Review: I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home, by Lorrie Moore (Knopf)

It’s safe to say things are not going well for Finn. He has been suspended from his teaching job, his brother is dying in a hospice, and he is pining for his ex, Lily. While Finn is having what could be a final visit with his brother, he gets an urgent call regarding Lily, and dashes off to be with her. It is then Finn’s life is upended in ways he could never imagine.

Finn’s narrative is interspersed with letters from a woman called Eliz to her sister. Eliz runs a boarding house, and as the novel progresses, it becomes apparent one of Eliz’s guests is a little unusual.

This was my first real encounter with Moore’s work. Despite being an avid short story reader I’ve only read one of her stories. But I really enjoyed I am Homeless; Moore has clearly spent her decades-long career honing her gift for a hilarious, well-worded phrase.

Of the two parallel stories within the novel, I found the letters from Eliz the most intriguing. The way things slowly unraveled was riveting, and contained some really shocking moments. No spoilers, but I was curious where the two narratives would connect. When they did, it was very satisfying, and made complete sense.

I found it hard to relate to Finn. However, I found the section where Finn is in the hospice speaking to his dying brother incredibly vivid and memorable. There is absolutely no doubt that every single character in this book is very well-formed, even those whose presence is fleeting.

I Am Homeless If This is Not My Home was really enjoyable, despite the mournful subject matter. I have neglected Moore’s work for too long!

I Am Homeless is out NOW! Thanks to Knopf for the ARC.