I picked up Peter Bognanni's debut novel, The House of Tomorrow, after reading multiple positive magazine reviews. I'm happy to report that this was a wonderful first book by an new, original voice in modern literature.

The House of Tomorrow is narrated by Sebastian, an orphaned teenager living with his new age spiritual grandmother in a geodesic dome. The pair live alone, mostly cut off from society except for giving weekly tours of their usual home, which supplement the grandmother's Social Security income. Their way of life is in peril, when Sebastian's grandmother suffers a stroke during a tour and the dysfunctional family visiting the dome take Sebastian into their care. 

Bognanni creates wonderful, rich characters that manage to feel very real, despite their rather unusual circumstances. In particular, Sebastian is a sweet boy, desperate to make friends and find a place for himself in a world that is constantly shifting around him. This is a story about family, friendship, faith and love. A story about finding a place to belong.

I throughly enjoyed both the story and Boganni's writing style. It's quirky and unique. I  couldn't put it down and despite being on vacation in Europe for the first time, found myself wanting to stay in and finish the book! 

I highly recommend The House of Tomorrow and look forward to Bognanni's future novels.