Buckeye by Patrick Ryan is a sweeping, yet quiet, novel about longing and loss.
At almost 500 pages, Buckeye is a pretty hefty read. And it’s very much a literary fiction story with a ton of everyday details about each of the main characters. This story moves at a slow pace, which is the point, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind before going in.
I found many of the scenes quite moving and heartbreaking. It focuses on four characters who will all have a profound impact on each other, some of it good, but also bad. Buckeye examines ordinary people in all their complexity and shows how many live in the morally grey area either by choice or circumstances.
Buckeye covers decades and generations and highlights major domestic and world events. We start with pre-WWII and go all the way to the early ’80s. Much of it is centered in small-town Ohio, with some in Columbus as well.
The everyday details are vivid, and the cast of characters feel like real people. While I thought the novel was quite good, it wasn’t as absorbing to me as others in the genre. At the same time, some scenes were quite memorable and impactful.
What’s the Story About
Buckeye takes place in the small fictional town of Bonhomie, Ohio, which probably resembles other small towns in the Midwest during the early ’40s. We follow Cal Jenkins, a man born with one leg shorter than the other, and as a result, he is denied military service during WWII, which leaves a lasting and defeating impact on him.
Cal’s wife, Becky, is a medium and can speak with the dead. She eventually helps families reconnect with those they’ve lost. She is a stable, good-hearted woman, but her marriage with Cal becomes rocky when he doesn’t try to understand her abilities.
Margaret is abandoned as an orphan and raised without a family, which she never recovers from, and it impacts all of her relationships. She’s determined to reinvent herself in Columbus, and when she meets the handsome Felix, who proposes marriage right away, she hopes this is the ticket to a new and happy life.
But Felix is a quiet man, full of many secrets, and not able to live the life he truly wants. His time serving in the war is full of tragedy and eventual ghosts that shape him forever.
We follow these four individuals as they reckon with decisions made that will have rippling effects on the next generation as well.
The Four Main Characters
Buckeye is a close examination of human nature, families, marriages, decisions, lies, cover-ups, connections, and eventual truth. It’s one of those novels where if everyone were truthful right up front, it might have saved a ton of heartache later. But while the reader may see that, the characters have no idea the true consequences of lies until it all eventually comes to a head.
I know some people found the story hard to get into, as it starts quite slowly, and it takes a long time to get to the events that change everything. But that’s kind of the beauty of these novels, they take their time, and you really get to know these characters for all they are, including the messiness.
That said, I did have a couple of issues that brought this one down to four stars for me instead of five, which, hey, four stars is great, right? The premise really highlights that the decisions by Margaret, Cal, and the rest really impact the next generation.
And it certainly does, but I wish we had more time with their children after the truth is revealed. I wanted more time with the kids as adults.
Decisions
Two major events impact each of the two marriages. There are affairs and cover-ups, judgment and anger, and regret. I will say I don’t love stories centered on affairs, but one of the affairs doesn’t make it out to be some great love story. It really is messy and a selfish choice, and the two don’t seem to care about each other that much.
The other affair is rooted in affection and love, which makes it even more complex.
Becky’s medium experience was a little baffling for me at first, since this story seemed really grounded. But it all eventually connects and makes sense of why she has this ability. So I do appreciate that it wasn’t so out of left field, but truly served a purpose.
I felt many of the decisions, and there are bad ones, have some level of understanding, but Margaret makes some extremely messy ones that I just wanted more answers about. I was very surprised at where her character ended up, and in theory, it makes sense, but it was perplexing, too.
Verdict
When we think back to the Greatest Generation, we tend to view them as selfless heroes, and while many are recognized for their services in the war, Buckeye also shows the human side to their generation. And that their decisions weren’t always right either. Every generation truly is just figuring it out as they go.
This story is quite moving in many ways, but it did drag in some parts. I thought the ending was strong, and overall, I found it quite emotional and impactful.
For book clubs, check out my discussion questions here.
