Does it sound condescending if I say this is the most grown up book that Rachel Joyce as written? It still has heart and characters that you care about, but the plot feels less cutesy and less contrived than Harold Fry or Mrs Benson’s Beetle.

The Homemade God is about four siblings in their 30s. Goose and his three sisters lost their mother when they were young and were raised by their larger than life father, Vic, a famous artist who is now in his 70s. Seemingly out of nowhere, Vic falls in love with a woman in her 20s and begins to act strangely. Without introducing any of the family to Bella-Mae he marries her, moves to Italy and breaks off contact with his children.

Initially this scenario reminded me of The Carer by Deborah Moggach, but it goes in quite a different direction. Then I started to wonder if it was going to be a domestic thriller. But while there is a mystery, the plot is essentially about the siblings and how losing their father disrupts the dynamics between them.

For most of the book it's the three daughters who are in the centre of the action with Goose on the periphery, but gradually he becomes the character that you care the most about.

I didn’t want to stop reading this and by the end I realised I'd become fully invested in the siblings, particularly gentle Goose.

I received an ARC via Net Galley.

The Homemade God is the seventh novel by award-winning, best-selling British author, Rachel Joyce. When their seventy-six-year-old father, self-taught artist Vic summons the Kemp siblings to a noisy London noodle bar for a special announcement, their speculation is way off the mark: none of them guesses that he has found the love of his life, a title formerly bestowed only on their late mother.

They’re already surprised by his appearance: in a clean shirt with a funny goatee, drinking herbal tea made by his new love, Bella-Mae, instead of his usual chaotic style, covered with paint, so much paint it was in his ears, barking out insults and pouring too much red wine; and he’s lost weight. But the biggest shock is that Bella-Mae is twenty-seven, six years younger than his youngest daughter, Iris. They try to make their congratulations sound heartfelt.

This is so different from his usual liaisons: “You could say Vic Kemp was difficult, an alcoholic, a womanizer. You would be right on all counts.” His eldest, solicitor Netta, who takes care of his legals, is concerned. Second-born Susan, who looks after everything domestic for him, is suddenly redundant. Iris believes that Bella-Mae is good for his health, while Goose (Gustav), looking after his studio, predicts that Bella-Mae will be discarded just as Vic’s models are, when the current project, to be Vic’s masterpiece, is done.

Except that Vic claims that Bella-Mae is herself an artist, that she doesn’t really like his work, and that his masterpiece, on a huge canvas Goose has primed, will be different from anything else he’s done. None of them have met the elusive Bella-Mae.

Fast forward a few weeks, and Vic has taken Bella-Mae to the family’s Italian summer house, Villa Carlotta, on Isola San Guilio, where he will finish his great work. If Vic expects them to join the couple on the island, he hasn’t read their chagrin. But they’re really shocked when a text arrives a photo of them holding their marriage certificate. And nothing could have prepared them for the phone call telling them that Vic, a strong swimmer, has drowned in the lake.

So, eventually, it’s a grieving Bella-Mae they meet on the island, in the company of her protective cousin, Laszlo. Netta is convinced that Bella-Mae has poisoned their father, insists on an autopsy, and demands to know where Vic’s masterpiece is. The others, strangely, have mixed reactions and, soon enough, cracks appear in their strong sibling bond.

“She was dealing not simply with the loss of her father, but also her siblings turning into complete strangers… Even if they were behaving in ways that infuriated her, her siblings were all she had, and she really must not hate them.”

Of her art, Bella-Mae says “I like to see things in a different way. I kind of pull them apart to put them back together” and soon enough, the reader is wondering if that’s what she’s doing to the Kemp family. Each of them, she watches fixedly, as they deal with this monumental change in their lives. Goose “had to admit there was something about her he liked. Perhaps it was the intensity with which she listened.” Had she been drugging their father? Is she a rapacious sex-driven grifter, who has stolen his masterpiece and is about to help herself to their inheritance? Or is she a genuine, grieving widow?

What a wonderfully complex and layered tale Joyce gives the reader. her characters have depth and appeal, and there are twists, turns and red herrings to keep the reader guessing about the guilt or innocence of more than one figure. This brilliant novel might be Rachel Joyce’s best yet.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Random House UK Transworld.

