Reviews

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell

booktwitcher23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

lbjessome's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

I generally like all of O’Farrell’s books but I struggled with the format of this one. The jumping back and forth between the POVs didn’t add a lot and interfered with the momentum of the book. 

sevseverance's review against another edition

4.0

This book was a really good read. The story revolves around Esme who has been a mental institution for 61 years. As the institution is shutting down, her only next of kin, a great-niece is contacted. However, the niece has never heard of her. As a psychology major, I found the discussion of the institution and history of women being committed fascinating. The second half of the book I could barely put down. My favorite quote is, "We are all, Esme decides, just vessels through which identities pass: we are lent features, gestures, habits, then we hand them on. Nothing is our own. We begin in the world as anagrams of our antecedents."

pollydye's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

dappledshade's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

4.25

marigolden's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

5.0

addynewsom's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad

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

4.5

booksillremember's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.5

It's sad and outrageous to think how many Neurodivergent and/or traumatised women were - and still are - locked away in institutions.

A moving story and Esme is an interesting character, but I felt the other characters weren't really fleshed out, it was all too black and white, and a bit contrived. I'm also just not a fan of present simple narration, even though I get why it might make sense from Esme's POV as someone who has to live in the past because she's not allowed a present.

Also the ending just felt like a cop out. It could have been powerful and nuanced but instead the author went for the shock factor.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Child death, and Rape

as1u18's review against another edition

funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

tessacarlberg's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0