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The Judge's Wife
*Shortlisted for a 2017 RoNA Award*
With her whole life ahead of her, beautiful young Grace’s world changes forever when she’s married off to a much older judge. Soon, feeling lonely and neglected, Grace meets and falls in love with an Indian doctor, Vikram—he’s charming, thoughtful, and kind, everything her husband is not. But this is 1950s Ireland, and when she falls pregnant, the potential scandal must be dealt with. As soon as she has given birth, Grace is sent to an asylum by the judge, while Vikram, told that Grace died in childbirth, returns to India heartbroken.
Thirty years later, after the judge’s death, his estranged daughter Emma returns home to pack up his estate, where she finds Grace’s diaries and begins to piece together the life of the mother she never knew. Meanwhile, Vikram is planning a long-awaited return to Ireland with his much-loved niece Rosa—who has grown up hearing all about her uncle’s long-lost love—to stand, at last, at the grave of the woman he adores. When the judge’s will is finally read, revealing he has sent letters to Vikram and Emma, the deception spanning both decades and continents finally begins to unravel, exposing long-buried family secrets along the way and raising the question of if true love can last a lifetime.
With her whole life ahead of her, beautiful young Grace’s world changes forever when she’s married off to a much older judge. Soon, feeling lonely and neglected, Grace meets and falls in love with an Indian doctor, Vikram—he’s charming, thoughtful, and kind, everything her husband is not. But this is 1950s Ireland, and when she falls pregnant, the potential scandal must be dealt with. As soon as she has given birth, Grace is sent to an asylum by the judge, while Vikram, told that Grace died in childbirth, returns to India heartbroken.
Thirty years later, after the judge’s death, his estranged daughter Emma returns home to pack up his estate, where she finds Grace’s diaries and begins to piece together the life of the mother she never knew. Meanwhile, Vikram is planning a long-awaited return to Ireland with his much-loved niece Rosa—who has grown up hearing all about her uncle’s long-lost love—to stand, at last, at the grave of the woman he adores. When the judge’s will is finally read, revealing he has sent letters to Vikram and Emma, the deception spanning both decades and continents finally begins to unravel, exposing long-buried family secrets along the way and raising the question of if true love can last a lifetime.
307 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 164 reviews
February 5, 2018
3.5
There were many scandals in Ireland in the 1950's and Grace gets caught up in one that sends her away to an asylum. Her older husband, a wealthy and respected judge named Martin along with his Aunt Violet has her committed as soon as she has given birth to a daughter who has died. They both claim that Grace is going mad with grief, but Grace has been taken against her will. She is of sane mind, but is helpless in her situation. She is to endure terrible treatment in the institution.
After 30 years time has passed and Judge Martin has died, his daughter Emma arrives at his estate to take care of matters. She has been estranged from her father and they haven't spoken for the past 12 years. Emma comes across some of Grace's personal belongings and secrets are spilled...
I'm not going to go into more of the plot, but I felt so sorry for both Grace and Emma when they discover what was really going on. The lies and deception that were buried in the estate hurt many family members and the last twist was one that caught me off guard.
I enjoyed this story, although the jumping from time periods was slowing down the pace in the beginning. The end wrapped everything up and had me so angry with a few of the players!
Thanks to Edelweiss and Skyhorse Publishing for my copy.
There were many scandals in Ireland in the 1950's and Grace gets caught up in one that sends her away to an asylum. Her older husband, a wealthy and respected judge named Martin along with his Aunt Violet has her committed as soon as she has given birth to a daughter who has died. They both claim that Grace is going mad with grief, but Grace has been taken against her will. She is of sane mind, but is helpless in her situation. She is to endure terrible treatment in the institution.
After 30 years time has passed and Judge Martin has died, his daughter Emma arrives at his estate to take care of matters. She has been estranged from her father and they haven't spoken for the past 12 years. Emma comes across some of Grace's personal belongings and secrets are spilled...
I'm not going to go into more of the plot, but I felt so sorry for both Grace and Emma when they discover what was really going on. The lies and deception that were buried in the estate hurt many family members and the last twist was one that caught me off guard.
I enjoyed this story, although the jumping from time periods was slowing down the pace in the beginning. The end wrapped everything up and had me so angry with a few of the players!
Thanks to Edelweiss and Skyhorse Publishing for my copy.
