This book is a multigenerational family saga. I was a bit unsure about this one from the start, but it actually hooked me very early on. I really liked Bet's chapters, but as the book went on, I started having a hard time staying interested. I found myself skimming although I wanted to know what happened. I just couldn't invest my full attention to the book. The pacing was uneven for me, and I think (as I enjoy faster paced books) that was the main struggle.

I think this book will find it's readers, but I don't think it's for everyone.

I will say that this was very well written, and the author is talented.

This novel is not plot-driven or character-driven but ideas-driven, and while I found the ideas expressed through its characters very compelling, it lacked an emotional connection to them that for me created a reading experience I'm not sure I'd say I enjoyed. I'd absolutely read something else by her though.

This family saga covers three generations over 70 years.
Last house was built in Vermont and after WWII, Nick Taylor, a lawyer for American Oil, buys a second home in a Vermont enclave near one of his buddy's home. Carter, his friend is a Yale grad, who probably works for the CIA. Elizabeth (Bet), Nick's wife, is a Vassar grad who worked as a codebreaker during WWII. They have 2 children -Catherine and Harry.
The story follows the family though the Cold War, when Nick and Carter go to Iran to broker a deal for oil imports and later when the Shah has a lavish party. Meanwhile Bet stays home, and edits a women's magazine for the local women's club. The author pays homage to The Greatest Generation with all of the accomplishments.
Moving onto the Vietnam era and 1968 when Catherine writes for a radical newspaper, lives in a rundown apartment in NYC and protests at anti-Vietnam rallies.
Their son, Harry focuses on the environment, pollution, and climate change amid the background of school shootings, smoke and fires. .
The takeaway from this book is that the different generations have different crises to avert, different values that are important, and different ways to go about changing. Last House is a refuge from the end of the world as it is in an isolated in a corner of the country.
I thought that the book was more of a character study than historical fiction although I can certainly remember TV images of most of the events mentioned in the book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and the opinions expressed are my own. Rating is 3.5+ rounded up to 4

A very well written book. However, I didn’t love it. I didn’t read it past 58%. I just couldn’t connect with the characters. The storyline seemed to meander. I was intrigued about the build up of big oil after WW2. I probably would’ve preferred for the story to stay there. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC.

Interesting intergenerational family story spanning World War II to the present day. It is particularly poignant for Baby Boomers who grew up in the 1950’s and 60’s as the children of parents who grew up during the Depression and served in World War II. The vastly different life experiences which determined the values of each generation are sharply contrasted. Most importantly, it eloquently shows however perfect we want our children’s lives to be, our children must find their own way.

Last House was a wonderful read. I love historical fiction that uses a place/home as a character in itself. I would read more from this author.

I thought this was going to be a bit more of a widespread family saga, but it's a more intimate novel about a family who initially benefits from, but ultimately becomes fractured by their involvement with the oil industry. A very smart and emotional novel, although I thought it was lacking a bit in character development for the patriarch.

I could not get into this book so will not be publishing a public review. Thank you for allowing me a chance to read it. It just didn't fit with my interests at the moment or win me over with the subject matter and writing that I briefly read. I appreciate the opportunity and best of luck to the author.

This was such an interesting book spanning one family through three generations. Starting in the 1950s, American conservative values pitted against political unrest. Intrigue, family secrets, activism, outside influences. And all centered around Last House.

A family saga with historical fiction elements, I really enjoyed The Last House. It would make a wonderful book club pick - there's so much to discuss as it covers the noteworthy events in the world over the course of 80 years and how they impact this family.

Thanks to William Morrow for the copy to review.

Last House is Jessica Shattuck's new novel, it's one part family saga and one part historical fiction. For some reason, I struggled to love this book. I think it was that it was like I was watching the characters rather than investing in them. The novel spans multiple decades and multi-generations of the Taylor family. It is a well-written book that just didn't grab me like I expected.

3.5 rounding up to 4 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Last House in exchange for an honest opinion. This book is available now.

This stars strong, but halfway through I was less engaged. I think the author was ambitious to cover so much of US history in one story, but the span of 80+ years got a bit overwhelming for the reader.

