In the Shadow of the Greenbrier by Emily Matchar is a multigenerational family saga centered on the Zelner family, a Jewish-American family navigating life in the shadow of West Virginia's Greenbrier Resort. The story spans four generations and explores themes of trauma, legacy, and identity, set against the backdrop of historical events.

The novel begins in 1942, when Sylvia Zelner struggles with a stifling marriage and the responsibilities of running a general store while dealing with the pressures of World War II. The Greenbrier Resort, commandeered as a luxury prison during the war, becomes a focal point for the community and Sylvia's life. The story transitions to 1959, following Sylvia's daughter Doree, a teenager eager to escape her small-town life, only to find herself entangled in family conflicts and a romance with a mysterious newcomer.

The book delves deeply into the evolution of prejudice, family dynamics, and generational trauma, weaving in real historical elements from West Virginia's past. Critics praise its rich character development and historical detail, though some readers found the pacing uneven, particularly with time jumps between different characters' perspectives. However, many appreciate the poignant exploration of how trauma and family legacy shape personal identity over decades.

This debut novel is lauded for its intricate storytelling and emotional depth, making it an excellent choice for fans of historical fiction and character-driven narratives. It has received positive feedback for its ability to blend historical research with personal, intimate stories.

It was just ok for me. There are so many amazing, heartfelt stories that focus on WWII so this one was a letdown and the big secret wasn’t all that exciting.

This was an interesting historical fiction that is more focused on a family whose life was affected by the Greenbriar Resort over 4 generations. To me this felt more like a slice of life book following this family as they try to survive in rural wv and how this resort and staff intertwined in their lives. The characters were very likable and I became very invested what happened to the characters. I really enjoyed the writing in this book and hope to read more from this author in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

I love historical fiction and this novel had an interesting perspective on Jewish people in America. It is told in 4 timelines, 1911, 1942, 1959 and 1992. Sol emigrated to avoid being taken into the Tsar's army in Lithuania in the early part of the 20th century. He got a job as a peddler right after making his way to Baltimore and then by 1911 he opened his own store in White Sulfur Springs, WV. He was the only Jew in town and was mostly accepted.

In 1942, Sol and his wife are living their life with their son and his wife, Sophia. Sophia escaped Poland and the Nazi's and the rest of her family is still in Poland and Palestine. Greenbrier is a real place, a very exclusive resort where most of the townspeople are employed or a family member is. It is also used in 1942 to house German and Italian diplomats who the government don't want wandering free through the country.

In 1959, the timeline closely follows Sophia and Louis's daughter, they also have two sons. And in 1992 it is Sophia's grandson who returns to Greenbrier to learn the secret of what was built there in 1959.

I found the history of the Greenbrier very interesting and the intermingling of Jewish people with the locals and detainees was very well done. My main problem with the story was the num er of POV"S and timelines. It took me a long time to feel connected to the characters because it seemed so abrupt between the timelines. I have no problem with a couple timelines and in most books that use that feature there is some building from one to the next. I didn't feel that way here. It took a long time to feel comfortable with the jumoing back and forth.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy.

In the Shadow of the Greenbrier is all about family secrets & how they can really affect future generations. You get multiple points of view from different family members during different times. I really liked this one & how this story was told. I didn’t want to put it down!

Many characters interwoven throughout different generations, all leading to today. Emily Matchar takes us on a multigenerational view of one family through time, with each generations choices impacting the next generation, and all are tied to the grand Greenbrier, who has secrets of its own. While a great read, very surprised to find that this is based loosely on true events and places. Great dramatic saga into a world that Emily Matchar so easily brings to life. Very well done and highly recommend!
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

This was a wonderful generational story! I loved getting to know each character and getting to watch them grow and connect to each other.

Beautiful and complex story spanning generations. The story has so much history mystery and romance. What a lovely read.

WWII comes to America in this generational story. I originally selected this book as I wanted to know more about the Greenbrier resort in West Virginia and was not disappointed. With the resort as the backdrop, we learn about the generations of the Zelner family. Sol is an Immigrant from Eastern Europe in the 1910's as he comes to America to seek his fortune. Sylvia comes to America as his son's new wife and Polish refugee from 1942. Sylvia's daughter Doree and son Alan struggle to find their place in the 1950's as a Jewish family in a resort town. Doree's son in 1992 as a journalist tries to uncover some of America's secrets and in turn discovers his own family's secrets and history. An easy to read book, from these different points of view and very developed characters lead the reader into this family and what a small town was like after WWII.

