Novel, 2006

Story of two sisters, and principally, the titular Esme, whose life is grabbed away from her when she’s committed to a mental asylum in the 1930s. In a book whose narrative slips between the two sister’s and Esme’s niece’s points of view, the overlap and interplay of very different views of the same story can be a little confusing, especially early on, although the emotional power of Esme’s story, as well as those of Iris and Kitty, have a significant force. A novel in which the background and historical play a part and in which the story is developed at a decent pace. A great cast of characters, well handled, and a devastating story at the heart of the novel.