The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell

This book made it to my all time favorite list. I have a weakness for stories of imperfect, sometimes a little psychotic, families and their mishaps. But this book in it's entirety was no where near a mishap. Elegant and mysterious, you will twist your own thoughts of love around and around, unsure of what is right or wrong while you travel through the lives of Esme and Iris. The beginning is entrancing, the middle enriching, and the ending completely a surprise! Rarely do I get a surprise ending anymore, you learn to read these out in a story, but this novel left my jaw hanging wide open and my eyes bugged out, wishing I could turn around and talk to someone about it right then. It was an ending I didn't know I wanted. But of course it was ten thirty at night and my husband was snoring :) If you are not a big reader, but feel like you want to get into books...start with this one. If you are an avid reader and want adventure and surprise...Maggie O'Farrell has written you a masterpiece.

jlw