🖊️📖 The Guest Book 🖊️📖 (2019) - Book Review

MY REVIEW

Hardcover: 496 pages

Publisher: Flatiron Books; 1st Edition edition (May 7, 2019)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1250110254

ISBN-13: 978-1250110251

“An exquisitely written, poignant family saga that illuminates the great divide, the gulf that separates the rich and poor, black and white, Protestant and Jew. Spanning three generations, The Guest Book deftly examines the life and legacy of one unforgettable family as they navigate the evolving social and political landscape from Crockett’s Island, their family retreat off the coast of Maine. Blake masterfully lays bare the memories and mistakes each generation makes while coming to terms with what it means to inherit the past.”

Tragedies, privilege, family secrets, deep prejudices, old ideas … an island.

This World War II/Family Life/Literary fiction story spans over three generations of a once privileged family – the Milton family; told in four (4) parts over 45 chapters and nearly 500 pages.

[Outside of my normal genre. The book sounded a LOT better than it read. It was a LONG read]

The story spans from about 1935-2019 (last entry was in the Guest Book in 1959, and it’s been 60 years since then). Once so rich the family owned an island, but in today’s time, the descendants can no longer afford to keep it, and some don’t want to let it go. Evie, one of the grandchildren, wants more – she is looking for something, but what she finds isn’t necessarily what she is seeking.

Evie soon learns a terrible truth about her grandparents, particularly her grandfather and his involvement in Germany.

Although not always equal in the point of views – the story goes from the past to present without letting the reader know where/when they are in the story (with dates under the chapter, i.e.: August 1959, Present Day, June 1936, etc). Thus, the reader could read two (2) – three (3) parts in the past and only one in present day and feel slightly confused as to where in the time/place of the story they’re in.

Part I (page 1-119) of the book alternates between Kitty and Ogden Milton in the 1930’s and present-day with Evie, Kitty’s granddaughter who is trying to come to terms with her late mother’s passing, her family’s truth, and the disposition of the island.

The story starts in 1935 with Kitty and Ogden Milton – just before World War II. Their youngest son dies in a horrible accident, which continues to haunt Kitty throughout her life and is the catalyst for a decision she is forced to make. Milton purchases an island for Kitty. His hope is to bring her back as he sees her as slipping away from him. The couple is content to ignore what is going on around them as it doesn’t affect them. Kitty is then asked to do someone a favor, but refuses, a refusal that will haunt her for the rest of her life.

The first part ends before the US enters World War II and thus the reader is left to wonder – how did the Milton family react to something they thought wouldn’t happen?

Part II (page 123-268) starts with the grown Milton kids (Moss [Ogden Jr.], Joan, Evelyn) in the summer of 1959 – and builds from there what will soon happen in Part III, the heart of the story – which surprisingly is only 2-3 months in length. Again, some of the chapters unevenly alternate with Evie’s story. Kitty eventually learns the fate of the child she was asked to save.

Part III (272-458) continues from 1959, where part II left off with the alternating view points.

It is here that contains the heart of the novel, which for some, might be too long – it takes the writer nearly 200 pages to get to the “climax” of the story. The truths about the Milton family and their own prejudices about people – and two new characters will make their mark on the Milton family. The reader also learns how deep prejudice runs in the privileged family, so much so that another tragedy unfolds.

Since it is 1959, there are a lot of controversial social topics covered – however I don’t know that they were discussed as much or in that way at the time.

Part IV (461-482) stays in the present day and serves as an end to the saga. The reader is left not knowing what happens to the island, but learns who Evie really is.

The book takes the reader through a journey as well – what do we remember and keep with us, what do we discard, what kind of changes can we make in our lives, how accurate is our history.

It is, on the surface, a stunningly poignant and challenging read. As noted, there are sections that can be quite lengthy to read – part III is the longest as it builds to the heart.

Part IV is a bit of a letdown – it rapidly slides to the end in three short chapters barely 25 pages in length. Perhaps because there was so much in building the story between parts II and III, that part IV wraps it up the best way it can.

But, the writer has a pleasant surprise regarding Evie and we learn who is really is. That would’ve been an interesting part to explore for a bit as the story ended. Will Evie find out who she is, or does already know who she really is?

I would’ve liked to have seen it expand on World War II more. I believe there were areas of the “family interaction” that could’ve been reduced in order to accommodate that.

Normally, I can go through a book in a few days. This is not one of my favorite genres, but I do enjoy a challenge. This book took 15 days to go through, so it was a difficult read (to be honest – basically a chore). Most of that difficultly was that I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters or finding any kind of point where I could relate to them. Perhaps this was due to my disconnect with their privilege.

I would recommend this book to those who are fans of the author, the genre, or the subject. A book to read, if only once in a lifetime.

“We vanish.” – Evie Milton

Thank you to Flatiron Books for an ARC of this book to review.

3⭐⭐⭐/5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Blake is the author of the novels Grange House and the New York Times bestseller The Postmistress. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and two sons.