I thought I would race through this book, and I probably could have but I didn’t want to. I wanted to be in Lake Orta with this family for as long as possible. They each were so flawed but I loved them individually. We follow four siblings in their 30s - Netta, Susan, Goose and Iris - as they try to deal with, and uncover the circumstances around , their father Vic’s death. Vic was a successful artist and had recently got married to a much younger woman whom the children have not met and don’t trust when they do, not helped as she brings along her cousin Lazlo who is even more of a stranger.

The ends of sections and chapters were not necessarily cliffhangers but they made me want to continue straight away. The same goes with the way Rachel dropped reveals almost as if they were casual asides when you least expect them.

This broke my heart in places as we delve into how each of the siblings remember their childhood and growing up in quite an unconventional household through to their adulthood and how they differ in reactions to the death.

Everything Rachel Joyce writes is so different, defying genres and this one does just the same as for the majority I wasn’t sure if it was a family drama or a mystery or even potentially a thriller with some of the ominous undertones I could feel. And I suppose that’s the point; nobody and no family does fit neatly into a box, especially if an event happens that blows a hole in the entire familial structure.

Thank you to Doubleday publishers and NetGalley for my advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I requested this book as the synopsis intrigued me, I enjoy books that explore relationships of different kinds and this looks into those of siblings with each other and of each with their father. The setting being in Italy appealed too, and was beautifully described. The story unexpectedly also became rather mysterious, just who is their father’s new wife, why did he marry her so suddenly, and more that I won’t mention so as not to spoil the plot for other readers.

The sibling’s relationships with each other were thoughtfully explored, and it was interesting to learn about them individually as well as together. It was fascinating to see how they divulged more of themselves to each other as it became them ‘against’ their father for a while. Also how they changed somewhat in response to the situation that developed, sometimes making assumptions that were proved wrong. I enjoyed this book more than a couple of the authors well known previous novels, and recommend it to others.

The Homemade God is an extremely accomplished novel about a family falling apart.
Netta , Goose, Susan and Iris appear to be the closest of siblings. Raised by their father Vic Kemp, a famous but not lauded artist, their childhood was chaotic but also magical. As adults, most of them still live a precarious life, highly dependent on their father and his whims.
When he suddenly announces his marriage to a much younger woman in their holiday home in Italy they are outraged, yet before they can confront him they hear the news that he has drowned. As one they rush to confront the new bride and find out what happened.
Rachel Joyce writes brilliantly about the hidden strains and resentments between siblings, and the pressure which pushes everything to bubble over. The Kemps are not an easy family to love and the young bride Bella-Mae and her cousin certainly don’t seem particularly trustworthy. As everything begins to go wrong the gorgeous Italian Lakes and their lovely but rundown holiday home make the ideal background to all the tension and disagreements.
Somehow I’ve never read anything by Rachel Joyce before but I will be putting that write immediately - what a fantastic writer.

The study of a family that initially and superficially seems to be united specifically when their elderly father announces his marriage to a much younger woman. His consequent sudden death sets them off on a course of destructive action tearing their family apart but also allowing them to realise their ambitions and break free from their current situations. What part did their father play in theirdisfunctional lives and was his new wife a kind of catalyst rather than the money grabber they first thought. The book stays with you after its ending

The Homemade God follows a family of three sisters and one brother falling apart following the death of their artist father after a brief love affair with a much younger stranger.

I started off by disliking the family and ended it feeling pretty similar except to the brother Goose/Gustav. Goose is rendered mute in an earlier family meeting, which kind of mirrors his place in the family. The three sisters were each annoying in their own ways.

I am always immediately suspicious of adults calling their a parent "Daddy", and there was a weird incestuous vibe with the father. They all seemed to worship him, despite him being an awful father to them at times. Netta wants to be him and loses herself in similar levels of alcoholism. Susan secretly wants to be like the voluptuous and sensual women in his paintings. Iris wants to be his little girl, even though he makes her (and us, the readers) uncomfortable undressing for a sitting as a young girl.

