Last House
Instead of delivering on its foreshadowings, the narrative proffers and then whisks away one juicy dramatic possibility after another, letting every potential chance for interesting conflict gently deflate into internal reflection ... The book’s aura of well-behaved detachment is especially disappointing because Shattuck is such a good writer, giving us swaths of cultural and historical background as gracefully and intelligently as she parses the emotional depths of her characters. Every note in the novel rings clear and true, but it never comes fully to life in the way that matters.
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Shattuck tends to sacrifice complexity for narrative symmetry, especially when the piously right-minded Katherine takes over the narrative from her more interestingly flawed parents. Still, by invoking America’s most cherished domestic archetypes, the author extends the novel’s criticism beyond its protagonists ... Unfortunately, Shattuck’s novel retreats somewhat from its own conclusions as it draws to an end.
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Bustling if scattered ... Fortunately, Shattuck exhibits a solid grasp on the period’s geopolitical intrigue. Despite a few sticking points along the way, readers will keep turning the pages to the end.
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