Queen Esther

by John Irving

After forty years, John Irving returns to the world of his bestselling classic novel and Academy Award–winning film, The Cider House Rules, revisiting the orphanage in St. Cloud’s, Maine, where Dr. Wilbur Larch takes in Esther—a Viennese-born Jew whose life is shaped by anti-Semitism.

Esther Nacht is born in Vienna in 1905. Her father dies on board the ship to Portland, Maine; her mother is murdered by anti-Semites in Portland. Dr. Larch knows it won’t be easy to find a Jewish family to adopt Esther; in fact, he won’t find any family who’ll adopt her.

When Esther is fourteen, soon to be a ward of the state, Dr. Larch meets the Winslows, a philanthropic New England family with a history of providing foster care for unadopted orphans. The Winslows aren’t Jewish, but they despise anti-Semitism. Esther’s gratitude for the Winslows is unending; even as she retraces her roots back to Vienna, she never stops loving and protecting the Winslows. In the final chapter, set in Jerusalem in 1981, Esther Nacht is seventy-six.

John Irving’s sixteenth novel is a testament to his enduring ability to weave complex characters and intricate narratives that challenge and captivate. Queen Esther is not just a story of survival but a profound exploration of identity, belonging, and the enduring impact of history on our personal lives showcasing why Irving remains one of the world’s most beloved, provocative, and entertaining authors—a storyteller of our time and for all time.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Jewish, Literary Fiction, Historical, Adult

432 pages, Hardcover

First published November 4, 2025

About the author

JOHN IRVING was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1942. His first novel, Setting Free the Bears, was published in 1968, when he was twenty-six. He competed as a wrestler for twenty years, and coached wrestling until he was forty-seven.
Mr. Irving has been nominated for a National Book Award three times—winning once, in 1980, for his novel The World According to Garp. He received an O. Henry Award in 1981 for his short story “Interior Space.” In 2000, Mr. Irving won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Cider House Rules. In 2013, he won a Lambda Literary Award for his novel In One Person.
An international writer—his novels have been translated into more than thirty-five languages—John Irving lives in Toronto. His all-time best-selling novel, in every language, is A Prayer for Owen Meany.
Avenue of Mysteries is his fourteenth novel.

Reviews

[Lisa of Troy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of all of the books in the world, I chose A Prayer for Owen Meany to accompany me into heart surgery. If ever I could pick my last book, it would be John Irving’s.

While there is beauty in Queen Esther, it doesn’t have the magic of A Prayer for Owen Meany and The Last Chairlift.

Queen Esther is still a joy, a delight to read. Irving has a well-crafted prose style; it is highly readable without resorting to page long paragraphs or sentences stuffed with every adjective and adverb imaginable. His characters are complex, giving them a realistic effect.

Irving’s storytelling skills are superb.

And yet….Queen Esther felt a little off of the mark for the caliber of Irving.

For background information, John Irving’s longtime editor is Jonathan Karp. That name might be familiar because he was the CEO of Simon & Schuster. In August of this year, he stepped down. Why am I mentioning this? Because this book is in need of some editing.

Let’s count the ways.

First, the first sentence is not strong enough. A Prayer for Owen Meany has one of the strongest opening sentences of all time (and John Irving knows this). The first sentence of Queen Esther doesn’t compare.

Second, the ending is a mess to the point where it needs a rewrite. Without revealing spoilers, a whole slew of new characters is magically introduced at the end almost as though in an amateurish manner uncured paint is flung upon a blank canvas. It feels slapped together, and oh it is cringe worthy.

Third, Irving certainly has his favorite repeat topics: abortion, draft dodging, wrestling, Canada, and New Hampshire. There is a saying that F. Scott Fitzgerald loved—something about how someone does it first and then someone comes along and does it pretty. However, in this case, Irving did draft dodging pretty in A Prayer for Owen Meany. Queen Esther seems like Irving recycled a previously castoff plot thread from Owen Meany. This was especially frustrating because Irving is such a capable author. He has the chops. He is one of the greatest novelists of our time, of both the 20th and 21st centuries.

Karp, where are you?

*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion.

The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Electronic Text – Free/Nada/Zilch through publisher

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[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Welp! Man, this one hurts to write. John Irving has written some amazing, thought provoking, and emotion evoking books over the years. It has always been a joy to read one of his books. I had such high hopes for Queen Esther. I went into this book thinking I would love it as much as I have his other books. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark entirely for me.

The book begins with Esther Nacht who has had a hard time in life. Her father died on the ship taking them from Europe to Portland, Maine. Her mother was murdered by anti-Semites, and she becomes a ward of an orphanage. When she is fourteen, she is taken in by a non-Jewish family who despise anti-Semitism. From there her story begins. I believe I would have enjoyed this book more if the book was entirely about Esther. But the book then takes a turn and becomes about Jimmy Winslow.

This book does touch on important themes such as anti-Semitism, identity, family, loss, survival, history, motherhood, and love to name a few. I found this book to be slow moving and frankly, I became bored. Perhaps some editing would have saved some of the book for me.

I cannot recommend this book, but I can recommend A Prayer for Owen Meany,The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖

[Ron Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Irving, 83, has just published his 16th novel. The fact that “Queen Esther” isn’t a masterpiece seems neither surprising nor, frankly, the point. What’s most wonderful about “Queen Esther” is that it returns us to the St. Cloud’s orphanage immortalized in Irving’s magnificent 1985 novel, “The Cider House Rules.”

