To finish the day, my opinion on a newly published book, INFINITE HOMES, by Kathleen Alcott. I could not find anything indicating she would be related to Louisa May of the same surname, thus I guess the answer is no. People must have asked her many times... This is a second novel, written by a young author.
It would be very difficult for me to rate it, as I had the feeling of reading two different books: a bittersweet one for the first half, with characters so well drawn you believe you know them; then the second part until the end in a dreamlike world, with nonsensical stories and decisions.

I felt, like everybody under the charm of this book. I began it very reluctantly expecting... let's be honest, something well written and boring. Well written it is, but boring was totally wrong.
Edith owns a big house where she rents apartments. For a long time, the turnover of new tenants was high but lately it has stopped. The people living there are attached to their apartments, even to the ugliest parts of them, like the weird door colors. No one living there is exactly normal, but whoever is? what does being "normal" mean? All the inhabitants of the building have flaws, and big ones. There is Adeleine, the "beautiful agoraphobic", Paulie who suffers from a rare genetic disability, Thomas, recovering from a stroke or the broken Edward. They have settled over the years into a peaceful mutual ignorance and a comfortable existence.
But Edith is not young anymore and Alzheimer's threatens her sanity. Her husband, Dunclan, died more than 10 years ago. Her daughter left for California and its drug paraphernalia "the day she turned eighteen" and Owen, her son, is a talented and vicious businessman. As Edith ages (trying to do it gracefully), Owen sees -and wants to seize the financial possibilities. When the residents notice Owen's project, they get closer and decide to do anything to stop him.

My problem with the book came with the surrealism of the plan they concoct to save their dwellings which have become home for them. I liked the idea of tracing her daughter which seems to be the only possibility left. But could you really find someone after 40 years without a connection?
And was is left of their family of sorts at the end? The idea of home just disappears in front of the decisions that are made. The reasons behind those positions could be discussed a very long time without knowing the real motives of the characters. The links between them carried you flawlessly through the book, only to see those connections disappear for different reasons.

I finished the book asking myself why and feeling unable to find any proper answer. It reminded me of some of the books by John Irving, who could leave you buzzing with questions too.