June 26, 2020
2.5 stars
Not really my type of book. It wasn't bad but too romantic and everything ended a little too unrealistically well.
Not really my type of book. It wasn't bad but too romantic and everything ended a little too unrealistically well.
July 4, 2016
The Judge's Wife is a story that really does pack a punch, it offers an insight into the terrible injustices carried out against innocent women in Ireland between the 1930s and 1950s. Although this is a fictional story, it is horrifying because we know that it could be true. These things really did happen, and not that long ago.
For me, The Judge's Wife is a story of two halves. The author has chosen to tell this story using three female lead characters; Grace, the judge's wife of the title; Emma the grown-up daughter of the judge and Rosa, the daughter of Vikram - the Indian doctor who stole Grace's heart all those years ago. Grace's story begins in 1954 as she is taken to Our Lady's Asylum in County Wicklow. Emma and Rosa's stories are told thirty years later in 1984.
I found, during the first 100 pages or so of the story, that it was quite difficult to keep up with the change from the 50s to the 80s and from Ireland to India. I would have preferred longer chapters, so that I could engage a little more with each character. However, the strength of the story and of the emotional impact soon overrides any small criticism I had of the structure and I found myself caught up in the total injustice suffered by Grace and wondering just how any of these characters would ever find peace.
Grace is a wonderfully drawn character. An innocent, thrust into a world that is like nothing she has ever known, with no choices. Despite the wealth of her surroundings and the intellect of those who she associates with, Grace has a strength of character that will remain with her through some incredibly tragic and difficult times. She's like a breath of fresh air in a stuffy dusty room, and the author's descriptions of her fabulous 1950's wardrobe designed by the real-life Irish designer Sybil Connelly is delightful.
Life at Our Lady's Asylum was horrific for Grace and her fellow patients. Care is not a word that can be attributed to the people who held the keys, or the people who managed the Asylum. Ann O'Loughlin has captured the fears and the dreams of the women incarcerated within the walls of the building so well, these characters burst to life, and the reader will love them, and root for them.
The Judge's Wife is a powerful and moving story, very well written with characters that are fascinating and a central theme that is quite tragic
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For me, The Judge's Wife is a story of two halves. The author has chosen to tell this story using three female lead characters; Grace, the judge's wife of the title; Emma the grown-up daughter of the judge and Rosa, the daughter of Vikram - the Indian doctor who stole Grace's heart all those years ago. Grace's story begins in 1954 as she is taken to Our Lady's Asylum in County Wicklow. Emma and Rosa's stories are told thirty years later in 1984.
I found, during the first 100 pages or so of the story, that it was quite difficult to keep up with the change from the 50s to the 80s and from Ireland to India. I would have preferred longer chapters, so that I could engage a little more with each character. However, the strength of the story and of the emotional impact soon overrides any small criticism I had of the structure and I found myself caught up in the total injustice suffered by Grace and wondering just how any of these characters would ever find peace.
Grace is a wonderfully drawn character. An innocent, thrust into a world that is like nothing she has ever known, with no choices. Despite the wealth of her surroundings and the intellect of those who she associates with, Grace has a strength of character that will remain with her through some incredibly tragic and difficult times. She's like a breath of fresh air in a stuffy dusty room, and the author's descriptions of her fabulous 1950's wardrobe designed by the real-life Irish designer Sybil Connelly is delightful.
Life at Our Lady's Asylum was horrific for Grace and her fellow patients. Care is not a word that can be attributed to the people who held the keys, or the people who managed the Asylum. Ann O'Loughlin has captured the fears and the dreams of the women incarcerated within the walls of the building so well, these characters burst to life, and the reader will love them, and root for them.
The Judge's Wife is a powerful and moving story, very well written with characters that are fascinating and a central theme that is quite tragic
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July 26, 2016
Frightful. The novel has an excellent premise and could have been a wonderful read; this is what is most aggravating about The Judge's Wife. It should have had a good edit with the author being sent back to work much harder on the book.
Far too much time spent on the ruminations of one character. Why would a High Court Judge marry a woman whose parents were the subject of scandal?
The character of Aunt Violet is a cardboard character; how did this female raise herself from the Liberties in Dublin (no disrespect to the fine people of the Liberties) to become a woman of such influence?
