A review by ktoumajian
Lark & Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips

3.0

I really liked the structure of this book, the mirrored settings of the Korean train tunnel and the train tunnel in West Virginia where Lark and Termite spend so many afternoons and from where they ultimately begin anew. I loved the writer's use of language and description, though the musings of Termite, a handicapped 9-year-old who experiences his environment in a completely unconventional way, were hard for me to get through. Lark, his sister and caretaker, was such a rich, beautiful character, and I was very much drawn into her story while the storyline of her father in Korea was much less convincing. The book really picked up steam in the final third which focused on Lark and her unfortunate mother. Not sure I understood the ghost and spirit references but I did really love the West Virginia characters and the family they forged for themselves, which is what this book is ultimately about.