Fans of that earlier book and the Academy Award-winning film starring Tobey Maguire will naturally want this new novel to be a sequel. It’s not that exactly — I’m not sure exactly what it is — but for a few chapters we’re back in the company of Dr. Larch, along with Nurse Edna and Nurse Angela, and their 40-year absence falls away like a trivial misunderstanding.

In the opening pages of “Queen Esther,” Constance and Thomas Winslow, prominent citizens of Pennacook, New Hampshire, drive to St. Cloud’s to pick up an au pair for their fourth daughter, Honor. After careful consideration, Dr. Larch has selected “the best one” from among his orphans: a 14-year-old Jewish girl named Esther Nacht. Little is known of Esther’s background, except that antisemites dumped her at St. Cloud’s as a toddler after her mother was bludgeoned to death. The Winslows, strict atheists, are concerned they can’t help Esther learn more about her Jewish heritage, but the girl isn’t worried. “That’s not your job,” she assures her new guardians and employers. “Learning how to be a Jew is my job.”

As the Winslows drive back home with their confident new au pair, Esther casually brushes off hateful glances and remarks that come their way. “Don’t be afraid,” she tells them. “This is just how it is.”

Those opening arrangements — conveyed in a thicket of historical vignettes, flashbacks, social commentary and domestic antics — serve as a kind of preface for this novel, which....

To read the rest of this review, go to The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/...

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published November 4, 2025.

2.5 stars

You don’t know how it kills me to give a book by the wonderful John Irving a rating of only 2.5 stars, but this….well, it’s just not his best work.

Dr. Wilbur Larch (and his nurses) from THE CIDER HOUSE RULES makes a cameo appearance here as he has charge of Jewish orphan Esther, who was placed with him when her father died on the voyage to America and her mother was killed as a result of anti-Semitic violence. Esther finds a place with the non-Jewish Winslow family in New Hampshire. She’s not exactly adopted, but fostered, as has been done with three other young women before her. They are to act as nannies for the Winslows four daughters, each daughter has her own during the appropriate years. This sounds like servitude, but it’s not portrayed that way; each girl is sent to college after and is treated very well. Esther loved the Winslows all her life.

Despite the title, the book is primarily about Winslow grandson Jimmy Winslow, son of Honor, the youngest child, Esther’s charge. The rest is a mishmash of a story about Israel, Vietnam, Europe after World War II and Jimmy’s year abroad in Vienna. It’s overtly political, which is to be expected from Irving, but I have to be honest and say that though it’s clearly about identity, I’m not sure how much was made clear by the end. There are some memorable characters, which definitely save the book, but it never coalesced for me, and I can’t say that I even loved reading it. I may be being generous rounding up to three stars, but I feel like I can’t forget that this is the man who gave the world Owen Meany.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Irving is the author of one of my all time favorites, A Prayer for Owen Meany so I was really looking forward to starting Queen Esther.

Queen Esther is a slower paced character driven work of historical fiction. With themes of Identity, war, and antisemitism, the book discusses heavier topics but is perfectly balanced with plenty of humor.

John Irving did an amazing job with the characters in Queen Esther and I instantly became invested in their lives. I really enjoyed learning more about Jewish history- post WWII through 1981. I also enjoyed revisiting characters from The Cider House Rules (you don’t have to read Cider House Rules in order to read Queen Esther).

I did think the book was a bit too wordy and overwrought in spots. I also wanted more of the titular character in the story. But even though Queen Esther isn’t a favorite of mine by Irving, I did find it enjoyable. John Irving has a massive fan base and Queen Esther will absolutely delight them.

I alternated between reading the book myself and listening to the audiobook version which is read by Ari Fliakos who did an amazing job.

Queen Esther by John Irving will be available on November 4. Many thanks to Simon Books for the gifted copy and Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook!

[Liz]

How can the same author who wrote A Prayer for Owen Meany or The World According to Garp have written Queen Esther? This book proves the need for a good editor. Way too dense and slow paced. I found myself starting to skim and I was less than 20% in. I finally decided this just wasn’t the book for me. After checking out other reviews, I knew the chances of this improving for me were nil. I’m throwing the towel in.

[Will Byrnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esther Nacht was fourteen going on twenty-four.

--------------------------------------

Esther’s long-range plan worried Thomas. Real life was not a nineteenth-century novel. Those novels managed the passage of time; long jumps in time were one of the things those novels did best…Esther’s good at taking charge, but only a novel can control what time can do,” Thomas said.

The title character of John Irving's sixteenth novel, Queen Esther, holds center stage for only a brief time. We follow her from age three, when, after her father had perished on the journey from Vienna to America, and her mother is killed by anti-semites, she is brought to the St. Cloud 's Orphanage in Maine. She remains there into adolescence, when, before she turns fifteen and would become a ward of the state, she is taken in by the Winslow family to be a nanny for their fourth daughter, Honor. Deprived of her Jewish upbringing, Esther is determined to construct one for herself. She works at this while with the Winslows, but feels a need to retrace her parental roots, and heads to Vienna as a young woman.

