I bought Jane Hamilton’s THE EXCELLENT LOMBARDS (2016) in hard cover because I love her, particularly her earlier A MAP OF THE WORLD. Dare I say I did not love it. I wanted something to happen, wanted more than the pastoral, Bildungsroman she offered. How dare I want more from an author like Jane Hamilton? I am not sure how I come to dare such a thing, but I am sure I am daring to admit that I was not enamored of this latest book. I appreciate it. Just don’t love it. Cannot recommend it even unless you are a reader who laps up setting, loves a good apple-farm story, loves a Scout-like (Scout as in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD) protagonist (which typically I do). Alas…Jane has not won my heart this time, but I will not give up on her because that earlier novel and THE SHORT HISTORY OF A PRINCE are still among my favorites.