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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
"Last House" by Jessica Shattuck is a sprawling family saga that ambitiously spans nearly eight decades, encapsulating the grand sweep of historical events alongside the intimate complexities of family dynamics. Shattuck masterfully weaves together the personal and the political, offering a panoramic view of American life from the postwar era to the present day.
The novel's strengths lie in its rich character development and vivid historical backdrop. Shattuck's characters are compelling and multi-dimensional, each grappling with their own desires, fears, and moral dilemmas. From Nick's journey from humble origins to corporate lawyer, to Katherine's struggle to reconcile her beliefs with her privileged upbringing, each character's story feels authentic and deeply resonant.
Overall, "Last House" is a thought-provoking and meticulously researched novel that offers a poignant reflection on the passage of time, the complexities of human relationships, and the enduring legacy of history. I would give this one a 3.5 Stars, rounding up to 4.
Thank you to Jessica Shattuck, William Morrow, and NetGalley for pre-approving me to receive an electrical Advanced Review Copy of The Last Verse. All opinions mentioned in this review are my own.
The novel's strengths lie in its rich character development and vivid historical backdrop. Shattuck's characters are compelling and multi-dimensional, each grappling with their own desires, fears, and moral dilemmas. From Nick's journey from humble origins to corporate lawyer, to Katherine's struggle to reconcile her beliefs with her privileged upbringing, each character's story feels authentic and deeply resonant.
Overall, "Last House" is a thought-provoking and meticulously researched novel that offers a poignant reflection on the passage of time, the complexities of human relationships, and the enduring legacy of history. I would give this one a 3.5 Stars, rounding up to 4.
Thank you to Jessica Shattuck, William Morrow, and NetGalley for pre-approving me to receive an electrical Advanced Review Copy of The Last Verse. All opinions mentioned in this review are my own.
Having read and enjoyed The Women in the Castle several years ago, I was excited to read another book by Jessica Shattuck. Unfortunately, I was not as impressed by this book. Told throughout several decades, it’s a story focused on the Taylor family, and told mainly from the points of view of 3 members, Nick, Bet, and their daughter Katherine. As the story progresses, there are many elements of the times relating to environmental, political, social, and human rights issues. Unfortunately, I never felt a connection to any of the characters in the story. It starts out with getting to know Nick and Bet a bit, but just when I felt the story (which was slow moving) might have been going somewhere, it changed to part 2, focusing on their daughter Katherine. This was probably my favorite part of the story as it moved at a slightly quicker pace and was more interesting. However, as it moved to part 3, I felt the pace slow again with Nick and Bet’s story and I trudged through it to finish the book. The final part threw in too many extra characters and took a while to try to remember who each of them were as the story finished up.
Perhaps it took on too many topics, never really focusing enough on the characters. I really wanted to love this one, but it wasn’t a favorite of mine, unfortunately.
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
Perhaps it took on too many topics, never really focusing enough on the characters. I really wanted to love this one, but it wasn’t a favorite of mine, unfortunately.
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beautiful writing, just more of a slow burn which I was not into right now
reflective
sad
slow-paced
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
It was wonderfully written spanning several generations. I enjoyed the family dynamics and realizing you don’t know everything about your parents, spouse or children even if you think you do. Like most historical fictions for me, it was a little too real when I really love an unrealistic escape from my reality, however, I enjoyed it very much and would recommend.