Adoption is pervasive in the novel. The Winslows of New Hampshire, Thomas and Constance, foster a string of adolescent girls to help them take care of their daughters, but they treat them like their own children, in essence adopting them. St. Cloud's will be familiar to readers of Cider House Rules, headed by Dr. Wilbur Larch, long before the events of that book impact Homer Wells. Irving has some experience with adoption. He was adopted by his stepfather, happily taking on his family name.

Irving grew up knowing nothing about his biological father. His mother, Frances Winslow, got remarried when Irving was six, to Colin Irving, a history teacher. “He’s the reason why all the step-fathers in my novels are heroes,” Irving says. “He was mine.” - from PW interview

The Winslow family name has been put to good use here, as well.

Esther's journey will take her to Mandatory Palestine. We do not see much of her directly. Mostly, we hear of her exploits, rumors of them. But she remains a bit of a ghostly presence throughout, an invisible hand manipulating events from afar.

Esther's charge, Honor, has grown up with a desire for a child, but no desire for an actual sexual relationship. She raises someone else’s biological child, thus, Jimmy Winslow arrives into the world.

It is Jimmy's coming of age that constitutes the bulk of the novel. We follow his childhood and his experience at this story’s stand-in for Irving’s alma mater, Phillips Exeter, Pennacook Academy, where Thomas Winslow teaches English. There are plenty more parallels between Jimmy’s and Irving's lives. The Winslow name, of course. Wrestling has been a major feature of Irving's work, no less here, as Jimmy combines a love of the sport with a passion for writing. Irving, an ROTC student at UNH, became a father at 18, a bit younger than Jimmy, but in the same ballpark, and with the same result re service in Vietnam. He was a student in Vienna in college, sharing a residence with several other students, as Jimmy does. Teenage Esther has an interest in tattoos. Irving has personal experience with tattooing, both as a tattoo artist, and a recipient. Some of his tats are final lines of books, Moby Dick and The Cider House Rules in particular, on his arms. Irving and Jimmy both go to Israel on book tour in 1981.


John Irving - image from Toronto Life - shot by Christopher Wahl

Irving is fond of using classic novels as a main mast in his work, providing thematic structure, with a sprinkling of passages from them. Moby Dick for Chairlift, for instance. Peter Pan in Cider House, or Midsummer Night's Dream in Garp. Here it is Great Expectations. The great works provide plenty of foreshadowing and literary references. Like the hero of that story, Jimmy is helped by a secret benefactor. Jane Eyre is referenced, particularly the passage of the novel that offers a harbinger of Esther's determination to take care of herself. The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling is referred to as well

While I did not feel the sort of awe I had when reading The Cider House Rules, still one of my all-time favorite reads, that is a bit of an unfair bar. It is a fun, engaging read. The relationships Jimmy has with his roomies, his local host family and the people he meets in Vienna are wonderful, entertaining, surprising and mostly fun. There is satisfaction to be had in recognizing the moves of a familiar author, and appreciating them yet again. Irving can still craft a compelling, enjoyable tale, and offer us yet another opportunity to enjoy one of the best writers of our time as he leads us on another literary adventure with engaging, interesting characters, in which family is what we make it.

“My schoolmates, all boys, weren’t inclined to divulge their innermost feelings to me, and none of us had any actual experiences worth sharing,” Thomas Winslow wrote the orphanage physician in St. Cloud’s. “It was the brave young characters in the novels I loved who shared their innermost feelings (and harrowing experiences) with me—those characters in literature taught me who I was.”

Review posted – 12/12/25

Publication date – 11/04/25

I received an ARE of Queen Esther from Simon & Schuster in return for a fair review. Thanks, folks, and thanks to NetGalley for facilitating.



This review will soon be cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!

=============================EXTRA STUFF
Irving's personal and FB pages

Profile - from hjis site

JOHN IRVING was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1942. His first novel, Setting Free the Bears, was published in 1968, when he was twenty-six. He has written sixteen novels over the course of his prolific career, the majority of which have been international bestsellers.
In 1980, Irving won a National Book Award for his novel The World According to Garp. In 2000, he won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Cider House Rules. An international writer, his books have been translated into more than thirty-five languages. A Prayer for Owen Meany is his best-selling novel, in every language. A dual citizen of the United States and Canada, John Irving lives in Toronto.

Interviews
-----*LitHub - John Irving on Wrestling, Coming-of-Age, and Writing Autobiographically with Wayne Catan
-----The Canadian Jewish News - John Irving discusses his newest book and its very Jewish heroine - by Rebecca Eckler
-----NY Times - The World According to John Irving by Scott Caciola
-----Publishers Weekly - John Irving’s Not Pulling Any Punches by David Adams
-----CBC - John Irving’s new novel returns to a familiar orphanage
-----John Irving always felt like an outsider — is that all he thinks there is to Jewishness? by PJ Grisar

My reviews of other books by Irving
-----2012 - In One Person
-----2022 - The Last ChairliftAlthough I have read many more Irving novels, that was before I began posting reviews.

Item of Interest from the author
-----Simon & Schuster - excerpt - chapters 1-3

Items of Interest - Gutenberg
-----Jane Eyre
-----Great Expectations
-----Moby Dick
----- The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling

[Ryan Davison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many omnivorous readers list Irving's novels among their favorites, but Queen Esther needed to shear pages of overwriting and prune vast info-dumps to work as a compelling narrative.

