This book was right up my alley. I love family sagas and this story was so rich with family legacy and generations I loved every minute. Reading as the family grew and changed from generation to generation was so interesting and engrossing I loved the strong family ties and the courageous women character's holding together their family reading about Kitty and Evie felt like reading about some strong women from my family I feel that every woman could see parallels to their lives and women role models in this story and could relate to these characters what a great read I can't wait to read more!

I read 40% of this and nothing in it had interested me by that point so I abandoned it. This just wasn’t for me. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

I read and enjoyed this author’s first novel, The Postmistress, so was thrilled to receive an e galley of her second novel, The Guest Book. The Guest Book was chosen as a Barnes and Noble book club read and it is easy to see why. This is the sort of novel that the reader wants to talk about with others who spent time getting to know the Miltons, their circle, and those who are on the outside of it.

The story covers three generations in a narrative that moves back and forth in time, beginning with Ogden and Kitty. They appear to literally own all that they could ever want, even including an island in Maine that is central to the book. The next generation includes Moss, Evelyn and Joan. Children who grew up with so much and who each make decisions about how they want to live in the world. Their children form the book’s third generation. Other important characters are Leonard, who is Jewish and Reg who is African American.

The world of these characters resembles the dance on the island late in the book. People dance with “their own” and occasionally with “others.” These interactions fuel the plot and thinking of the novel.

This is a story about those with power who casually dislike those who are not like them. So…can Leonard, who is Jewish, ever truly be with Joan? Is there a reason that Reg, who is African American does not sign the guest book of the title?

The reader spends much time with Kitty. No spoilers but several of her decisions, one casual and without awareness of the tragedy that will befall and one with knowledge of that but still a particular decision. The reader will be immersed in Kitty’s thoughts about the choices that she has made.

It can be easy to dislike some of the characters for their choices. The author tries to show that life and decisions are complex, made for reasons that are not always clear and may or may not be regretted. Ms. Blake has a message that she would like readers to take away. Around it, she creates a novel of considerable depth.

I highly recommend this one. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an e galley in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Blake’s latest literary phenomenon, The Guest Book, is not for those who want “The End” to tie up loose pieces. It’s instead for the courageous, adventurous reader who likes their plot lines convoluted, their characters complex and flawed and their storylines to span generations. Readers are in fact not given reference to a guest book until mid novel and then dangle on each reference hoping for answers.

As Blake spins her story spanning the many years and generations of the Milton family she pushes many buttons, social, economical, ethical and racial as she goes flawlessly and nonlinearly back and forth and forth and back from the 1930s through World War II and up and until the present day. Following the lives of the Milton family starting with Kitty and Ogden in the 1930s who not only go on to become the matriarch and patriarch of the clan but by an island off the coast of Maine. Showing how a tragic accident in the beginning of their life’s journey sets the stage for a lifetime of regret and how secrets can destroy and how choices lead to consequences some are not prepared for.

So if you’re that daredevil kind of reader that doesn’t like your stories tied up in a neat bow, a reader who needs to be challenged and likes disquiet in their tales and fans of this amazing author, Beatriz Williams, Karen White or Lauren Willig you’ve got to make this unforgettable novel your next must read.

There is so much to like about the story of three generations of the Milton family, a privileged White family facing the changes in society during the twentieth century. Unfortunately, parts of the book dragged. It took a while to get into the book, although the issues of race, anti-Semitism, wealth, are all handled well. The characters of Kitty, her daughter Joan, and her daughter,Evie are examples of how women’s roles also changed.

WOW!!! A beautiful multi-generational family saga combining past and present. Combing through mementos, and touching upon power, racism and coming to terms with the history of our ancestors. How this impacts the shaping of the generations to come is what makes this book the incredible read that it is! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book prior to publication --- it was a joy filled with laughter and tears!

I found this book difficult to get into. It jumps around and doesn't really explain what time period when it changes. So many characters to keep straight, and the book had a preachy feel to it. Just not for me.

