Meet the Devohrs: Zee, a Marxist literary scholar who detests her parents’ wealth but nevertheless finds herself living in their carriage house; Gracie, her mother, who claims she can tell your lot in life by looking at your teeth; and Bruce, her step-father, stockpiling supplies for the Y2K apocalypse and perpetually late for his tee time. Then there’s Violet Devohr, Zee’s great-grandmother, who they say took her own life somewhere in the vast house, and whose massive oil portrait still hangs in the dining room.

The Hundred-Year House unfolds a generational saga in reverse, leading the reader back in time on a literary scavenger hunt as we seek to uncover the truth about these strange people and this mysterious house. With intelligence and humor, a daring narrative approach, and a lovingly satirical voice, Rebecca Makkai has crafted an unforgettable novel about family, fate and the incredible surprises life can offer.

This wasn’t necessarily a bad book–I’m honestly not sure how to feel about it. It grabbed my attention and pulled me in, but it wasn’t always clear what was going on and who I was rooting for in the book. I was particularly disappointed in Zee–she’s supposed to be this intelligent, successful professor, but she behaves like a moody teenager. I think if it hadn’t been for her, I might have enjoyed the book more, but she was so bizarre that it haunted me for the rest of the book.

The concept of the book’s format was also interesting–it started in 1999, then went back a generation, then went back another generation. It was interesting to learn more about so many different characters, but I would have preferred to spend more time getting to know fewer characters more intimately as opposed to learning a little bit about a large number of people (personal preference).

Overall, it wasn’t a bad book, but it was different. I’m not sure who I’d recommend it to, other than people looking for something unique to read.

Rated R for swearing and adult themes. Get your copy here!

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