A milk-toast couple with robots for children engage in painfully boring conversations as volumes of information pour from the page. Opening chapters describe possible lineage/connections to the Mayflower, the meaning behind Puritanical names, facts about a household’s past and present au pairs, and long passages concerning orphanages of New England. Esther considers circumcising her son so we are given five pages detailing the medical history of the procedure. Long, wordy passages have scant connection to later sections and it is all just too much.

The book might work as an encyclopedia of Jewish history but not as historical fiction. It aims to highlight the importance of abortion rights, the danger of antisemitism, and the wisdom in great books, but the final product is closer to a lecture about what we should find important in the world today.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a review copy.

[NILTON TEIXEIRA · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Queen Esther”, by John Irving

3 generous stars because of the concept

This is the latest work by one of my favourite authors.

“The Prayer for Owen Meany” is still one of my top 10 favourite books of all time.

The setting here is the same as in “The Cider House Rules” and we meet again Dr. Wilbur Larch, in the orphanage in St. Cloud's, Maine, but this is not a prequel or sequel.

The first 20% was really good and I thought this was going to be a winner, but unfortunately things went downhill from there.

There were times that I thought I was reading articles about abortion and circumcision published on Wikipedia.

The writing felt lazy, dry or artificial and repetitive.

I just cannot believe that this was written by John Irving, even though we recognize all the same topics that are common to his books, as well as his sense of humour.

As for the story, I was expecting to be about Esther, who is a very interesting character.

There are some good moments, with some good dialogues, but there was nothing remarkable in this work.

I was able to finish this book because I paired it with the audiobook narrated by Ari Fliakos, who in my opinion did a good job making the characters feel more alive and interesting.

And I absolutely loved the references to the classics (Brontë sisters, Charles Dickens…).

Hardcover (Knopf Canada): 432 pages

[Larry (LPosse1) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ — A late-career gift from a master storyteller

What a pleasure to have a new John Irving novel arrive in my life in my 60th year—and from an author who, if I’m counting right, is now 82. It’s incredible that someone his age can still craft such a rich, sprawling, emotionally charged work of fiction. (Maybe it is the wrestling!)

Queen Ester feels, in many ways, like a love letter to longtime fans. Irving circles back to familiar themes, familiar settings, and even a few familiar character types. The echoes of The Cider House Rules and The World According to Garp are unmistakable, and there are lovely nods to Until I Find You, one of my personal favorites. As always, his characters are flawed, lovable, and constantly surprising—Irving’s trademark combination of tenderness and eccentricity is very much alive here.

The novel does spend a little too much time wandering through Vienna, and the middle section sagged for me. It’s not his absolute best work—but even “not the best Irving” is still something special. I found myself savoring the story, the nostalgia, and the sense of an author taking stock of a lifetime of obsessions and themes.

I thoroughly enjoyed Queen Ester. It’s a quirky, heartfelt tale that wrestles (pun intended) with controversial topics the way only Irving can.

Highly recommended for fellow Irving fans, or anyone who loves richly drawn, offbeat characters living in beautifully messy worlds. I can’t wait to read it again! I always get a lot out of multiple readings of his works.
Immersive (digital/audio)

[Paige]

The book announcement came out as I’m finishing The Cider House Rules - so excited for this!!!

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 3 out of 5]

That cover is so touching! Esther Nacht, born in Vienna in 1905, is dropped off at St Cloud's Orphanage after her father died on the voyage to America and her mother is murdered by anti-Semites in Portland, Maine. Dr Wilbur Larch knows it will be hard to place her for adoption because she is Jewish, but when Esther turns fourteen and is about to become a ward of the state, along come the Winslows of Pennacook, New Hampshire.

Constance and Thomas Winslow have had the custom of fostering older orphan girls to act as nannies for each of their three daughters, Faith, Hope, and Prudence. These girls became beloved parts of their family. Now after ten years, Connie is pregnant again and they are looking for another such girl. After much search, they go to St Cloud's where Dr Larch believes Esther will be the perfect fit. Though not Jewish themselves, the Winslows arrange for Esther to meet a rabbi and members of his congregation. Esther is determined she will go back to Vienna someday and then to Israel. She and the baby girl named Honor form a close bond which will suit them well in the future, allowing them to bring the next generation of Winslows into the world, who will be named James.

Thomas Winslow is a teacher, much enamored with Dickens, and his wife is a librarian, so much of this story is about books and writing. Their grandson James will eventually want to be a writer. The other main topics of the story are anti-Semitism, abortion, adoption, wrestling, and sexuality. As Jimmy says about his own writing, 'The dialogue between characters [is} often profane--or vulgar, or sexually explicit.' As always in John Irving's writing, his characters are flawed, oddball and eccentric but so likable. One always wonders how much of the plot is autobiographical, as is Jimmy's novel within the story. There's the obvious tie-in to [book:The Cider House Rules|4687] but I also thought there were similarities to The World According to Garp, when Jimmy goes to a university in Vienna.

Esther's main parts are at the beginning and ending of the novel, with Jimmy's story in the middle. I found myself wishing there was more about Esther, especially her experiences in Israel. Jimmy's European adventures seemed overly long and repetitive. This will not be my favorite of Irving's novels, I'm afraid.

Many thanks to the author ands publisher for providing me with an arc of this new novel via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I saw that John Irving had written a new book, I was beside myself. Between the hilarity and heartbreak in A Prayer for Owen Meany and the beautiful prose of The Cider House Rules, I knew this one was going to be wonderful.

