The Road Home: A Novel

Rose Tremain
Little, Brown and Company (2008)
ISBN 9780316002615
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer for Reader Views (10/08)


Rose Tremain has given us the opportunity to explore the world of immigrants through her captivating writing style and excellent characters. “The Road Home” is a book you won’t want to put down--How can you leave Lev, the main character, all alone?

Lev is a 42-year-old widower, who leaves his Eastern European home to find employment and happiness in his life. His daughter and mother remain in his town, which causes him sadness and depression. He knows if he gets to London he will find good employment and a healthy environment, which will enable him to send money to his left-behind family. After riding a bus “forever” he is in cultural shock to find that immigrants aren’t welcomed and jobs are hard to come by. 

Finding that his English isn’t good enough to express himself and jobs are hard to find, he turns to Lydia, his seat partner on the bus, to help him gain employment. Lydia is most helpful and finds him a job in a restaurant. The job requires much strength, patience and a willingness to put up with verbal abuse. But what choice does he have? Sending money home to his mother takes up most of his salary and he has little to live on.

Since becoming a widow, Lev decides it might be nice to have a romance and he gets involved with Sophie, a chef at the restaurant he works at. The romance has its ups and downs as most do. With the description of Lev, Tremain gives us the opportunity to get into his mind-- we can hear every thought and feel every sore muscle. The author gives one a true feel for what it is like to immigrate to a new country fighting language and custom barriers.

Lev’s hopes are to send enough money home to be able to return and open his own restaurant. Throughout his journey Lev is hit by many obstacles, greedy people who use him for their good and thoughts that he will never get back home.  The one bright star in his life is his good friend Rudi who provides hilarious stories to cheer Lev up and information on what is going on back home.

With “The Road Home,” Rose Tremain has given us all a wonderful, captivating read that tugs at your heart.

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