4+ stars

A family saga spanning three generations, a story complicated by secrets that take decades to be revealed. A privileged family, with money, a father so conscious of the family status reflected in the symbol of the island off the coast of Maine that he just has to buy it. “I want this place,” he said quietly. “I want this house to be ours. And everyone sailing by would know it stood for us. It would mean something. They’d see it and think, there’s the Milton place. Kitty and Ogden Milton. The Milton’s of Crockett’s Island.”

The mother’s belief that they are somehow better, know better and are above anything even prejudice. But it’s a self delusion really, as they harbor deep seated bias and prejudice that they don’t show outwardly. But, Kitty’s son Moss knows things need to change. “Why are we here? How did we get here? ....”To this point in time. The situation with the Negroes. Dad was talking as if it didn’t matter what the television show was called, just that the blacks were sounding off.....But why are they sounding off. It’s the why that has us here.” (The show was called The Hate That Hate Produced.) Len Levy, the young Jewish man who works for Ogden and falls in love with his daughter knows . “It was a game, wasn’t it, after all. Come and visit, if you’re up there anyway, come and see us. You went to Columbia, you went to Wall Street, but you were a visitor. How could he have missed it. He was a guest.”

The Milton’s, though are not above everything so no amount of their money or status could make them immune to tragedy, to unhappiness for some of them and there are some heartbreaking moments. This started out a little slow for me, but then I found that I was so pulled in by wanting to know all of the things that had happened to get to the present day where the grandchildren of Ogden and Kitty Milton are in disagreement over what to do with the island. I was pulled in by the writing as I was in a previous novel by Blake , The Postmistress. There was one chapter, Chapter Twelve that depicts the house and the island and the family over the years so beautifully that I found myself highlighting long passages.

The alternating narrative focus on the family in the mid 1930’s, late 1950’s and then late 1990’s and reflect how the ideals of the family change as well as being a commentary on racism, antisemitism, class. It is all of those things, but it is also a story of family and it a story of love stories. It’s a fairly lengthy book at almost 450 pages, but once I got the rhythm of the chapters which are not chronological, I couldn’t stop reading the story of the Milton’s of Crockett’s Island.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Flatiron Books though NetGalley.

One of my favorite World War II novels is The Postmistress and when I saw that Sarah Blake had a new book out, I was delighted to have the opportunity to read it in prerelease through NetGalley. Blake writes effortless prose and the first part of the book flowed lyrically. I was intrigued by the issues she introduced, like the banking house’s involvement with German Nazis as well as German Jews, and rich WASP entitlement. Anti Semitism was never fully developed and then she threw racism in to further muddy the waters.

I’m not a fan of books that jump back and forth in time and in this book, it was three generations and even more storylines and characters. I had more questions than answers when I finished the book. Why on earth would Len love the island and want to buy it after his humiliation. I never did know why the sisters never spoke again. What was Moss’s vision that he so passionately perused, his goal? I felt that I understood where the author meant to take the story, but it just got too complex. I wanted to like it more than I did.

When is a house even more than a home? In this wonderful novel! Thank you Netgalley for providing me an ARC of Sarah Blake’s story that has dynamic characters and historical ties that propel the pages to turn themselves. From page 1 a reader can envision life in NYC, Berlin or the magnificent island in Maine. The family relationships within their place in time are spot on. This book is a winner!

Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Guest Book.
The Guest Book is immensely descriptive, an immersive account of a summer home and it’s inhabitants and their story, spanning from 1936 to present day. The author does a wonderful job creating a sense of time and place, both socially and geographically, for the reader. There are equal parts interesting dialogue and atmospheric detail, yet this book was too slow for my taste. The sprawling narrative keeps hinting at mystery, yet takes its sweet time getting there. If you like a slow burn, the thought of how a family dynasty progresses through the years, and a bit of a twist/reveal at the end, you’ll enjoy this book.

This was an overall enjoyable multi-generational family saga covering some important social themes, however it was rather slow at times.. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Guest Book has a lot of admirers, but I am not one. It is taking forever to get anywhere and I'm tired of reading it. I know it must be going somewhere as the timing varies from the 30's to somewhere present day, but after more than 40% of the book, I just don't care. It's way too long.

