Blended Family Drama Unfolds in Rochester

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In her third book, 'Lake Effect,' author Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney explores the dynamics of a blended family formed after the affair between the parents of two sets of siblings - the Larkins and the Finnegans - in 1970s Rochester, New York. The novel follows the two families over the years as they navigate the fallout from the scandal and the unexpected connections that form between the once-estranged stepsiblings.

Why it matters

Sweeney's novel taps into the growing popularity of 'four-sibling' family dramas in contemporary American literature, which often examine the complex dynamics and lingering effects of dysfunctional childhoods on adult relationships. 'Lake Effect' offers a fresh take on this subgenre by focusing on the blending of two families, rather than the traditional single family unit.

The details

The story begins in 1977 when the Larkin and Finnegan families, who are neighbors in Rochester, are upended by the affair and subsequent elopement of the parents, Nina Larkin and Finn Finnegan. The novel then follows the four teenage siblings - Clara and Bridie Larkin, and Dune and Fern Finnegan - as they navigate the fallout from their parents' actions and the unexpected bond that forms between the stepsiblings. The narrative spans into the 1990s, when the adult siblings are 'summoned to the stage one more time' for another family event.

• In 1977, the Larkin and Finnegan families were neighbors in Rochester, New York.
• That year, Nina Larkin and Finn Finnegan had an affair and eloped, shocking their small, tight-knit community.
• The novel then follows the four teenage siblings over the years into the 1990s.

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What’s next

The novel follows the two families over the years, including a wedding, a birth, and a death that bring the adult siblings together again.