )

The small town of Flame Lake, Minnesota, is the setting for this character driven story centered around 2 families: Dick, Devera, Lin and Darcy Lindstrom and Sergio and Bidi Hererra and her daughter, Frannie, from Bidi's first marriage. The story is told in alternating chapters by the 4 adults and 12-year-old Darcy. Devera and Bidi have been best friends for years and now that they are about to enter their 40's they are not sure that are entirely happy with their lives. Dev, especially, is restless and subject to panic attacks. Thinking that a return to college would give her life focus, she instead ends up in a listless affair with her college professor, a man she neither likes nor respects. Bidi feels the only asset she possesses is her perfect body and she spends countless hours dieting, exercising and popping speed. Bidi has little patience for her 14-year-old daughter, Frannie, who is heavy-set, plain and so much a tomboy that she is the only girl on the high school hockey team. Sergio, however, adores his stepdaughter and cannot understand how Bidi can verbally abuse her child, constantly shaming her with cruel insults. Dick has always wanted to own a nightclub and he converts the large cellar of his house on Flame Lake into "Your Oasis on Flame Lake", a club with a stage that anyone who wants to can step up and perform. A crisis with Frannie causes friction among the 4 adults bringing secrets to the surface and a tragic retaliation that will impact the entire town.

I have always enjoyed Landvik's stories and I liked this one too. The characters are certainly well drawn but they are just a bit too quirky to seem realistic to me. The storyline that begins with Frannie's crisis is heartbreaking and difficult and one that should have deep repercussions on all of the characters for the rest of their lives.
( )

Another enjoyable read by Lorna Landvik. So far I have liked all the books I've read by her. There are still 2 more I want to get my hands on. ( )

Love Lorna Landvik. I have loved everyone one of her books. ( )

I love Landvik's books. This is a fun one, written in several voices, changing view point, chapter by chapter. ( )