In the middle of tending to the everyday business at her vintage clothing shop and sidestepping her married boyfriend's attempts at commitment, Iris Lockhart receives a stunning phone call: Her great-aunt Esme, whom she never knew existed, is being released from Cauldstone Hospital, where she has been locked away for over sixty years. Iris' grandmother Kitty always claimed to be an only child. But Esme's papers prove she is Kitty's sister, and Iris can see the shadow of her dead father in Esme' face. Esme has been labeled harmless; sane enough to coexist with the rest of the world. But Esme is still basically a stranger, a family member never mentioned by the family, and one who is sure to bring life-altering secrets with her when she leaves the ward. If Iris takes her in, what dangerous truths might she inherit? Maggie O'Farrell's intricate tale of family secrets, lost lives, and the freedom brought by truth will haunt readers long past its final page.I really didn't have any desire to read this book. It was this month's choice for book club, and I wasn't really feeling the urge to start this book. But then both my sister and my mom read it and rated it really high, so I figured I'd better give it a chance, too. And I'm glad I did! It was very different from any book I've ever read - Maggie O'Farrell has a unique writing style. Sometimes it was a little hard to follow (mostly the beginning), but once you got used to the style the book made more sense. The characters and their life stories were really fascinating. I had a hard time putting this down! My only complaint is the ending - it was very abrupt and I did not expect that at all. Otherwise, it was a great read!
Rating: 4/5
3 comments:
I've been waiting for this. It wasn't here earlier when I checked! ;)
I know... I just blogged it! Sorry!
I was just teasing you.
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