Bella-Mae's character is never really explored and is more of a foil and catalyst for the siblings to discover themselves and implode the family unit. At one point, I definitely thought the only artist BM could be was a con artist! I was also convinced the tea has something to do with it all. While I may have been wrong about Bella-Mae, I did see the "twist" about Goose and his art coming a mile off.

The descriptions of Italy and the villa at the lake are gorgeous, but otherwise I could not get fully on board with this book. It took a while to get into and I almost stopped reading it at one point, but I needed to know what happened and if my suspicions were right.

The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce

Vic Kemp, famous artist, marries much younger woman Bella-Mae and decamps to the family's summer home on Lake Orta in Italy. His four grown-up children are upset and suspicious, then they receive the terrible news that Vic has drowned in the lake. In the aftermath of their father's death, secrets are revealed and tension mounts until all four children become embroiled in a huge row from which it seems there can be no return.

Wow, what a FANTASTIC story, I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it and now there is a Kemp family sized home in my life! What a delicious, compelling and above all entertaining book about families, the roles siblings play, parents, art, Italy, food and so much more. I've loved everything Rachel Joyce has written and this is no exception. Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

When famous artist Vic Kemp suddenly becomes involved with a much younger woman, his four children are at first sceptical and then worried about her influence on him.
When he subsequently dies, their lives fall apart as the story of their toxic upbringing, following their mother’s early death, and how this has shaped them, becomes clear.
In the aftermath of his death, they start to find their true selves, but at the cost of their relationship with each other.
Narrated mainly through the eyes of the children, his agent, and later that of the younger woman Bella Mae, this is a depiction of loss, grief, and coming to terms with the world.
Not an easy read, but fascinating and compelling.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read this book.

This was a beautifully written book where you're a fly on the wall, watching over these characters as they deal with family tragedy, trying to work out what happened and coming to terms with the loss and the fallout when families turn on one another.

It's the story of 4 siblings who are mourning the loss of their artist father - recently remarried to a woman much younger than himself. The accusations start flying and they come together to unravel the mysteries left behind as to where his artwork was that he working on at the time of his death.

Each character gets their own space to tell their story, and this really worked so well for the book. You could begin to see their take on the situation as it unfolded, so you get a good connection with each of them. She captures the conversations and interactions between them perfectly - all those things left unsaid that fester and cause cracks in relationships.

We also see the story from the viewpoint of the new wife, who saw a different side to him, away from the family responsibilities and you really sense the sadness from all them that maybe they didn't know him as well as they thought.

I enjoyed the story, but not as much as I thought I would. The dysfunctional family was grating at times, and made you want to bang their heads together!

Well written, with exquisite scenes in a villa on an island in an Italian lake, the story draws you in, and you find yourself in the middle of a family on the verge of disintegration.

Although the story meanders at times, it was a good read and kept me invested until the end.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC.

my heart felt for all these characters. this is one of my favorite type of books. we we simply learn and take a glimpse of other people and or family lives. when done well you can learn so much and witness so much. in the details there is such relatable content. im not saying all families have a dad that suddenly doesnt speak to his children or has moved to italy. but just siblings, parents and love it appears different but its roots can often be relatable and similar. or we see and feel something in the relationship and dynamics. so when an author as good as Rachel comes along and writes about them its just a stunning book. its not light be its not too heavy you feel drained. its just a really great read and i wanted to continue to both read about the family and what happened between them for these cracks to form.

Already a fan of Rachel Joyce I jumped at the chance to read this book when offered an ARC (Thank you Netgalley). It didn't disappoint. Rather different to the Harold Fry/Queenie books with a greater element of mystery - for a long time the underpinning question for me was very much why did Vic Kemp suddenly stop seeing his children, move to the family holiday home in Italy and marry his young wife shortly before his demise? The slow unravelling of the supposedly tightknit family whilst in Italy was painful but all to believable. This was a book that I really enjoyed and kept me engaged until the end.

This is essentially the story of siblings & the relationship that they have with each other & with their father. Beautifully written, I felt like I knew each character intimately, and my heart hurt for all of them. Just lovely.