It breaks my heart to say that I did not love this book. The first part of the book describes the nuclear family of Thomas and Constance Winslow, including their four "virtue" daughters, Faith, Hope, Prudence, and Honor. The family takes in a Jewish orphan, Esther, to care for the youngest daughter Honor. What follows is the story of Honor's son James (Jimmy), his unorthodox parentage, and his journey to figure out who he is and what he wants from life.

I don't know if it was the story, the characters, the multiple storylines, but I just couldn't get into it. Very few of the characters (and there were a lot of them) were likable. And not to give too much away, but Honor's way of ensuring that Jimmy was not drafted into the Vietnam war was a main plot point and bordered on the ridiculous. That's not to say it was all bad. I loved the references to Irving's other works, bringing back Dr. Larch and Nurse Edna from Cider House Rules and the references back to Owen Meany - "In James Winslow's first novel, the character of the beloved English teacher is a confirmed bachelor. In an all boys' school, there are some faculty wives and students who think such men must be nonpracticing homosexuals." I also loved the quixotic relationship between Jimmy, Jolanda, and Claude. The three of them together were delightful.

All in all, this will not be my favorite John Irving book. 3 ⭐s.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy. It's set to be published on November 4, 2025.

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hesitate to write this. John Irving is one of our most revered writers. However, I found this book to be unreadable and threw in the towel when I was 40% finished. I couldn’t stand reading pages of digression that did not even remotely serve the story. The book description was compelling but up until this point, this is not Esther’s story. She is off in Europe somewhere.

Instead, we are trapped in a New Hampshire town with a stiffly written family. There was no complexity to them and if I had to read ‘right you are’ by Tommy one more time, I would have screamed!

All of the narrative seemed robotic. The opinions of the townspeople to this family was an unnecessary Greek chorus as were the many pages on relations who arrived on Mayflower, discussing Great Expectations or the Brontes, wrestling, circumcision. None of this pushed the story forward.

Perhaps with editing this could be as remarkable a story as Mr. Irving has written in the past. Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and honestly review this advanced reading copy.

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. — ESTHER 7:4

And so begins the latest book by John Irving, Queen Esther. After John Irving’s said to be his last book, The Last Chairlift, we have this beautiful book, that is in a way, a homage to his readers with nods to many of our favorite books. The first being The Cider House Rules with Dr. Wilbur Larch as he places the best of the best with Thomas and Constance Winslow at the age of fourteen. The Winslows are a philanthropic family with a history of providing for unadoptable orphans. But he remembers when Esther first came to the orphanage at St. Cloud, inspired by the biblical story of Esther. Esther Nacht was born in Vienna in 1905. Her father dies on board a ship from Bremerhaven to Portland, Maine, and anti-Semites murder her mother in Portland. What impresses Dr. Larch is that this little three-year old that has been left on their doorstep, not only knows that she’s Jewish, but she’s familiar with the biblical Queen Esther that she was named for. And this little girl was steeled for whatever was her future knowing who she was and fierce in her beliefs. And this is why this is one of my favorite book covers as that image says it all. Obsessed with Jewish history, Esther moves back to Europe and eventually moves to Israel. But the heart of the tale is the influence of Charles Dickens’ writing throughout this beautiful story as the son of Esther and the grandson of Thomas and Connie Winslow makes his way in the world with an extended period of time in Vienna where he perfects his craft of writing, his first novel being a tribute to his grandfather, The Dickens’ Man. And as time passes, we learn that Esther is in Israel where she has been heavily involved in the Arab-Israeli War. This was a lovely book and a tribute to family no matter its make-up.

Thank you for this special gift that you have given us John Irving. I appreciate your homage to some of my favorite books. Of course, The Cider House Rules, where we are once part of St. Cloud’s Orphanage and the wisdom of Dr. Wilbur Larch as he welcomes little Queen Esther. But one of my favorite books, The Last Chairlift, echoed throughout this book as well as Until I Find You, The World According to Garp, and A Prayer for Owen Meany.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, which I listened to over a couple of days, was so interesting in so many complex ways, that I am really at a loss as to what to day about it. I appreciated the tie in to The Cider House Rules, which I recently read. Some of the history contained in the novel was fascinating. Some of the topics covered were so timely. The relationship of this book to Charles Dickens, and Great Expectations, one of my favorites of all books I have ever read, including insights into writing and also teaching, was both instructive and engrossing. I felt that Irving was not just entertaining me, but also teaching me, and at 75, I still have a lot I can still learn. At one point I wasn’t sure just where the novel was going, but he brought me through with a compelling read to the novel’s conclusion. I loved the repetition of phrases snd sentences throughout the story. I loved the confusion between Jimmy the author and Irving the author; and Jimmy’s characters versus Irving’s characters. (Is that meta fiction?) Moreover, I could really feel the book’s characters, and love them.

This is my third book by John Irving. I don’t know how to compare this book to the other two Irving books I have read. I came late to this author and I have a lot of reading of his backlist ahead of me. This one is different, maybe not better and maybe not worse. I don’t think I can give it less than 5 stars, even if it may not end up bring my favorite Irving novel; A Prayer for Owen Meany has that spot at this point in time. I just hope he keeps writing.

I have plans to read The World According to Garp next year. I am also going to tackle the Charles Dickens novel, Our Mutual Friend, in 2026, and after reading Queen Esther, I am even more excited to read them both.

[Kasa Cotugno · Rating 2 out of 5]

When the 900 pages of The Last Chairlift thudded onto my kindle, I approached with caution since the previously adored Irving hadn't delighted recently. But I found myself enthralled. At its publication Irving said it would be his final big book, but a few years later along slogged 400+ page Queen Esther. Was there even an editor around? Or has Irving attained the same status as James Michener whose latter books showed no sign of having been edited at all. Sorry. It didn't work at all for me.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having discovered and enjoyed the work of John Irving earlier this year, I could not get enough. When Irving penned a follow-up to his popular Cider House Rules, I needed to get it and read it for myself. Esther Nacht may have been born in Vienna in 1905, but life was not easy for her. After her father's death on a ship bound for Portland, Maine, young Esther clings to her mother. They are Jewish at a time when people are still ill-at-ease. Esther's mother is soon murdered by anti-Semites on the streets of Portland and Esther is put up for adoption. She is sent to an orphanage in St. Cloud, New Hampshire, where Dr. Larch is tasked with trying to find someone to adopt her. A young Jew will be hard to place, but Esther has an added issue of being outwardly eager to be Jewish, asking questions and wanting to honour her heritage with much gusto. As Esther ages, she is about to be a ward of the state, when Dr. Larch connects her to the Winslows. They are a powerful and rich New England family who have a long history of fostering children who cannot be adopted. While they are not Jewish, they cannot stomach the anti-Semites around America and help Esther find her own history and reinvent herself. Esther grows and tries to trace her roots back to Vienna. Esther must face much awkwardness as being Jewish is a stigma and the world's view on the Jew changes greatly. She ages and learns more, eventually becoming quite the advocate, up to the final chapters of her life. A decent John Irving novel that is sure to keep the reader engaged.

John Irving has always intrigued me with his writing and subject matter. The narrative begins a tense story that keeps the reader thinking, as events bounce from topic to topic throughout the 20th century. The story leaves much for the reader to ponder with little time to pause, partly because Esther is not one to rest on her laurels. The narrative captivates and does not stop until it culminates in the Esther Nacht life story, balanced by history's ongoing development. Irving provides great ideas, helped by chapters that keep the reader fully engaged in the developing story. Various perspectives thicken the plot and help with the ongoing delivery of a complete story. This is a great John Irving story, but not your typical novel. Readers will have to show much patience to connect all the dots.

Characters develop easily, keeping the reader eager to learn more about what is going on and how the various pieces fit together. Esther Nacht's development is clear from the outset and the story she lives adds a depth to the piece in ways only Irving can master. There is some decent humour that offsets the historical events and some dark aspects. Irving does well to present Esther in a clear manner, peppered with others who have been able to pave the way for her peaks and valleys in a story that never wanes. Irving always does well with his characters and this is no exception.

The plot points of the book develop as Irving injects so many angles that need attention. There are surprises and twists, though they seem to take the backburner to history's development. I loved the twists on offer and can only hope that John Irving will keep this in his future publications. I loved that I could not predict where things were headed, even as history provides a clear path. While there were some moments about which I was confused, Irving takes the time to explore them and left me hungering for more of his somewhat disjointed writing that always settles itself by the final page.

Kudos, Mr. Irving, for another powerfully impactful piece.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Gwen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m sorry to say that I think it may be time for Mr. Irving to set down his pen, which I thought he was rumored to do after his last extremely long and in my opinion, indulgent, novel, The Last Chairlift. This book was similarly lengthy and tangential, so much so, that I DNFed at 29% after trying to pick it back up several times. There were a few glimpses of his talent and humor as he developed a couple of characters, but it was all lost in the monotony of unnecessary plot details. I’d leave this one on the shelf, and reread his classics, The Cider House Rules and A Prayer For Owen Meany.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a powerful ending! For most of the story, it doesn’t appear to be about Esther, who was adopted from an orphanage to be a nanny for a family with perspectives that are different than those of the people in the small town and college where the live and work. Yes, there is antisemitism and other social hot topics, but they are presented in a way that is disparate and almost benign. There are also angels and a presence throughout the story. While parts were slow, the ending tied it all together. Also, had me in emotional tears, the good kind.

Please enjoy this beautiful story that I received through NetGalley. Opinions here are exclusively my own.

[Shantha (ShanthasBookEra) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars This author is a legend and his writing is exquisite. I loved the beginning ans the last chapter. The majority of the book isn't even about Esther from the orphanage. It's mostly a young man's coming of age story. I loved the parts about the Jewish culture and Israel and Palestine.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.9. I like John Irving’s work, particularly A Prayer for Owen Meany, The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules, so was looking forward to reading his newest novel, Queen Esther. It had an interesting premise: a teacher and his family took in orphaned young women to be nannies to their four daughters, but it was the last one, Esther, a young Jewish woman, that seems to be one of the main characters and her impact on the family, particularly the youngest who she took care of, Honor. The novel follows the family, including Honor, and Honor’s son, Jimmy for several decades. It has many of the themes of Irving’s work, taking place at a school in New Hampshire, orphanages, and wrestling, but this one also focuses on survival, identity, religion and family relationships. I liked it but didn’t love it. I had difficulty staying engaged in parts as I thought tried to cover too much and therefore may have diminished its overall impact. The characters, though, are generally well developed. And as with many of his novels, there were parts that made me laugh out loud Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for an unbiased and candid review.

