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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
Thank you to William Morrow for an immersive, grab on and dive in, family drama. Shattuck has a talent for strong writing but also telling a story in a way that draws a reader into feelings and moods, to the subtle shifts in family and relationships, to dropping in phrases that make the reader feel like an intimately connected observer of the Taylor family. Last House is a great read for family saga fans, and especially for those who like to examine family relationship dynamics within the context of historical periods and generational shifts.
I am a huge fan of books that span decades, that follow families over time and over generations and I love that this book captured the movement from post WWII greatest generation lives, the pursuit of wealth but also comfort and providing for family and how those ideals became at odds with the very children raised by this generation, the movement into the civil rights and Vietnam War protests and then into present 2020s at the end... An examination of family, of place and time, of how relationships and shifting roles and identities change (and don't change). Shattuck has a talent for strong writing but also telling a story in a way that draws a reader into feelings and moods, to the subtle shifts in family and relationships, to dropping in phrases that make the reader feel like an intimately connected observer of the Taylor family.
I am a huge fan of books that span decades, that follow families over time and over generations and I love that this book captured the movement from post WWII greatest generation lives, the pursuit of wealth but also comfort and providing for family and how those ideals became at odds with the very children raised by this generation, the movement into the civil rights and Vietnam War protests and then into present 2020s at the end... An examination of family, of place and time, of how relationships and shifting roles and identities change (and don't change). Shattuck has a talent for strong writing but also telling a story in a way that draws a reader into feelings and moods, to the subtle shifts in family and relationships, to dropping in phrases that make the reader feel like an intimately connected observer of the Taylor family.
I really enjoyed Bet and Nicks story. It was warm and interesting while still getting across that they were emotionally withheld people. Katherines story was wild. So much detail! That I appreciate and it also made her feel very real. I think choosing to keep Harry’s point of view from the story was actually interesting. It made him seem mysterious and made the family’s shock of…the event…seem more real. Like they really didn’t know him, and they kinda didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to him. For example near the end when Katherine keeps saying she should have noticed certain things but she was just so involved with herself and the cause. I also liked the moments with Bet and Carter. I was holding my breath during the basement scene! Absolutely love that the author dragged that out over the years, definitely added some drama and solidified Bets character for me. Carter himself was also such a well written character for me.
Some things I wasn’t so fond of were honestly the rushed ending. It felt a little corny as well, like if some one asked A.I. to write a short film about the world crumbling through the eyes of a group of young liberal teens stuck in a house upstate haha. Idk if that makes sense but you just have to read it.
Some things I wasn’t so fond of were honestly the rushed ending. It felt a little corny as well, like if some one asked A.I. to write a short film about the world crumbling through the eyes of a group of young liberal teens stuck in a house upstate haha. Idk if that makes sense but you just have to read it.
A sweeping family saga rooted in exploring the ideals of generations and the way the shifts and changes happen while exploring at its heart what family is and can be.
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I appreciated Shattuck's commitment to weaving truth of history as a backdrop to one family's life stretching from WWII to 2026. I could tell it was well researched without being preachy or self-important. The characters, all of the characters, are well developed in their own way.
I did find some phrases repetitively used, and a few times the narration seems to slip between two different styles, but not so much it put me off from finishing the work. I understand some if not all of this may not be in the final book.
This book is for anyone that loves a family drama, historical fiction, or simply good literature.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I appreciated Shattuck's commitment to weaving truth of history as a backdrop to one family's life stretching from WWII to 2026. I could tell it was well researched without being preachy or self-important. The characters, all of the characters, are well developed in their own way.
I did find some phrases repetitively used, and a few times the narration seems to slip between two different styles, but not so much it put me off from finishing the work. I understand some if not all of this may not be in the final book.
This book is for anyone that loves a family drama, historical fiction, or simply good literature.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this book. I loved its efficient pacing, its really interesting and complicated characters, and the way that I learned about the 1950s to present day, including Communism, the relationship between American and Iran when it comes to oil, protests--so many things! The structure of the book was also well done. In the first part, we learn about Bet and Nick. Bet is a housewife who is often bored and claustrophobic, and maybe has some regrets about not completing her PhD in English Literature. Nick is away on business a lot, and it turns out, is helping the United States negotiate oil deals. Nick meets a man named Carter who enlists him in clandestine work for the United States, and through Carter, Nick buys a house in the middle of nowhere called Last House. For much of the book, you're watching this family, and wondering when the shoe is going to drop. They spend summers and vacations at Last House, and joke about it being where they will spend the end of the world. And the end of the world is always almost happening: nuclear war, Vietnam, climate change, etc. The book beautifully makes those big ideas really personal as we watch how each character navigates life on the edge of apocalypse. Because of Shattuck's beautiful characterization, I sympathized with each person in the novel. The ending is sweeping, and it took my breath away. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Very interesting but the last little bit was much on the agenda.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved the stories that took place in Iran the most. Liked that it was multiple pov
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes