To Fill the Void: A Literary Leftover Book Review

Many people yearn for their empty nest years. By the time kids become teenagers, some parents are more than ready for their kids to flee the nest. But for some parents, either their self identity is wrapped up in their kids or their marriage is in such tatters that the thought of being alone with their spouse can bring anxiety. Enter John and his wife Trixie.

I usually read and review cozy mysteries or other books that have recipes. But in January I asked for any recommendations to expand my reading terrain. Author Ken McCarthy recommended his book. His novel is a look at watching a son go off to Marine boot camp and dealing with an empty nest. It is a great diversion from my typical reading list.

To Fill the Void by Ken McCarthy

Literary Leftovers are book reviews and recommendations that do not contain recipes, but are books that I highly recommend.

To Fill the Void Book Review

The Best Quote: “There was some permanence to the void that morning, and we knew it.”

Books to Read 📕📗📘📙

Book Review Outline and Tone:

The void that needs to be filled in this contemporary novel is the void that is present when children leave home. If the child decides to join the military, the void is magnified as they are not able to have their cell phones during basic training. Sam has decided to join the Marine Corps. His dad, John, has watched many YouTube videos about what boot camp on Parris Island is like, and these videos are not offering this new empty nester any reassurance.

As parents, we want the best for our children and we want to see them succeed. In most cases, children are still just a phone call away when they leave home, but military recruits can only be contacted by snail mail. Words of encouragement arrive slowly and with large intervals. But Sam’s adjustment to Marine Corps life is actually not the primary focus. The main conflict in this novel is how will John, Sam’s dad, find his identity now that his primary role is not as Sam’s caregiver.

For many years, my sense of self was wrapped up in my kids. Who I was and how I approached each day was contingent on what my kids were doing. At some point, I needed to see myself separate from my role as a mom. As I re-established my identity, I hit a few speed bumps and made some mistakes along the way. It is this retrospective view of my own reaction to being an empty nester that gave me some extra sympathy for John. If you are an empty nester, you may read this book with an understanding of this difficult transition. If you are not an empty nester, then read this book as a cautionary tale and learn from John.

The author:

Ken McCarthy is the author of 3 books which all have high ratings on GoodReads. This novel, To Fill the Void currently has all 5 star ratings on Goodreads. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and four kids. He is active on X (Twitter) @kenmccarthy04. In fact that is where he reached out to me to recommend his novel for my 2024 reading list.

What is not to like?:

There is the slightest bit of spirituality in the novel. It is not the main focus, but there were parts I could not relate to since I don’t share the main character’s views on religion.

The verdict:

I recommend this book for an enjoyable easy read with enough suspense to keep you guessing.

Book Club Recommendation: 4/5 Books 📚📚📚📚

The Statistics

To Fill the Void
by Ken McCarthy
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Genres: Contemporary Fiction,
Family Drama
Series: No
Setting: South Carolina
Pages: 165 pages
Format: Kindle and Paperback,
Published by: Independently published
(June 18, 2023)
Information Sources: Amazon and Goodreads

Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).