[AMenagerieofWords Deb Coco · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can’t pen a full review of this because it was too painful. If you follow me here you know Irving is a beloved author and he wrote two of my all time favorites- Owen Meany and Cider House Rules. This is objectively unreadable. I had an early audio copy (thank you Simon Audio) and I had second hand embarrassment for Ari Fliakos as he tried to get through reading this - and he’s one of best narrators out there. This is off the rails in so many ways. Enough said.

[Monnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m starting this review a way I never do and hope I never feel compelled to do again: with something personal. After losing someone with whom I shared a home for the past 63-or-so years, I’m just beginning to get my new life back together and, not surprisingly, my enthusiasm for life in general – and reading in particular – isn’t quite back to where it used to be. That’s a long way to say that when I just couldn’t seem to “get into” this novel despite its top-of-the-crop author, I thought it was just me. For days, I struggled with it, sometimes inventing something I needed to do in an effort to avoid booting up my Kindle. Keep plugging away, I told myself; you’re getting better every day, and so will the book.

I told myself that right up to the 60% mark, when I finally realized that despite some excellent writing – almost exquisite in many places – the story simply wasn’t going anywhere I cared about going (or more to the point, the mostly unlikable characters didn’t seem to know where they were going, and I really didn’t care to go with them no matter where they ended up).

The book is, according to the official description, a extension of sorts of the author’s 1985 best-seller, The Cider House Rules, which features Dr. Wilbur Larch, the director of an orphanage in Maine. While I’m pretty sure I read it, at this point I don’t recall much of anything about it (it doesn’t help that I’m now an octogenarian, so my memory isn’t at its peak) – so all that background is totally lost on me. One of the orphans the often not-so-good doctor takes in, apparently, is Esther Nacht, a Jewish girl born in Vienna in 1905. Here, Esther has been adopted at age 14 by a wealthy non-Jewish couple, James and Constance Winslow, who are horrified by anti-semitism. They’re also one of the quirkiest couples I’ve had the displeasure of meeting. Back in the day, I, too, would have gone to some length to keep my husband from being drafted (fortunately, his status as a teacher and father made him exempt); but never in a million years would I have considered the tactics this wacko family conjured up).

The story follows Esther’s determination to get to Vienna and immerse herself in her Jewish heritage; at the end of the book, she’s made it to Jerusalem and is 76 years old (or so I read elsewhere; I called it quits while she was still in Vienna and she and her quirky friends were dealing with the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy).

No doubt those who loved this book’s predecessor will love catching up with Esther in this one, but it really wasn’t my thing. Still, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to give it a go – and I’m sorry it just didn’t work for me.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you remember what you read in 1985? Like me, you probably read John Irving’s “Cider House Rules,” which ranked #1 on the New York Times best seller list and again made the top ten in 1986, when it was published in softcover. Now, forty years later and forty years older, the prolific John Irving has returned to St. Cloud’s, its orphans, and ether-addicted Dr. Wilbur Larch. Irving’s return to St. Cloud’s in “Queen Esther” is brief but important, as the eccentric Winslows of Pennacook, New Hampshire visit to find a nanny for their youngest daughter. And find a nanny they do: a tall, still growing fourteen year old Jewish girl named Esther Nacht who was left at St. Cloud’s in 1908 as an already tall and precocious three year old, proud of eponymous Queen Esther and her role in biblical history.

“Queen Esther” follows Esther’s growth into an adult, an Israeli, and a legendary IDF and Mossad hero. Irving recounts Esther’s remarkable life, but he never exposes Esther’s interior. The reader sees Esther only as others see her and she remains a near mythical figure. Irving gives no clues as to the why and how of Esther’s preternatural maturity and sense of responsibility as a young girl, and her heroism as a woman.

As with other Irving novels, “Queen Esther” is populated with a wide cast of characters, many of whom play crucial roles in the plot. At the center of “Queen Esther” is Pennacook’s Winslow family, initially Esther’s employer and benefactors. The Winslows are John Irving eccentrics: Thomas, the tiny paterfamilias and beloved English teacher at Pennacook Academy; Constance, the matriarch; and their four daughters with virtue names.

Honor, the Winslows’ youngest, wants a child but neither a partner nor pregnancy. Esther volunteers, and hence Honor’s daughter, Jimmy Winslow, is born. Once born, Jimmy becomes the focus of “Queen Esther”: his childhood, adolescence, especially his young adulthood and the Winslows’ convoluted scheming to help Jimmy dodge the draft. Allyship with Israel runs throughout Esther’s and Jimmy’s stories, although Judaism receives short shrft.

At his best, John Irving as long proven himself to be a great American story teller with a gift for inventing fascinating, warm characters and families. “Queen Esther” is not John Irving at his best: it has too many stories, characters, and plot lines. “Queen Esther” has bits and pieces of many novels. While “Queen Esther” is not John Irving at his best, it’s still John Irving, which translates into hours of enjoyment, bemusement, and occasional confusion for his readers.

A rare three stars for a John Irving novel

I would like to thank both NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with this advanced readers’ copy.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure why this book exists.

Although it takes place in the same universe as "The Cider House Rules," it's not really a sequel. The orphanage at St. Cloud's that provides much of the setting of TCHR is part of our titular character's origin story, but we quickly move on.

