A review by andreinavhernandez98
Last House: A Novel by Jessica Shattuck

informative mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this book of big themes: man vs nature, survival versus progress, and what these mean for humanity. We tend to think of survival as something backwards. After all, progress “gains” are supposed to eliminate the precociousness of survival. But that drive to move forward can also be backwards in the sense of reducing men’s need to just than one goal, leaving no space for what humanity really is: making art or music, ideals and fighting for what you believe is right. Also, the drive for progress can also be read as a cautionary tale: those “gains” are what have brought us to our current context of demise (climate change, fight for power, geopolitics, etc). 

I loved that this book asks big questions and addresses them honestly, even if we don’t really get an answer. I’ll keep thinking about it for time to come. 

I kind of want to re read it immediately.

Loved the characters, and their development, and especially the second part set in America’s 1970s.

Harry 🤍