Does the author not realise that how one spoke counted for a great deal in 1950s Ireland? There is nothing to suggest that the heroine had an expensive education but she is portrayed as having a sophistication which would have been the legacy of an expensive private education in the most exclusive of convent school/s in Ireland at the time
Sorry Ann O'Loughlin for the harsh review but if one of the students in my Creative Writing class had written this and presented it as a class exercise I would have recommended a great deal more research as there is a cracking good story there but it is an incoherent novel.
The book comes to life when the story moves to India, beautiful descriptions of the lush and colourful countryside.
Far too much time spent on the ruminations of one character. Why would a High Court Judge marry a woman whose parents were the subject of scandal?
The character of Aunt Violet is a cardboard character; how did this female raise herself from the Liberties in Dublin (no disrespect to the fine people of the Liberties) to become a woman of such influence?
Does the author not realise that how one spoke counted for a great deal in 1950s Ireland? There is nothing to suggest that the heroine had an expensive education but she is portrayed as having a sophistication which would have been the legacy of an expensive private education in the most exclusive of convent school/s in Ireland at the time
Sorry Ann O'Loughlin for the harsh review but if one of the students in my Creative Writing class had written this and presented it as a class exercise I would have recommended a great deal more research as there is a cracking good story there but it is an incoherent novel.
The book comes to life when the story moves to India, beautiful descriptions of the lush and colourful countryside.
April 14, 2018
Ik hou van past - present verhalen en dit was er eentje die bijzonder leuk was om te lezen. Vlot geschreven maar vooral een erg mooi verhaal!
February 7, 2018
The premise of this story is wonderful: a young Irish woman is embroiled in an affair with an Indian doctor resulting in a child. Young wife’s controlling (and coldly efficient) aunt and husband (the judge) remove wife from the house to an asylum, and tell her paramour that death was the result of childbirth for mother and child. Years later, after the judge’s death, the daughter finds her mother’s possessions and starts to explore a history that was never open to her before: in all of its inhumanity and stricture.
Great story idea – and I couldn’t wait to dive in. But, while the narrative felt plausible and the demise of Grace within a marriage to an older, cold and highly stuffy man, her aunt’s constant corrections and dismissal of her lighter moments and the struggle that Grace appeared to have as she tried to function in the structure of the 1950’s Irish society are clearly outlined. With the introduction to Vikram, a doctor from Bangalore in Ireland to work, and the instant affinity she feels for someone who actually treats her as a person – one can see her fanciful and immature imagination of ‘something different’ starting to take place. But the character of Grace: rather timid in the face of her husband and aunt, headstrong and heedless when out of their sights just never developed into a complete person. Even when confined and constantly dreaming of and remembering her moments outside, she didn’t really become a real person: more a series of impressions and a thing to feel badly for when things went pear shaped.
Emma’s personality, however, was one of searching and seeking: as a daughter who never knew her mother, and was raised by a cold, unfeeling and highly structured father and an aunt who seemed to be lying in wait for any transgression that can be punished out of her, is experiencing some of her own firsts. The first time back in Ireland after nearly twenty years: her life open after the dissolution of her engagement in Australia, a house full of memories – most bad, that she is responsible for disposing of, clearing or using to move on. Lastly – there are boxes: boxes and boxes of items labelled Grace, of her mother’s clothing, items, etc. She’s on her own quest to discover her mother: wearing her clothes, using perfume left behind, trying to build an image of a woman when she only has items to add to the picture, and her own anger and hatred for her father won’t let her see a whole story.
Vikram is, surprisingly enough, possibly the victim in this story. Left heartbroken, the subject of scandal, he lost both a love and a child, and has returned to life in India with his sister – dreaming of what may have been, what is right in front of him, and quiet moments on the coffee plantation at its heyday. The descriptions, sights and smells of India come through strongly with his point of view: beautifully evocative if carrying a bit of ‘damper’ on them due to his unrelenting heartbreak.
But these three characters are the focal point, with plenty of secondary characters that are little more than placeholders: stereotypically good or bad, no development or purpose but for their ability to shape the overriding larger story. Questions of background and such a rise to prominence in society are present: Grace was not from the ‘right side’ of the tracks, nor Violet, but they are both portrayed with a sophistication and allure that would have been ‘second nature’ to the Judge in his later-in-life search for a wife. Did he want biddable and easily controlled (as he thought he had with Grace) and one that would be so grateful for the security that he wouldn’t need to use even the most basic consideration to keep her? Was Grace so starved for friendship and love that Vikram was the only option, or was she so heedless as to just take whatever crumbs were offered? And did not Vikram see the trouble coming – this was 1950’s Ireland – he was a foreigner and very different, she was a married to a man of connections and inherent respect.
