A satisfying historical tale of second chances perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Jennifer Donnelly.
A British woman who survives the sinking of the Titanic uses the opportunity to assume a false identity and start a new life in America.
When Elinor Hayward, daughter of Britain’s ultra-wealthy, self-made “cotton king,” meets the charming Frederick Coombes, she’s instantly smitten. A marriage proposal follows in short order, and Elinor’s doting father is quick to consent, as Frederick is heir to a highly respected earldom. They’ve barely left the altar before Elinor realizes what a horrible mistake she’s made. Frederick and his family have duped the Haywards, roping them in simply to extract the enormous dowry that will follow. Frederick’s mother, Lady Storton, is quick to tell Elinor all the ways in which she’s lacking, from her inferior table manners to her abysmal accent. After Elinor does her duty by birthing a son, life only gets worse: The family prevents Elinor from spending more than a few minutes a day with her baby, Teddy, threatening to have her committed if she protests. When Elinor’s father secures tickets for the whole family—but no nanny—for the Titanic’s maiden voyage, Elinor seizes the opportunity to spend time with her child. It will be a short respite in an otherwise miserable existence. Then, when the ship sinks and no one knows what’s become of Elinor or Teddy, she realizes this might be her one chance to escape the life in which she’s landed. Narrated by Elinor, the book is enchanting from the opening scene, when Elinor finds an unexpected invitation to a ball. An Austen-esque novel of manners at the start, the story also hits notes from The Yellow Wallpaper, aptly illustrating the ways in which emotional displays have been used to punish and disenfranchise women. The author manages to keep suspense high during the inevitable sinking of the ship, offering readers a different perspective on the same incident so many have watched in the famous movie. Even better, the storyline that follows the rescue of the lifeboats and moves on to describe life in New York is entirely fresh and engaging. This is an impressively well-executed and fast-paced take on an oft-told story, chock full of drama and emotional heft.
A satisfying historical tale of second chances perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Jennifer Donnelly.Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780593973035
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2025
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.
A lifetime’s worth of letters combine to portray a singular character.
Sybil Van Antwerp, a cantankerous but exceedingly well-mannered septuagenarian, is the titular correspondent in Evans’ debut novel. Sybil has retired from a beloved job as chief clerk to a judge with whom she had previously been in private legal practice. She is the divorced mother of two living adult children and one who died when he was 8. She is a reader of novels, a gardener, and a keen observer of human nature. But the most distinguishing thing about Sybil is her lifelong practice of letter writing. As advancing vision problems threaten Sybil’s carefully constructed way of life—in which letters take the place of personal contact and engagement—she must reckon with unaddressed issues from her past that threaten the house of cards (letters, really) she has built around herself. Sybil’s relationships are gradually revealed in the series of letters sent to and received from, among others, her brother, sister-in-law, children, former work associates, and, intriguingly, literary icons including Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry. Perhaps most affecting is the series of missives Sybil writes but never mails to a shadowy figure from her past. Thoughtful musings on the value and immortal quality of letters and the written word populate one of Sybil’s notes to a young correspondent while other messages are laugh-out-loud funny, tinged with her characteristic blunt tartness. Evans has created a brusque and quirky yet endearing main character with no shortage of opinions and advice for others but who fails to excavate the knotty difficulties of her own life. As Sybil grows into a delayed self-awareness, her letters serve as a chronicle of fitful growth.
An affecting portrait of a prickly woman.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9780593798430
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
A pleasant if not entirely convincing tribute to the power of art.
A French art historian’s English-language fiction debut combines the story of a loving relationship between a grandfather and granddaughter with an enlightening discussion of art.
One day, when 10-year-old Mona removes the necklace given to her by her now-dead grandmother, she experiences a frightening, hour-long bout of blindness. Her parents take her to the doctor, who gives her a variety of tests and also advises that she see a psychiatrist. Her grandfather Henry tells her parents that he will take care of that assignment, but instead, he takes Mona on weekly visits to either the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, or the Centre Pompidou, where each week they study a single work of art, gazing at it deeply and then discussing its impact and history and the biography of its maker. For the reader’s benefit, Schlesser also describes each of the works in scrupulous detail. As the year goes on, Mona faces the usual challenges of elementary school life and the experiences of being an only child, and slowly begins to understand the causes of her temporary blindness. Primarily an amble through a few dozen of Schlesser’s favorite works of art—some well known and others less so, from Botticelli and da Vinci through Basquiat and Bourgeois—the novel would probably benefit from being read at a leisurely pace. While the dialogue between Henry and the preternaturally patient and precocious Mona sometimes strains credulity, readers who don’t have easy access to the museums of Paris may enjoy this vicarious trip in the company of a guide who focuses equally on that which can be seen and the context that can’t be. Come for the novel, stay for the introductory art history course.
A pleasant if not entirely convincing tribute to the power of art.Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2025
ISBN: 9798889661115
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Europa Editions
Review Posted Online: June 7, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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