Iris Lockhart is an independent young woman. One day she receives a phone call telling her that her great-aunt Esme, a great-aunt who she never knew existed is being released from a mental hospital, and that Iris is listed as her next of kin. At first Iris is certain that a mistake has been made – surely one would know of the existence of a great-aunt. However, when facts seem to indicate the Esme is her grandmother’s sister, Iris can not turn away.

What follows is perhaps the best novel I have read in years. The novel spans only a few days, but the story reveals a lifetime of secrets, pain and betrayal. Through Iris’ observations, Esme’s fragmented recollections, and the disjointed memories of Iris’ grandmother, Kitty; author Maggie O’Farrell constructs a brilliant work of fiction.

The story told is a sad one. In fact, while the writing is totally satisfying, the story itself is unbearably tragic. Readers will not find a happy ending. O’Farrell weaves together events so that we learn this family’s history, but leaves the reader with the aching question, “why?” We know why things happened, but we can’t understand why they had to be, and how nobody stepped in to change a path of needless pain.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox is a quiet novel, with little action and much observation. It is the author’s style, and my need to put together the pieces of this family’s strange puzzle, that kept me turning pages and unable to put this book down.

I have intentionally written little about the story. I could share Esme and Iris’ history in just a few short lines. To do so would be an injustice, because the beauty of this book is not in its plot, but in its writing style. What makes this novel so compelling, is not the story told, but the style in which it is told.

For a long time I will remember Esme and Iris and their sad story, but it is Maggie O’Farrell and her brilliant writing that have made the biggest impact on me. I will continue to seek her work in bookstores. If The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox is any indication of her talent as a writer, Ms O’Farrell may just be one of the most brilliant novelists of our time.


Recommended: Yes