The novel is essentially about a dysfunctional family, focused on their patriarchal artist father whom weaves a string of controlling ties between all siblings. Everything is set off kilter when their elderly, successful ‘artist’ of a father meets, and then swiftly marries, a young woman, also an artist - and the obvious familial concerns that stem from this swift and questionable relationship.
The story is told largely in dialogue between the siblings and I think this format sadly added to the lack of character depth, and they all remained incredibly one or two dimensional at the most. There was also very little sense of time and place throughout. None of the characters had particularly likeable features, apart from perhaps Gustav/ Goose - and this was very unhelpful from a reader’s point of view, as I had very little positive feelings towards them and certainly couldn’t relate to the shenanigans.
Goodness, I didn’t think I’ve ever written such a scathing review. Not all novels are for everyone, that’s for sure, but I’m gutted that an author whom I’ve previously loved, so so much, could have penned this. I’ve held off reading other people’s reviews and will be interested in how other people have found it (perhaps it’s just me?), but I honestly can’t believe this was written by the same author as Miss Benson’s Beetle and the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. It took herculean effort to continue to read this right until the final pages; if it wasn’t by Rachel Joyce, I most certainly would have given up at 30% when I realised it simply wasn’t going anywhere. Sorry, Rachel Joyce!

Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.

The Homemade God - Rachel Joyce to be published 17 April 2025

This is the story of the four Kemp siblings and life with their flamboyant chaotic artist father. When their father Vic decides to marry the much younger Bella - Mae, this decision has devastating implications on the whole family dynamics when the siblings troop off to Lake Orta in Italy to meet up with their father and his new wife.

A beautifully written story focusing on love and grief and in particular how one person's jealousy can destroy the hope and passion in another. Goose was one of my favourite characters.

This was for me a more complex novel than some of her others (all of which I thoroughly enjoyed as well). This may not be a favourite of all her fans but it is certainly going to be one of mine.

Thank you to Netgalley for a pre publication copy.

I always look forward to reading a novel by Rachel Joyce because you just don’t know what to expect. All her books are so different from the one before, but all excellent. A dysfunctional family and the drama that follows the death of the patriarch. It keeps you guessing. Love her books and I loved this one.

This book is about family relationships, how they are forged and how they determine our place in a family set-up – a place that should make us feel secure and that rarely gets questioned.

When Vic Kemp, father of his adult children Netta, Susan, Goose and Ivis meets the love of his life and announces rather unceremoniously and without consultation that he will marry her, the foundations of their family life begin to show the firsts cracks. When after 46 days of married life his body is discovered on the shore of Lake Orta, near their family’s holiday villa, the cracks deepen. It brakes apart when they eventually meet Bella Mae, their dad’s new wife, distrusted by them and perceived as an unwelcome intruder. She disrupts their fragile unity and subtlety questions the role all of them play within their family – roles that more or less had been allocated to them by their now dead father to whom they had always wanted to live up to.

Their father’s death has upset the apple cart and Bella opens their eyes to face who they really are. Now free to grow into the people they can and want to be, and without the pressure of having to fulfil dad’s expectations, the siblings’ relationships change beyond recognition, almost beyond reconciliation. But only almost.

They recognise that their father was also not the person they had wanted him to be, they had created this invincible man and great artist that he never was. They came to realise that in the end his god-like status did not really matter. What remained was love.
An interesting read with threads of a murder mystery thrown in. I quite liked it.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Transworld Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Artist, Vic Kemp, has four adult children, Netta, Susan, Goose, and Iris. His wife, the mother of his four children, died when Iris was little.

When he announces he has married Bella-Mae, his children are horrified to find out that she is only twenty-seven. Vic is seventy-six, so just what is going on & what is Bella-Mae really after?

When Vic dies in Italy, a few weeks after the wedding, his children go over to sort out his estate and to finally meet Bella-Mae.

This was a family based story with interesting characters.

I did struggle to focus at times as the story was sometimes quite slow.

Overall though, it was an enjoyable and emotional tale.

This is such a strong literary book exploring dysfunctional family dynamics and intertwined relationships. A masterpiece of a book, the talent shines through. I did enjoy the read but found little to like in any of the characters so I did not really connect with them.