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

Told in four perspectives of four generations of a Jewish family living in West Virginia, in the Shadow of the Greenbrier is a unique look at World War II. Sol came to the United States so he did not have to join the tsar’s army during World War I. His mom sent him with a little money and his dad’s pocket watch. He makes his start as a traveling salesman to coal towns along the east coast. When he gets a chance to settle down in White Sulphuric Springs, West Virginia he feels like his life as an American can finally begin. After his own kids are grown, his daughter in law Sylvia joins the family. She is a Jewish woman originally from Israel, but moved to the United States from Poland. She is a hard woman that never quite fits in… to the family or the town. Her first child Doree is a smart, curious girl with a brain for math. Doree loves all the things young girls love, including boys. She and her friends are at a Christmas party at the Greenbrier one night when their troubles begin. Doree’s brother Alan begins to investigate a huge hole being dug under the Greenbrier. The only problem is that it is a secret project and Alan pokes around too much. Only when Doree’s son Jordan starts investigating the real reason for the hole does Doree finally tell him the whole story. Although it was hard at first to keep everyone straight, this was a very interesting book with secret government projects, love affairs, family secrets, and more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

In this complex historical fiction and thriller, readers alternate between three generations of a Jewish family from West Virginia: Sylvia in 1942, Doree in 1959, and Jordan in 1992. Alternating between their perspectives and their very different lives, readers learn the secret of the Greenbriar Hotel and this small town in West Virginia as it unfolds over a complicated and precarious half century. As readers follow Jordan’s investigation, they learn more about Sylvia and Doreen’s secrets that they kept from Jordan and his sister, Jessica, which reveal the truth about the town and the resort. Matchar balances three very different and often conflicting personalities over the novel, and none of the perspectives overwhelm the other two characters’ chapters. The character development for all three protagonists grows over the course of the novel, and Matchar did this incredibly organically over the course of the novel. As for the setting, the resort and the town present a great backdrop to multigenerational character development and the reveal of local secrets, and they both function as another character in the novel. Matchar’s side characters, particularly the ones that appear in multiple perspectives as their older and younger selves, add some interesting and complicated twists to the rest of the novel.

Personally I love the Greenbriar hotel so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a book about it! That being said, this wasn’t quite right for me as I found it tediously long, in need of more editing, and weirdly “spicy” in ways that felt very disjointed. This would be a great pick for someone who is a huge fan of the historical fiction and family drama genres as the setting is great and it provides a new take on a familiar time period. Told from several POVs I think part of the success of this book for the reader relies on the reader’s connection to the characters. This is where I think I lost my engagement as I didn’t care for 3/4 of the POV sections. An interesting tale for sure but just not for me.

DNF about halfway through due to content (bedroom scenes) and language.

Unfortunate, as I'd been enjoying the story and was intrigued by each of the characters and their respective storylines. (Not to mention that cover! Beautiful!)

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

In the Shadow of the Greenbrier is a historical novel set at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. This is a family saga that spans four generations in a Jewish family: Sol, who immigrates to America and starts a general store; Sol's daughter-in-law Sylvia, who immigrates from Poland at the start of World War II and becomes involved in an unexpected affair; Sylvia's daughter, Doree, who is mathematically gifted and wants more in life; Doree's son, Jordan, who is a Washington Post reporter looking for answers about a long-time mystery involving the Greenbrier.

I wanted to read this novel because I love historical fiction, love family sagas, and enjoy books set at old fashioned resorts.

This book began slowly for me as I got used to learning about four very different characters and their history. I wish that a family tree had been included in the book; it would have been helpful. As I read on I became much more involved in the story and by the time I was half-way through the book, I absolutely could not put it down.

I found the relationships between these family members both complex and fascinating. It was interesting how they all felt so differently about the Greenbrier and about family and their Jewish history and heritage. There were two mysteries in the book -- one about the secrets beneath the Greenbrier (which Jordan investigates) and the other about the secrets of Sylvia and her mysterious and gifted son Alan.

I am glad I read In the Shadow of the Greenbrier, and will look for future novels by this author. I recommend this book for fans of historical fiction, and especially for anyone who enjoys a family saga - with a mystery involved as well!

A multigenerational story centered on the Zelner family and their proximity to the Greenbriar hotel and a mystery that happened there. Each generation has their concerns and their secrets, many of which affect the subsequent generation. Overall, a decent family story that dragged out a bit at times. Readers who like multigenerational stories may enjoy this, but the mystery part wasn't much of a surprise for those are familiar with US history in the 40s.

I'm not gonna lie, I genuinely do *not* remember requesting this one. Perhaps it was a "read now" title? This is not my thing sorry folks

I am a fan of historical fiction and this family saga about the Greenbrier resort in West Virginia was something I knew nothing about. It was a story of 4 generations. A little hard to keep reading because it moved a bit slowly, but I'm glad I read this book.

I was very excited to read In the Shadow of the Greenbrier because I'm a fan of historical fiction and the fact that the Greenbrier still operates today. However, the book felt flat to me. It starts off slowly as you meet 4
generations of a Jewish family living in the town where the Greenbrier is located.
My favorite character was Sol,who came to the US in 1909 to escape being drafted into the Tsar's army.
The big secret/mystery of the novel wasn't all that earth shattering if you knew a bit about history.
I give the book 3 stars. Solid effort but it didn't engage me.

I really enjoyed this book! Going through the family history and learning the story of what was going on at the Greenbriar hotel was so interesting and kept we wanting to read more! I gave four stars because it was a bit of a slow burn for me, but I really ended up enjoying it by the end!
I felt the characters were all very well developed, and it was interesting to follow the four different generations to see how they were all effected in some way by the same place.
I definitely recommend this book for any historical fiction fans!
Thank you to @netgalley for an advance #copy in exchange for my honest review