Covering issues of race and antisemitism along with women power, Nazi's, the depression, those with money and how they live.... covers a lot of issues. In my opinion it could have covered fewer issues and it would have been a better book. This is one I will not be finishing.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

What a great read! I had just read a blurb about The Guest Book by Sarah Blake when I received an ARC (thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley), and was totally in the mood for a multigenerational family saga.

The family is the Miltons. The patriarch is Ogden who, along with his wife Kitty, totally personify the WASPS of New England in the last century. After a family tragedy nearly drives Kitty insane, they buy an island off the coast of Maine in the 1930s. Here they summer (yes, it’s a verb for these people) and escape the real world during the next decades, as the War engulfs the entire world (except, of course, for their island refuge).

I found the buildup to the War to be incredibly chilling, with its parallels to the current situation in the US: “…two years ago, when it had seemed certain the Führer’s inordinate excesses, his purges, his insanities would yield a revolt among his own ranks and knock him out of power, had been flattened into quietude by the steady, unsleeping machinery of the Reich operating in plain sight.” (if it isn’t clear, just substitute DJT and Republican Party for Führer and Reich). In addition, the “smart business” of continuing to work with (and prosper mightily from) the new regime in Germany is a family secret that will haunt the Miltons.

But in the 30s, everything in Kitty’s world looks RIGHT. Her home and children look perfect. Manners are paramount, and “…one ought not speak of anything that might provoke or worry. One referred to the limb of the table, not the leg, the white meat on the chicken, not the breast. Good manners were the foundations of civilization. One knew precisely with whom one sat in a room based entirely on how well they behaved…” Clearly, in her world MANY things were never discussed, or even hinted at. However, antisemitism and racism were right out there, deeply ingrained in her class. For example, as Kitty is walking in New York, she passes little girls with their nanny: “…the little girls climbed up onto the curb…”Do we have to go to the park?” the biggest one asked as Kitty passed. “Yes, Miss Lowenstein, you do.” Jews, Kitty noted, making her way toward the dark green awning that shaded the well-polished door, straightening her back without thinking. Little Jewish girls. And up here, on the Upper East Side.” YIKES!

The story rotates among three time periods: the 1930s, when Ogden and Kitty are the focus; 1959, when their children Evelyn, Joan, and Moss are moving into adulthood; and the present. In the 1930s, Ogden and Joan buy the island, in the 1950s and 60s they and their children all have major interactions and are part of a particular incident on the island, and in the present, Joan’s daughter Evie and Evelyn’s daughter Min (Minerva) come to the island to sort through the things that remain there, following Joan’s death and the collective realization of the cousins that the family fortune is no longer adequate to allow them to maintain their island compound.

Yes, the Milton dynasty has been declining for years. I loved the line in the very beginning when three men are sailing near the Milton’s island. Their conversation crystallizes the decline of the old moneyed WASPs when they see the somewhat neglected house, boathouse, dock and lawn and speculate as to what happened to the family who owned the island: “What happened?” the man beside him asked. “The usual, I’d suspect. Drinking, apathy, dullards in the gene pool.”

There are many interconnected characters, and Ms. Blake does an outstanding job of meticulously developing each major character. The alternating points of view are well done (although I confess at first being slightly confused due to the multiple women named Evie or Evelyn. I had to actually THINK rather than just skim along).

I loved the time period focused in 1959 when a young Jewish man, Len Levy, goes to work in Ogden’s bank following his time at Harvard, where he had met Moss Milton. Len and his best friend Reg Pauling, an African-American (or Negro, as referenced in the book) have always been outsiders, generally the only Jew or the only black man in the room, while they were at Harvard, at work, or finally (and particularly) when they visit the Miltons’ island in Maine.

A critical development in the lives of the generation set in the present happens when Kitty’s granddaughter Evie (Joan’s daughter) is told by her husband that he has found disturbing evidence about Ogden’s past. Evie, a tenured professor of history, grapples with the information as she struggles to accept the potential loss of the island that has defined the family as she has known it for generations.