While the investigations of Emma prove intriguing, the problems remained to nag at me and while “there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy” as said by Hamlet, I just didn’t find the resolution of the more current thread with Emma to come with any sense of possibility. Sure, you knew going in that Grace’s story wouldn’t be a happy one, and it seems as if Vikram is stalled in his love for her, but the actual sense of a story brought to a logical conclusion that is plausible and possible, especially after so much hurt, isn’t there. I wanted to love this story and hoped for a true sense of closure and for Emma to feel as if she knew her mother, filling in the blank spaces in her memory and heart – I just didn’t find all of that here.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
Great story idea – and I couldn’t wait to dive in. But, while the narrative felt plausible and the demise of Grace within a marriage to an older, cold and highly stuffy man, her aunt’s constant corrections and dismissal of her lighter moments and the struggle that Grace appeared to have as she tried to function in the structure of the 1950’s Irish society are clearly outlined. With the introduction to Vikram, a doctor from Bangalore in Ireland to work, and the instant affinity she feels for someone who actually treats her as a person – one can see her fanciful and immature imagination of ‘something different’ starting to take place. But the character of Grace: rather timid in the face of her husband and aunt, headstrong and heedless when out of their sights just never developed into a complete person. Even when confined and constantly dreaming of and remembering her moments outside, she didn’t really become a real person: more a series of impressions and a thing to feel badly for when things went pear shaped.
Emma’s personality, however, was one of searching and seeking: as a daughter who never knew her mother, and was raised by a cold, unfeeling and highly structured father and an aunt who seemed to be lying in wait for any transgression that can be punished out of her, is experiencing some of her own firsts. The first time back in Ireland after nearly twenty years: her life open after the dissolution of her engagement in Australia, a house full of memories – most bad, that she is responsible for disposing of, clearing or using to move on. Lastly – there are boxes: boxes and boxes of items labelled Grace, of her mother’s clothing, items, etc. She’s on her own quest to discover her mother: wearing her clothes, using perfume left behind, trying to build an image of a woman when she only has items to add to the picture, and her own anger and hatred for her father won’t let her see a whole story.
Vikram is, surprisingly enough, possibly the victim in this story. Left heartbroken, the subject of scandal, he lost both a love and a child, and has returned to life in India with his sister – dreaming of what may have been, what is right in front of him, and quiet moments on the coffee plantation at its heyday. The descriptions, sights and smells of India come through strongly with his point of view: beautifully evocative if carrying a bit of ‘damper’ on them due to his unrelenting heartbreak.
But these three characters are the focal point, with plenty of secondary characters that are little more than placeholders: stereotypically good or bad, no development or purpose but for their ability to shape the overriding larger story. Questions of background and such a rise to prominence in society are present: Grace was not from the ‘right side’ of the tracks, nor Violet, but they are both portrayed with a sophistication and allure that would have been ‘second nature’ to the Judge in his later-in-life search for a wife. Did he want biddable and easily controlled (as he thought he had with Grace) and one that would be so grateful for the security that he wouldn’t need to use even the most basic consideration to keep her? Was Grace so starved for friendship and love that Vikram was the only option, or was she so heedless as to just take whatever crumbs were offered? And did not Vikram see the trouble coming – this was 1950’s Ireland – he was a foreigner and very different, she was a married to a man of connections and inherent respect.
