“Silver's latest is a gorgeous testament to the endurance and depth of familial bonds.”
—BOOKLIST
Description
“An astounding achievement.” —Megha Majumdar, bestselling author of A Burning
“Her best book yet.” —Paul Yoon, award-winning author of Run Me to Earth
From the bestselling author of Mary Coin comes a rich family saga set in midcentury America centered on two fierce and competitive matriarchs whose intertwined lives reflect the complexities of family, tradition, and personal ambition, told with “Silver’s signature combination of toughness and grace” (Laird Hunt, bestselling author of Zorrie).
Helene Simonauer and Evelyn Turner are two formidable women whose paths cross when their children marry. Both women are sharp, cunning, and unwavering in their conflicting beliefs about marriage, responsibility, and family and, most pressingly, their efforts to vie for the love of their shared granddaughter.
Weaving together the lives of Helene and Evelyn—from their vastly different childhoods through the pivotal events that define them—At Last paints a vivid portrait of the American Midwest, capturing the essence of a time and place where societal norms and personal aspirations often clashed. Both intimate and expansive while capturing the complexities of ambition and love with humor and insight, At Last is a testament to what happens when an unintended, even unwanted relationship turns out to be a central one that defines a life.
Reviews
"At Last charts a rich, fascinating landscape that has been largely ignored by contemporary fiction."
—JENNIFER EGAN, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Candy House
"When Tom and Ruth marry in 1971, little do they consider that they are initiating a connection between their mothers that will deeply affect each other over the decades. I will never forget this smart, wry, gorgeous novel."
—ALICE ELLIOTT DARK, author of Fellowship Point
"No one else working today puts as much human complexity onto the page with such marvelous clarity as Marisa Silver. Whole lives course down the decades in her latest, and every minute of them is conveyed with Silver's signature combination of toughness and grace. The bar is very high, but I think At Last is her finest novel yet."
—LAIRD HUNT, author of Zorrie