Last House by Jessica Shattuck is a multi-generational read that spans generations. Nick Taylor is a WWII vet who has a respectable job with American Oil. He is part of their corporate cancer council and is able to provide a wonderful life for his wife and his children. In the beginning money from oil doesn’t seem to be all that big of a deal but as time goes on intentions flare within the United States over all things becomes big trouble. As children grow, they have to come to grips with what “big oil” has given them, the advantages, the education, and all the things that go with it. They do have one thing, they have Last House, that none of them treasure deeply. It is the place that is the safest, most comforting place you could imagine. The house can only provide so much comfort and protection. The climate in America in, is rough. The 60’s are no joke for protests, riots and civil rights. Concerns over the Earth and Fossil Fuels inspires protests and is a timely topic. The characters were well developed, and the tension between the family was very real. Overall, this was an excellent book, at times a little wordy, but I did enjoy it. I want to think NetGalley, William Morrow and the author for my copy of this book, for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

“The Last House” is a beautifully written, epic story about the sweeping effects of war and the power of family. If you love family sagas with twists and turns and loveable yet flawed characters, this is definitely a must-read. While the book did feel heavy and slow at times, particularly the sections related to the Shah of Iran, it ultimately had an uplifting message. I really enjoyed reading about how the backdrop of American life at the time impacted each member of the family differently, both in large and small ways. We don't always get the chance to zoom in on American life surrounding these events, and this was a really refreshing and eye-opening experience.

Thank you to William Morrow Publishing and Netgalley for the eARC. I would recommend this to other fans of historical fiction and family dramas/sagas.

Last House is a title with a double meaning, named for the original owner, John Last it is also held up throughout the narrative as the final refuge for a multigenerational family, and even a metaphor for humanity. As such, although the house does not make an appearance until Chapter 8, it plays a pivotal part in the story.
Much of the action takes place during the chaos of the 1960’s, with protests and radicals in contrast with the power of Big Oil and the secret operations of the CIA. As the present day gets further from those tumultuous times, it is understandable that the author feels a need to fill in the historical gaps for the modern reader.. unfortunately the chapters with a spotlight on the Shah of Iran and the efforts of the United States to protect their stake in Iranian oil by propping up the Shah’s corrupt regime, seemed like a plot that didn’t quite bond with the rest of the story.
The author’s writing is rich and a pleasure to read. Shattuck uses details and descriptions to bring some of her characters vividly to light. Unfortunately, Harry, the focus of much of the story, remains an enigma and at the end of the narrative, the author introduces a several generations of characters that I had no desire to keep straight.
This story has been compared to Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House with its focus on a home as the touchstone of the narrative. To me in both books it is a contrivance that doesn’t serve the story well, although you might say the characters here are as wooden as the architecture of Last House..

3.5 stars! This one was tough to rate considering there were some things I loved and some others I didn't quite care for. Overall, I found it very well written and loved learning some historical facts I hadn't heard of. So even though I enjoyed my time reading it, the parts I didn't enjoy were too big for me to give a bigger rating.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for my advanced copy!

I loved The Women in the Castle and was excited to receive an early copy of Shattuck’s newest. I went in expecting a historical fiction novel but was surprised to find more of a character study, which didn’t work for me. I felt no connection to the characters or their stories. As a result, I ended up not finishing this book.

This book follows a family over the decades, through post WWII and worries over Russian bombs, to the Vietnam War protests and activism. At the heart of it they have their "Last House" to come back to, to reconnect as a family in the middle of nature.

I was interested in this book, but it is a heavy and often slow read. There's a lot to unpack in every generation that is written about, and at the end I found myself struggling to find an overarching theme. It's kind of just a glimpse into this family's life at these certain points in history. I also wish that we had something written from Harry's viewpoint as well. Every other family member gets more of an in-depth look and it would have been interesting so see his thoughts. Many parts of the book were written very well, Shattuck was great at setting the scene and seems to have done much research on these eras.

If you're a fan of family dramas and multi-generational stories you may enjoy this book. It wasn't quite the genre for me, but no fault to the author - just my attention span. I received this book as an ARC for my opinions.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. I was not able to connect with the story and did not finish.

This is an excellent family saga. From the early 1950's, through the tumultuous 60's and early 70's, and ending in the near future, this novel pulled me into the lives of the Taylor family immediately.

The common point is a restored Vermont farmhouse in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, bought by Nick Taylor from his co-worker, as an escape vacation home. Being familiar with this area was a plus for me, as I could picture the setting in my mind. The house is always there in the background as time goes on, and Katherine and Harry, Nick and Bet's children, grow up and also love their summer home.

In the meantime, there are the protests of the 60's, the Weather Underground bombings, which in its way, involves everyone in the family. A tragic death forces changes to everyone's lives.

This book brought back memories, and also gave me food for thought. I will be thinking about the characters for a long time.