While the investigations of Emma prove intriguing, the problems remained to nag at me and while “there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy” as said by Hamlet, I just didn’t find the resolution of the more current thread with Emma to come with any sense of possibility. Sure, you knew going in that Grace’s story wouldn’t be a happy one, and it seems as if Vikram is stalled in his love for her, but the actual sense of a story brought to a logical conclusion that is plausible and possible, especially after so much hurt, isn’t there. I wanted to love this story and hoped for a true sense of closure and for Emma to feel as if she knew her mother, filling in the blank spaces in her memory and heart – I just didn’t find all of that here.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
July 9, 2017
Ok, so this book isn't bad, it just isn't any good. It borders on, and sometimes strays into, the farcical. Like, I'm sorry, but the characters in this book border on caricature - the evil aunt, the closeted judge , the helpless heroine. That's not to mention the many one-dimensional characters who experience no growth or development whatsoever. And the pointless side tragedies From the beginning the dialogue really annoyed me as it is completely unnatural - how many people do you know who say "it is" rather than "it's". The love story is also a tad pathetic - like wow, you encounter this exotic gentleman doctor from India one day and suddenly you are madly in love
This was a chore to get through and I won't be reading any more works by this author.
This was a chore to get through and I won't be reading any more works by this author.
August 4, 2016
Spanning the time period of the 1950's-1980's, The Judge's Wife tells the fictional tale of a young married Irish woman who falls in love with an Indian doctor. Told by three different perspectives- Grace, Viktor( the doctor that Grace falls in love with), and Emma( Grace's adult daughter), we are given an insight into how Grace was thrown into an asylum to cover up the family scandal and the fallout that spirals from that event.
I was instantly hooked into this story and I just couldn't move from my seat until I finished the book. Although there was a bit of a fairytale ending to the story, I felt that Ann O'Loughlin knows how to tell a good story.
Thanks to the anonymous woman from Glasgow airport that told me " You just have to read this!"
I was instantly hooked into this story and I just couldn't move from my seat until I finished the book. Although there was a bit of a fairytale ending to the story, I felt that Ann O'Loughlin knows how to tell a good story.
Thanks to the anonymous woman from Glasgow airport that told me " You just have to read this!"
August 18, 2017
If you are looking for a book to pick up and read to fill in odd times this book is not for you. It grabs at the very beginning and just doesnt let up until the end.I have had my dog cross with me because I am reading instead of playing with him and I have frustrated my husband by reading instead of getting ready to go out. Did I mentioned that I loved this book?
February 22, 2018
Een leuk en spannend boek
January 26, 2025
This is the 2nd book I have read of this authors they certainly make you grab some tissues and to realise that this sort of thing went on in Ireland in the 1950's
August 29, 2017
The heart of this book is set in 1950s Dublin when Grace is married to the much older Martin Moran who will go on to become a prominent judge. Grace isn’t given much choice in the matter, young women at that time weren’t, particularly if they were dependent on their spinster aunt for support.
Grace’s story is pieced together by her daughter Emma, some thirty years later, following the death of the Judge, who was by this time estranged from Emma who viewed her childhood as a cold comfortless challenge in a household bereft of maternal love since her mother had died at the time of her birth.
The first clues are a packed case with beautiful clothes and a letter that was never posted. What Emma finds will take her back in time to the asylum where her mother was incarcerated following the birth of her child, a child she only saw for a short time before being bundled into a ward with the other inconvenient women.
‘Scuffles of clouds framed by rectangular, dirt-encrusted windows danced overhead. The sound of laughter drifted up from downstairs, where the two attendants puffed on cigarettes and relayed to the staff canteen every detail of the committal of the judge’s wife to the asylum’
In a world far removed from Emma’s discoveries in Ireland, a young woman in Bangalore India is struggling with an errant husband. Devoted to her Uncle Vikram who wants to take a trip back to Ireland, the land that nearly destroyed him thirty years ago. His sister Rhya, Rosa’s mother, is dead set against the trip but the two are making plans and Rosa hears Vikram’s tales of his lost love in Ireland and the awful events that meant he had to leave without saying goodbye to her.
The Judge’s Wife is an inviting tale, full of emotion of a time where appearances were everything and true emotions were buried out of sight. I loved the little historical details especially those around clothes – Emma wears Grace’s old clothes delighting in their beauty while in Bangalore Rhya sighs over her beloved saris which hold memories, both happy and sad. The author’s chosen settings are evocatively recreated for the reader’s pleasure. The brightness of the colours in Bangalore contrasting with the absence of colour in Grace’s life in the asylum.
