Ok...a couple of things here......
One, I listened to this one on Audible and the narrator (or maybe the editor, to be fair) NEVER paused. This story is told from three perspectives, and the narrator blended one sentence to the other and 5 seconds in I would think, OH, this is a new chapter. ANNOYING!!!!!
Two, that ending. Just - no. I know what happened, that is subtly clear. But it makes no sense to me to drop the story like that. Revenge without the revengee realizing what is happening isn't really revenge, it is just torture. And no questions? No accusations? (well, ONE) Not the ending I would have thought for Esme, no matter what. Yes, she has changed, but it just didn't sit right with me.
Three, the story. Lots of subplots here, yes, and a beautiful juxtaposition of social expectations and the freedom in a woman's life between three generations. Iris and Esme have quite opposing experiences, and the unthinkable yet undeniably realistic injustice that was Esme's life is hard to fathom in these times.
A quick "listen," but I think this story had such potential. The voice of Kitty is actually well portrayed for her condition, and there could have been some kind of a future of reconciliation at least between Esme and Iris, if not with Kitty. And that Robert had no role but in passing at the end just added to the sadness. Such a waste, just like Esme's life. A dark read.
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