In the sweeping saga of "The Guest Book," Sarah Blake unfurls the tapestry of the Milton family, whose fortunes and failures mirror the tumultuous progression of the American century. At the heart of this epic narrative is the Milton's private island off the coast of Maine, bought in an attempt to mend the fissures of a family tragedy, which over generations becomes a symbol of their legacy—both its luminous highs and its shadowed lows. As the story unfolds from 1935, through the eyes of Kitty and Ogden Milton—envied for their grace and prosperity—we are drawn into a world where privilege and pain are intertwined, and where the refusal to acknowledge the past threatens the foundation of the future. With a delicate hand, Blake crafts a tale that navigates the complex waters of social change, love, and loss, exploring the silent yet potent undercurrents of racism and power that have shaped America. Through the vibrant yet flawed characters of Len Levy and Reg Pauling, the narrative probes the barriers of race, class, and antisemitism, challenging the Miltons—and us—to confront the truths hidden behind the façade of tradition and propriety. As the island's fate hangs in balance by the dawn of the 21st century, a revelation about the family's patriarch forces a reckoning with the sins of the past, offering a chance for redemption or the risk of repeating history. "The Guest Book" is not just a story of a family, but a poignant critique of an America grappling with its identity, making it a compelling and necessary read.