There is a lot of drama in this book from the horrors of a healthy young woman being incarcerated in an asylum to Vikram’s broken heart as he retreats to the coffee plantation a life far removed from his training as a doctor. The judge also turns out to have been misread during his life-time and Emma comes to understand his remoteness to her as a child, was not because he didn’t love her. As is necessary in these types of book, there are a fair few coincidences to keep the story moving along, but that doesn’t detract from a story that is about people, injustice and above all betrayal can inflict terrible wounds causing damage far wider than could ever have been anticipated. On the flip-side the characters all reveal how much the hardest challenge is if you have someone backing your corner and so countering the destructive relationships we have episodes where a friendship, romantic relationship or that of a devoted sibling can ease the hardships of life.
An enchanting read that had the power to transport me to a time and place quite unlike home.
Grace’s story is pieced together by her daughter Emma, some thirty years later, following the death of the Judge, who was by this time estranged from Emma who viewed her childhood as a cold comfortless challenge in a household bereft of maternal love since her mother had died at the time of her birth.
The first clues are a packed case with beautiful clothes and a letter that was never posted. What Emma finds will take her back in time to the asylum where her mother was incarcerated following the birth of her child, a child she only saw for a short time before being bundled into a ward with the other inconvenient women.
‘Scuffles of clouds framed by rectangular, dirt-encrusted windows danced overhead. The sound of laughter drifted up from downstairs, where the two attendants puffed on cigarettes and relayed to the staff canteen every detail of the committal of the judge’s wife to the asylum’
In a world far removed from Emma’s discoveries in Ireland, a young woman in Bangalore India is struggling with an errant husband. Devoted to her Uncle Vikram who wants to take a trip back to Ireland, the land that nearly destroyed him thirty years ago. His sister Rhya, Rosa’s mother, is dead set against the trip but the two are making plans and Rosa hears Vikram’s tales of his lost love in Ireland and the awful events that meant he had to leave without saying goodbye to her.
The Judge’s Wife is an inviting tale, full of emotion of a time where appearances were everything and true emotions were buried out of sight. I loved the little historical details especially those around clothes – Emma wears Grace’s old clothes delighting in their beauty while in Bangalore Rhya sighs over her beloved saris which hold memories, both happy and sad. The author’s chosen settings are evocatively recreated for the reader’s pleasure. The brightness of the colours in Bangalore contrasting with the absence of colour in Grace’s life in the asylum.
There is a lot of drama in this book from the horrors of a healthy young woman being incarcerated in an asylum to Vikram’s broken heart as he retreats to the coffee plantation a life far removed from his training as a doctor. The judge also turns out to have been misread during his life-time and Emma comes to understand his remoteness to her as a child, was not because he didn’t love her. As is necessary in these types of book, there are a fair few coincidences to keep the story moving along, but that doesn’t detract from a story that is about people, injustice and above all betrayal can inflict terrible wounds causing damage far wider than could ever have been anticipated. On the flip-side the characters all reveal how much the hardest challenge is if you have someone backing your corner and so countering the destructive relationships we have episodes where a friendship, romantic relationship or that of a devoted sibling can ease the hardships of life.
An enchanting read that had the power to transport me to a time and place quite unlike home.
September 24, 2017
Vandaag in één ruk uitgelezen. Boeiend verhaal, waarin Emma, de dochter van de rechter, na twaalf jaar eerder uit de invloedssfeer van haar ogenschijnlijk onverschillige en liefdeloze vader te zijn ontsnapt, na diens overlijden begin 1984 naar Ierland terugkeert om orde op zaken te stellen en langzamerhand meer ontdekt over haar moeder Grace, van wie haar vader altijd had beweerd dat ze kort na Emma's geboorte was overleden.
Het verhaal speelt afwisselend in het verleden in Ierland en vertelt dan over Grace, die in maart 1954 vlak na de bevalling werd 'weggemoffeld' in een gesticht, en in het heden - voorjaar 1984 - in Ierland, waar Emma's belevenissen worden gevolgd, en in India, waarheen Vikram Fernandez, Graces grote liefde, na de gebeurtenissen in 1954 is teruggekeerd en nu, herstellende van een ernstige ziekte, eindelijk voorbereidingen treft om weer naar Ierland af te reizen om het graf van Grace te bezoeken.
Gaandeweg wordt duidelijk wat zich allemaal heeft afgespeeld en welke geheimen en familieschandalen aan Graces lot ten grondslag hebben gelegen.