Those familiar with Irving's work will find the same touchstones: New England prep schools, wrestling, single mothers, nurses, writers, etc. What Irving does, he does well, and this novel is no exception. What I find confusing is why he attempts to untangle the question of what it means to be Jewish, Zionism, Israeli history, etc. It's not part of his usual bag of goods, and it's such a complicated subject that often seems out of place here. The novel is a hodgepodge of ideas. We spent multiple chapters analyzing Dickens, "The Great Expectations" in particular. We discuss the merits of circumcision at length. It makes for a choppy narrative until James Winslow, our protagonist, studies abroad in Vienna for the year.

The chapters in Vienna are where the novel comes alive. Until then, it feels aimless. Esther Nacht is such a mythical character that most of the time we hear her thoughts transcribed by others and not straight from the source. Almost her entire story is narrated by others, which is obviously by design, but it puts the reader at a distance. I wonder when Irving began this work, or when he first came up with the idea, for naming your novel after a character who is an IDF soldier says a lot in 2025. I'm not sure he's the person to tell this part of the story.

"The Cider House Rules" was about how those in power (often, men) make laws that govern others (namely, women) who have no say in the matter. This narrative, with the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, is just as timely today, so it would have made sense to return to that theme. Instead we have a story whose aim seems unclear.

[Pam Kovalic · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Winslow family is searching for a nanny for their fourth daughter, Honor. The family has previously fostered teenagers to be nannies to their other three daughters then kept the fostered young women as part of the film, sending them on to college and keeping close with them. Their search for the new nanny takes them to St. Cloud, Maine where Dr. Larch tells them of an exceptional fourteen year old named Esther. Esther is Jewish and no other family will take her in. Although the Winslows are not Jewish, they despise anti-Semitism. Esther is very fond of the Winslow family and grows especially close to Honor. When Honor reaches adulthood and shares with Esther that she desperately wants to be a mother, but has no interest in finding a partner or going through the birthing process, Esther agrees to providing her baby. Esther gives birth to a baby and leaves him with Honor. Honor will be the boy’s mother. The book mainly is about that boy - Jimmy Winslow. We follow him as he grows and attends college and has a year abroad as a student in Vienna. The book seems to follow a theme of finding oneself.. Esther searches for her Jewish identity. Jimmy tries to search for his identity as well. The book was just far too wordy and repetitive to really enjoy. I think Mr. Irving could have used a better editor - I would read a passage that was almost identical to one a few pages earlier. The book dragged on in so many places that I struggled to get through it. I thought the book was going to be more a continuation of “Cider House Rules”, but it really isn’t. I give the book 2 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on November 4, 2025.

[Watchdogg · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Irving is a familiar and well-regarded author, especially among those who seek out New England themed novels. A couple years ago I read A Prayer for Owen Meany by Irving and was greatly impressed by it. Today I'm commenting on an Uncorrected Advanced Proof edition of Queen Esther which is scheduled for publication this November.

There is a great deal about this book which is consistent with what I expect from this author - in fact, portions of it are brilliant, but overall, I think it needs a lot of work. There are just too many tangents that need to be reworked or eliminated. Also, there is a significant amount of repetition that requires some weeding out. Most of all, the middle section of the book where James is in Austria as part of a study abroad program needs to be drastically downsized - it's just too long and drawn out. The way it stands now, that section becomes really boring and after a while adds nothing to the flow of the story.

My hope is the editors will identify these issues and help transform this novel into something great and prevent it from appearing amateurish. The way it stands right now I can't see myself giving it more than a generous 3-star rating.

[Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

"And it’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall."

[MicheleReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esther Nacht, born in Vienna in 1905, loses her father on the family's journey to America. Shortly after trying to build a life in Portland, Maine, her mother is brutally murdered in an anti-Semitic assault. Esther is then sent to an orphanage in St. Cloud’s, Maine. It isn't until she is fourteen that she is welcomed into the Winslow family home. Thomas Winslow, a teacher in Pennacock, New Hampshire, is raising four daughters with his wife, Constance. Esther becomes the fourth orphan to join the family, with each serving more as a nanny than a child. Esther and the youngest daughter, Honor, form a close bond. As an adult, Honor yearns for a child of her own but has no desire to conceive and give birth. Esther agrees to have a child for Honor, and her biological son, Jimmy, becomes a member of the Winslow family, who are not Jewish. Esther embarks on a journey of self-discovery, which includes traveling to Jerusalem. When Jimmy reaches college age, the aspiring novelist goes to Austria to study and find himself.

Queen Esther by John Irving spans over seventy-five years through World War II, the history of Israel, Vietnam, and more. Jimmy is the most developed character, with much of the story focusing on his time in Vienna, where he finds friendship and inspiration for his writing. Many parts of the book were enjoyable and funny, and I admired the Winslow family for their tolerance and generosity. However, some parts went in directions that lost my interest, and certain topics and conversations were underwhelming. Irving is undoubtedly a major talent, with A Prayer for Owen Meany being a favorite for many. And fans of The Cider House Rules will appreciate the return of the orphanage setting and Dr. Larch. There's a lot to like about this book, including its beautiful and heartbreaking cover, but there were too many elements that pulled it down for me. If you're an Irving fan, you'll probably still want to check it out and decide for yourself.

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for the advance.

3.25 stars.