Tom Lake

The novel’s protagonist, Lara Kenison, starts telling her daughters a story about her youth.

In high school, Lara Kenison (then still known as Laura) and her best friend, Veronica, volunteered to help with auditions for the local community theater’s production of Our Town. Lara’s grandmother, who owned the local alterations shop, convinced them to get involved. Because they were in New Hampshire, where the play is set, everyone felt personally connected to it. Lara ran the registration table, while Veronica guided participants on and off the stage. They were both surprised by the large number of people auditioning. Once auditions began, Lara had little to do at the registration table. At first, she was embarrassed for the people auditioning, but then started to watch with real interest. Lara, a junior, didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life—she was considering becoming an English teacher, Peace Corps volunteer, or veterinarian.

In the present, Lara’s story is interrupted by her daughter, Maisie, who is finishing her second year of veterinary school, and never knew Lara wanted to be a vet. Lara’s other daughters, Emily and Nell, chime in, wanting her to skip this part of the story, and move ahead to the part about