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MacKenzie Scott's novel is being called 'baffling'-critics are asking what message she's trying to send
Fortune • • general
Key Points:
- Eve Sneider and other critics found the ending of Rachel Scott's novel "Last Days in Two Nations" confusing, with Sneider describing it as a "baffling conclusion" that raises more questions than answers.
- Scott released the 80,000-word novel chapter by chapter on Substack, bypassing traditional publishers and major booksellers, offering it for free to subscribers from August 8 to August 31.
- The novel is set in a near-future America divided between the "Still United" states and an authoritarian breakaway regime, told through 18 characters' perspectives, marking a departure from Scott's earlier, more conventional fiction.
- Some critics noted the book's unfinished feel due to its manuscript-like formatting and typos, while others, like literature expert Morissa Schwartz, saw the ambiguity as intentional but cautioned against treating it as a roman à clef.
- Scott, known for complex and long-term projects, rarely engages with the press, and the novel remains freely accessible on Substack, reflecting her preference for unconventional publishing methods.
