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A.M. Homes Message Board 1/1/2012
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Homes has written!

Author Homes's Book Reviews

In a Country of Mothers
Claire Roth, a successful New York psychotherapist, accepts a new client, Jody Goodman, a young filmmaker, for some sessions before Jody leaves for the West Coast and filmmaking school. Claire put a child up for adoption when she was much younger, and Jody is adopted, so when Claire begins to believe Jody may be her daughter, she starts to lose her objectivity and intrude too far into Jody's life, upsetting her own husband and their children. This novel ...
Jack
A teen finds out that his father is homosexual when the father leaves the family unit. The author uses extremely foul and profane language. The intensity of the character's feelings could be expressed without the use of this profanity. I don't want my students reading this book....
Music for Torching
Homes writes beautiful and moving stories about filthy and deranged activities. Compared to some of her former books, this one is a little more conventional, centering on the alienated and destructive activities of a suburban couple who one day attempt to burn down their house. There is an adulterous affair, beautifully described, a torrid lesbian affair, a cop attempts a rape, and other weirdness, as well as a somewhat over-the-top dramatic climax, but ...
The End of Alice
A.M. (Amy) Homes writes beautiful prose about filthy events. Combine the lyricism of _Lolita_ with the shock value of _American Psycho_ and you get a book that outdoes either in some respects. _The End of Alice_ is narrated by a convicted child molester and killer who reminisces about his past and his crime, deals with life in prison, and corresponds with a 19-year-old female admirer who lusts after 12-year-old boys. The two seduce and adore each other b...

Homes booklist

The Mistress's Daughter
A woman is contacted by her birth mother and struggles to accept truths about her past. Writer A.M. Homes is thirty-one years old when she is contacted by her birth mother, Ellen Ballman. A.M. grew up knowing she was adopted and had a happy, secure childhood, save for on and off feelings of not belonging, due to being adopted. A.M. begins to communicate with Ellen by letters and telephone, but feels too overwhelmed to meet her. She learns the circumst...
The Safety of Objects
Nearly all these stories take place in suburbia ... but a suburbia in some alternate universe. Not that Homes writes fantasy or science fiction; her characters and settings are all quite recognizable, but they do VERY odd things. The plentiful humor is edgy, even scary. A kid gets rejected by a kidnapper after not working out; a man becomes beguiled by teen girls and other doings at the mall; very young teens explore and use each other sexually, set fire...
This Book Will Save Your Life
The story is about Richard Novak, a wealthy man who lives a very isolated life in his sumptuous house in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles. Richard Novak is a very rich middle aged man from New York. He divorced his wife many years ago and he moved to Los Angeles. He lives alone and at some point he realizes that he hasn't left his house in months. He has a trainer, a nutritionist and a maid that are coming to his house every day. Other than that he has no hu...