Book Review: Manmade Constellations

Reviewed by Elena Bellaart

A cross-country road trip results in a tender, insightful exploration of love in all its forms and limitations.

Lo Gunderson has never quite fit in to her small Minnesota home town. Raised by a single father who never discusses her mother’s identity, she is now a passionate freegan – meaning that, to avoid participating in the capitalist system, she does her best to find, forage, or barter for the things she needs. “Lo could never explain how it was the normal that was continually pushing in on her, trying to trim her down to size, squeeze her tight and fit her into what it offered, which never felt like enough.” As a result, she has long felt misunderstood and dreams of moving to a big city to live among those who share her values. 

Lo’s dreams and ideals are complicated, however, when she answers a Craigslist ad for a free car. What she hoped would be a simple errand leads her to Blanche, a dying woman in need of a favor, and John, a charming mechanic with blue eyes and a southern accent that Lo can’t stop thinking about. Together, Lo and John set off on a cross-country drive in an effort to fulfill Blanche’s dying wish, learning more about each other along the way. 

Meanwhile, in Idaho, a young farmer named Jason finds himself at a crossroads. His girlfriend, Alexis, is pregnant, and he must decide whether the trauma of his upbringing will prevent him from raising the child with her. Jason, too, finds himself driving across the country, seeking clarity in the landscape of the American West and in his memories of his late father. When Jason’s story intersects with Lo and John’s, all three must reckon with the reaches and limitations of the love between parents and children. 

As with any split-perspective novel, the balance between two narratives is difficult to strike. Here, the story of Lo and John may overpower that of Jason and Alexis, but it’s hard to mind too much, as Lo is a compellingly flawed, headstrong, three-dimensional character, and it’s a pleasure to see her relationships develop alongside her increasing self-awareness. Her mixture of passionate, rigid idealism, and middle-class white privilege is skillfully rendered, and watching her confront her blind spots while growing into her values is just as satisfying as watching the slow burn of her relationship with John. 

While Lo and Jason’s relationships with their partners and their parents make up the novel’s core, one of its unexpected strengths is the exploration of community bonds and collective care. Lazzara suggests that, while nuclear families might not always provide the right kind of love, sustaining connections can be found all around; in non-traditional family units, in unexpected connections, in the care of neighbors and friends. 

With nuanced characters, complex relationships, and poetic language, Manmade Constellations is an enjoyable read for lovers of romance, family drama, and unconventional female protagonists. 

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