The Guest Book takes a hard look at the racism, power, and privilege that have been systemically embedded in the US for more than a century. As social criticism, it is spot on. And as a look at the ways families interact, keep secrets, and avoid looking too closely at their reality, it is outstanding. In many ways, it is a five-star book, and I want to both re-read it and recommend it to my book club, as there are so many aspects that will prompt great discussion (although I doubt that the one MAGA supporter in the group will get the points I referenced in the third paragraph above. But is isn’t PERFECT or stunning, so I gave it four stars. No, wait – anything that makes me think while entertaining me for so many hours deserves all five.

“Wars, plagues, names upon tombs tell us only what happened. But history lies in the cracks between. In the inexplicable, invisible turns—when someone puts a hand down, pushes open one particular gate, and steps through." Just as Professor Evie Milton challenges her students in the opening pages, Ms. Blake challenges the reader to acknowledge the words and fill in the cracks.

I was completely swept away by the prose in this moving saga of the Milton Family, and was challenged to re-think how history bends in abstract and unexpected ways. A gravestone, a photo, a spoon, a toy car, are all markers of history - guiding the reader to enjoy the story and create a personal and profound connection to its message. Ms. Blake's cleverly crafted plot is unspooled with just enough tension to keep the pages turning.

"The Guest Book" is sure to be received as a perfect summer read, best enjoyed in large portions.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Maybe I need to start reading more historical fiction novels, because The Guest Book by Sarah Blake is another captivating and vivid read of this genre! I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did, all 500 plus pages too!

This book alternates between three generations — Kitty Houghton Milton, the matriarch, her daughter Joan Milton, and her daughter, Evie. The book starts in 1930 right before the start of WWII, and then progresses all the way to present day. From past, present and everywhere in between, we learn the history of the Milton family, and how the decisions they’ve made shape the family today.

This book tackles so much! From family dynamics, mothers and fathers and even their children. To the silence and secrets, even how coming clean and facing truths, can bring together a family. In many ways, this book’s main theme is growing into yourself, growing into a better human.

There’s no true way to describe this book without giving away too much. So, unlike some of my other reviews, I won’t give you the summary. I will, however, say right from the start, the book dives into life-changing events that really draws you in.

I will forewarn anyone interested in tackling this book, it has a slow start. Don’t let this deter you, it will pick up, and once it does it’s hard to stop reading. Blake’s writing is thought provoking and captivating. This is a book you need to take your time with, and really absorb it from start to finish. From the writing, to the plot, even the character developments, this book has it all!

This book made me dwell on a lot of questions. Like are we responsible for the sins of our family? I mean, each new generation has their own growth and change, and even awareness and acceptance. But one has to wonder, is that enough? Can we truly make the world a better place while still holding onto our freedom? This book made me become VERY philosophical!

The Guest Book by Sarah Blake is a breath-taking historical fiction novel that captivates not only your heart but also your mind. While it is quite long, and has a bit of a slow start, it truly is worth the read! Probably one of my favourite Summer reads so far! I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Flatiron Books and Sarah Blake for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A multiple storyline, family saga that I really enjoyed. Although the stories and narratives bounced around much, the characters were quite strong and I really found myself loving this book. I feel that the ending did pull together all the storylines in a satisfactory manner.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Guest Book, a multi-generational family saga that takes you into the lives of the Miltons – an elite banking family who appear to have everything but are greatly flawed and filled with prejudice and a belief of their superiority. In present day, we meet Evie, one of a group of cousins faced with the demise of their family wealth and the uncertain fate of the family island in Maine. As a historian, Evie is striving to better understand her mother and her family. The revealing of family secrets, which were not surprising, were well handled. Oftentimes in a book that moves from different time periods, I tend to favor one period but in this sweeping novel, I was totally invested in each character, even those who were repugnant. Sarah Blake is an excellent writer – some of the prose I read several times as the wording was so expressive. Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

I definitely appreciate the history of America, good and bad. While this was a bit long and slow at times, I did feel for the characters. I liked that it based the story on 3 generations of family members as well. This book kept me moving along, even during the slow parts.

This truly remarkable book creates a family saga that does not shy away from the complicated morality of a family’s history. It also shows the reasoning by mostly moral people that leads this country again and again to label different groups as “other”, “forever extending a hand in welcome but never including”.