Reviews

The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant by Kayte Nunn

kalliste's review against another edition

4.0

This book is written between 1951 and 2018 with 3 different perspectives that all come together in the end.
It was an interesting read but quite predictable after the links between the timelines start to become established.

herondaleducks's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

erica_hamilton's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

maddy_93's review

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I liked Esther's storyline more than Rachel's and found Esther more compelling than Rachel.
Rachel's ending felt very incomplete to me. I also felt like Leah was half developed. I would have liked to have found out more about

her relationship with her husband and daughter more. I got weird vibes by the art dealer but that also didnt seem to eventuate to anything.

joolee0715's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

myiesha_'s review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Suicide

Moderate: Misogyny, Mental illness, and Forced institutionalization

andreagraves5's review against another edition

3.0

Started strong, has cool characters. Then, after you work for everything and hang in there through the grief, the author doesn’t finish it. Just let’s you imagine it. I hate when authors do this - it’s extremely disappointing. I would’ve given it 2 stars just for that except I really liked the characters.

cristiana_criss's review

5.0

A secret love carried from the solitude of Little Embers to the busy city of London and the peaks of the highest mountains. A storm, a shipwreck, some paintings kept in the dark and a few forgotten letters form the thread linking the present day to the unchangeable past.

He asked to see her again the next day, taking her for a stroll in a nearby woodland and doing nothing more than holding her hand. 'If we went to the pictures we wouldn't be able to talk to each other', he said. 'And that would be a terrible shame.' She experienced a small thrill at those words. Perhaps here was a man who wanted intelligent conversation from a woman, not merely a decorative accessory to hang on his arm and his every word.
p. 24

'It is the season of shooting starts here, and I had so hoped to watch them with you. Great showers of light are spread across the night sky and I imagine them as a spangled bouquet in tribute to your beauty. I wonder if you can see them from where you are?
p. 165

clianthus's review against another edition

3.0

If I could, I would rate this 3.5 stars. A nice enjoyable read but didn't quite hit the 4 star mark for me. I enjoyed the storyline of the main character Esther, particularly when on the island in 1951. I felt at times the other characters (Eve, Richard) were just a distraction from her story.

100pagesaday's review against another edition

5.0

Rachel Parker is a research scientist who has just taken a position in the Isles of Scilly to study the effects of climate change on the warty clam. Rachel has moved around a lot in life and has never bothered to form lasting friendships or relationships. When Rachel is caught in a storm passing through the Isles, she takes cover on Little Embers, inhabited by the cantankerous Leah, an artist who prefers to be alone. While on Little Embers, Rachel discovers the suitcase of a former occupant of Little Embers and some unsent love letters that she is determined to return to their rightful recipient. In 1951 Esther Durrant is unceremoniously dumped at Little Embers by her husband. Esther has survived a tragedy and still isn't quite right. Little Embers is run by Dr. Richard Creswell, a retreat for men suffering from the psychiatric effects of the War. Dr. Creswell has agreed to treat Esther as well. After fighting and trying to get back to her family, Esther comes to enjoy life on the island and the company of the people around her.

The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant feels like is was written just for me; I love the dual timeline in the story, the mysteries of an isolated island, and finding yourself before finding romance. The characters were carefully crafted and pulled me into their stories before revealing everything. Both Rachel and Esther were guarding secrets and were difficult to figure out creating complex and interesting women that I wanted to learn more about. The writing flows easily through time and from character to character making the book easy to read and always wanting to know what's next. I appreciated that the other characters on Ember Island in 1951 were also taken seriously, even at a time when psychological diagnosis were still being developed. I also loved that Esther in 2018 was also a strong character and that I was able to see how she was not defined by her tragedy. The romances were handled well for both Rachel and Esther, I'm glad that they were able to make decisions for themselves and find happiness.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.