This month, Dua is joined by author Madeline Cash to discuss Lost Lambs – Dua’s August Monthly Read for the Service95 Book Club podcast.
To bring you up to speed, here’s the setting: an unremarkable American suburb. The Flynn family are beginning to unravel. Parents Bud and Catherine are trying to make an open marriage work while their three daughters each respectively test the limits of adolescence.
It’s eccentric, laugh-out-loud funny and relentlessly surprising, while holding a funhouse mirror up to contemporary America. You may recognise parts of the world it reflects, but they’re purposefully warped. And beneath all the chaos lies Madeline’s sharp, deeply human exploration of identity. Plenty for Madeline and Dua to discuss, then.
In this episode, they unpack the novel’s observations on modern life, from the quiet disappointments of the American Dream to conspiracy theories, religion, beauty, youth and the complexities of family dynamics, and how these ideas play out across the novel’s richly drawn cast.
Dua describes Lost Lambs as “a masterclass in world-building”, asking Madeline about the meticulous plotting that shaped Lost Lambs (discover the books that inspired her here), and how she approached subtly seeding paranoia throughout the novel. The pair also delve into Madeline’s approach to character creation, playing with familiar archetypes before subverting them – a must-listen for any aspiring writers.
Their conversation goes beyond the pages of the novel, with Dua and Madeline reflecting on what it means to stay true to your creative instincts as your work reaches a wider audience. They discuss trusting your own judgement, blocking out external opinions and holding onto your creative confidence when your work is under constant scrutiny.
Keep listening till the end for more tips from Madeline, who shares the realities of publishing a debut novel and when readers can expect her next book. Plus, there’s the usual round of reader questions to finish, in which Dua puts queries from the Service95 community directly to the author (follow @service95bookclub for the chance to submit yours next month).
Outlandish, thought-provoking and impossible to pin down, Lost Lambs uses one family’s unravelling to reflect the contradictory world we live in, asking timeless questions about identity and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of who we are.
Listen to Dua and Madeline’s full conversation on Service95’s YouTube channel or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
There’s More – Delve Deeper Into Lost Lambs With The Service95 Book Club...
LISTEN to a soundtrack from Madeline Cash that follows the book's twists and turns
DISCOVER the books that inspired and informed the writing of Lost Lambs
EXPLORE a therapist's guide to Lost Lamb's complex central characters
BOOKMARK a reading list defined by dysfunctional family dynamics
