Although I’ve read Maggie O’Farrell’s much acclaimed Hamnet, I haven’t read any of her other works. It was a pleasure to read The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, which was my book club’s choice.

Although I wouldn’t immediately pick up historical fiction, I found the storyline of The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox intriguing. The protagonist Esme has spent most of her adult life locked away, through no fault of her own, in a psychiatric unit. The fate of young women like Esme and their utter dependence on family and the ease with which they could be cruelly and wrongly imprisoned, perhaps for simply being outspoken or headstrong, is a topic that fascinates and appalls me.

An aspect of the text that I found particularly poignant was the portrayal of Kitty’s internal turmoil and intricate justifications for her past actions, despite her struggle with Alzheimer’s. This juxtaposition of her lack of mental clarity, confined to the restrictions of the care home, with Esme’s newfound mental acuity is striking. It raises questions about the parallels and divergences between Kitty’s current state and Esme’s prolonged confinement, prompting reflection on the complexities of their respective situations.

Along with the exploration of Esme’s life, we are introduced to Iris, who we learned to be Esme’s great niece. Iris is presented as a modern-day heroine, perhaps feminist, in an unsatisfactory relationship with a married man. The reader is given insight into who she actually loves and how and why they are not romantically involved. There is a strong feeling that more will be uncovered after the final pages of the novel.

It is fascinating when reading the novel The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox to observe the cruel discipline and the dehumanized attitude to managing mental illness. Maggie O’Farrell completed extensive research on women being forcefully admitted into asylums in the writing of this book. This article makes for a shocking read: The Guardian.

I will try to avoid spoilers, but nevertheless must say that the ending of the novel is a huge shock. It is also ambiguous. What if what I think happens did happen? The question is, is it deserved?

Overall, The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox is not only a great page-turner, an unconventional romance, and at times almost a psychological thriller, it is at its heart the political and social critique of the shameful part of British history.