Het verhaal speelt afwisselend in het verleden in Ierland en vertelt dan over Grace, die in maart 1954 vlak na de bevalling werd 'weggemoffeld' in een gesticht, en in het heden - voorjaar 1984 - in Ierland, waar Emma's belevenissen worden gevolgd, en in India, waarheen Vikram Fernandez, Graces grote liefde, na de gebeurtenissen in 1954 is teruggekeerd en nu, herstellende van een ernstige ziekte, eindelijk voorbereidingen treft om weer naar Ierland af te reizen om het graf van Grace te bezoeken.
Gaandeweg wordt duidelijk wat zich allemaal heeft afgespeeld en welke geheimen en familieschandalen aan Graces lot ten grondslag hebben gelegen.
July 29, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Ann O'Loughlin. Apart from the beautiful style of her writing, the story has so many layers that it kept me interested throughout. The settings in India and Dublin are truly authentic, and the reader can visibly see the research that has been carried out for the book. I look forward to reading more from the author.
September 4, 2024
I enjoyed this listening to this book. I would give it a 3.5 so I rounded up to a 4.
December 27, 2018
Gostei muito.
Boa história, bom enredo. Recomendo.
Boa história, bom enredo. Recomendo.
March 4, 2024
The" Judge's Wife" was a well-written novel except when the author is writing about Grace and in a paragraph and then the next paragraph she talks about Emma.
The novel is set in 1950 in Ireland and thirty years later in India.
A seventeen-year-old, Grace, is forced into an arranged marriage to Martin, a much older man and a prominent judge, by her despicable Aunt Violet. Both Grace and Martin are in a loveless, non-consummated union. Grace is lonely and needs more. She meets Vikram, an Indian (from India) who steals her heart. After a short courtship, Grace becomes pregnant. After giving birth to twins, Emma & Rosa, Martin & Violet send Grace to an asylum.
In the meantime, Vikram searches endlessly for Grace, but to no avail. Eventually he has no option, but to return to India.
I enjoyed this novel and had a difficult time putting it down. There were many tragedies, but the ending was a wonderful surprise.
The novel is set in 1950 in Ireland and thirty years later in India.
A seventeen-year-old, Grace, is forced into an arranged marriage to Martin, a much older man and a prominent judge, by her despicable Aunt Violet. Both Grace and Martin are in a loveless, non-consummated union. Grace is lonely and needs more. She meets Vikram, an Indian (from India) who steals her heart. After a short courtship, Grace becomes pregnant. After giving birth to twins, Emma & Rosa, Martin & Violet send Grace to an asylum.
In the meantime, Vikram searches endlessly for Grace, but to no avail. Eventually he has no option, but to return to India.
I enjoyed this novel and had a difficult time putting it down. There were many tragedies, but the ending was a wonderful surprise.
February 28, 2024
Ik vond dit echt een mooi verhaal!! Heel fijn geschreven! Je krijgt als het ware een band met de personages. Er gebeuren bakken vol ellende en soms vond ik dingen wat voorspelbaar, andere dingen kwamen (voor mij) dan weer juist heel onverwachts. Ik zat in een echte lees dip en zocht een boek waarbij ik vanaf blz.1 in het verhaal zat…nou dat is gelukt!! Van mij mag er nog een deel 2 komen, absoluut!
July 7, 2018
Prachtige roman die in het heden en verleden speelt.
De verhaallijnen van Grace, Vikram en Emma wisselen elkaar af en komen op het einde bij elkaar uit.
Een roman waar ik enorm van genoten heb.
De verhaallijnen van Grace, Vikram en Emma wisselen elkaar af en komen op het einde bij elkaar uit.
Een roman waar ik enorm van genoten heb.
October 5, 2022
What some people do. What a story!
May 24, 2021
Stupid book
Predictable plot, trite writing, sappy story. I skimmed the last part of the book because the wording was so trite. I can’t even believe this was actually published.
Predictable plot, trite writing, sappy story. I skimmed the last part of the book because the wording was so trite. I can’t even believe this was actually published.
June 26, 2023
Een prachtig verhaal.
January 27, 2020
( Continente 50% )
September 10, 2016
Grace is raised by her calculating, cold-hearted Aunt Violet, and is forced into an arranged marriage to the older, wealthy, influential Judge Moran in Dublin. She soon falls in love with Vikram, an Indian doctor. When the affair leads to a pregnancy, Judge Moran has Grace committed to a mental institution, Our Lady’s Asylum, Knockavanagh, in 1954.
