Shannon (The Book Club Mom)'s Reviews > Last House

Last House by Jessica Shattuck is a brilliant family saga about the Taylor family - Nick, Bet, and their two children, Katherine and Harry. The family members all grow and change immensely over the years, and the reader is there to witness all of it. The novel kicks off in the 1950s, right in the thick of the current events and happenings of that time period. The author does a phenomenal job of allowing the reader to experience the decades right alongside the Taylors. If you need an American history refresher, pick this book up! I can’t believe how much I learned about the oil industry. Ha! I feel like some readers will enjoy this one more than others, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it a “love it or hate it” type of book. I will admit that it took me a bit to get fully invested, but around the 25% mark, things really started to pick up. When the actual “Last House” was finally introduced in the story, I was completely hooked.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Family drama, dynamics, and dysfunction
- Multiple timelines and POVs
- Historical fiction
- Social and environmental issues
- Politically-charged storylines
- Stunning northeastern setting
- Themes of parenthood and marriage

The Taylor family is most definitely a memorable one. I just know that these characters will live rent free in my mind for years to come. My review would not be complete without mentioning the gorgeous cover. If I could draw a mental image of where I would like to retire with my husband, grow old, raise cats, drink wine, and read a lot of books at, it would definitely look similar to this. You all know that I’m a sucker for a nature scene on a cover!!!

Last House releases on May 14th! Super solid read!