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Nov 07, 2017cknightkc rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
COMMONWEALTH refers to the state of Virginia where much of this novel’s action takes place, but COMMONWEALTH is also the name of a book within the book which traces the ripple effects of infidelity, divorce, and remarriage on the lives of the couple involved, their wronged spouses, as well as their respective children over a 50-year period. COMMONWEALTH is an astute commentary on today’s blended family, and is perhaps inspired by author Ann Patchett’s own life experiences. “Father Knows Best”, “Make Room for Daddy”, or “Donna Reed” it definitely is not. COMMONWEALTH is best consumed in concentrated chunks. Although an easy read, due to the many characters and episodic plot structure, this is not the kind of book one can put down for several days, then easily resume. I would recommend keeping a list of characters as they are introduced - it will save a lot of time keeping track of who is who and their relationships later on in the story.