Grace and Vikram’s daughter, Emma, is born and raised by the Judge, under the watchful eye of Aunt Violet. And when Emma inherits the house, years later, she finds Grace’s belongings and letters and slowly uncovers the truth behind her mother’s marriage and relationship with the man she loved.
The story shifts between Ireland and Bangalore, India, where Vikram lives on a coffee plantation with his sister, Rhya and his niece, Rosa. India’s colours, fragrances and sights come alive under O’Loughlin’s pen, following a trip to that country. Through the author’s job as a legal reporter she is also able to expose some of the sins of Ireland’s past with regard to the treatment of women and patients in mental institutions.
Although the plot has the makings of an excellent story I found myself lacking real empathy for the characters and wondering whether or not the ending could actually be possible. My rating: 3.5
Grace and Vikram’s daughter, Emma, is born and raised by the Judge, under the watchful eye of Aunt Violet. And when Emma inherits the house, years later, she finds Grace’s belongings and letters and slowly uncovers the truth behind her mother’s marriage and relationship with the man she loved.
The story shifts between Ireland and Bangalore, India, where Vikram lives on a coffee plantation with his sister, Rhya and his niece, Rosa. India’s colours, fragrances and sights come alive under O’Loughlin’s pen, following a trip to that country. Through the author’s job as a legal reporter she is also able to expose some of the sins of Ireland’s past with regard to the treatment of women and patients in mental institutions.
Although the plot has the makings of an excellent story I found myself lacking real empathy for the characters and wondering whether or not the ending could actually be possible. My rating: 3.5
July 7, 2016
Emma returns to London after the death of her father Judge Martin Moran. Her mother, Grace, she cannot remember but what she uncovers is truly shocking.
Back in the 1950's insubordinate women in Ireland was not tolerated in the upper Classes. Women obeyed their husbands and fathers.
Early on in their marriage Grace meets and falls in love with Vikram who she meets at one of the many parties that the Judge hosted. Immediately she was captivated by his charm and heritage.
Grace becomes pregnant and after the baby is born the Judge manages to get her admitted to Our Lady's Asylum
We follow the characters through the decades and across continent and cultures. Their daughter Emma comes across a suitcase with women's clothes and a notebook that Grace has written in. The horror of Grace's life starts to unfold and the injustice of being locked in an asylum is even more astounding.
Emma's journey is a painful one as she eventually finds out what happened to Grace and what part the Judge played in it.
Back in the 1950's insubordinate women in Ireland was not tolerated in the upper Classes. Women obeyed their husbands and fathers.
Early on in their marriage Grace meets and falls in love with Vikram who she meets at one of the many parties that the Judge hosted. Immediately she was captivated by his charm and heritage.
Grace becomes pregnant and after the baby is born the Judge manages to get her admitted to Our Lady's Asylum
We follow the characters through the decades and across continent and cultures. Their daughter Emma comes across a suitcase with women's clothes and a notebook that Grace has written in. The horror of Grace's life starts to unfold and the injustice of being locked in an asylum is even more astounding.
Emma's journey is a painful one as she eventually finds out what happened to Grace and what part the Judge played in it.
January 15, 2018
This book covers a very interesting topic, but the writing just wasn't very good. O'Loughlin does a terrific job of setting up the characters, the flashbacks, and the situation, but then it just kind of goes off the rails. The characters of Emma and Grace are well written and their backgrounds well developed (especially regarding Grace's time in the asylum), but the other characters are flat and the dialog all around was very wooden. I also didn't like how the judge basically got off the hook for sending Grace to the asylum and virtually forgetting about her. He pushes all the blame onto Grace's Aunt Violet and shows very little remorse for his part in it and his other actions, which I will not spoil. Then there was the ending, which was way too pat and far fetched.
November 18, 2016
A great read
My first book by this author but it will certainly not be the last. It held me captive through the whole book. Heart wrenching (tissues are advised in parts) but so good that no matter what the judge and that awful woman who had the name of aunt in name only, for she was downright cruel all as payback, did, nothing but love for each other kept Grace and Vikram going through the hard years. Through all the lies came the truth to let them all live happily as the family they should have been right from the start
My first book by this author but it will certainly not be the last. It held me captive through the whole book. Heart wrenching (tissues are advised in parts) but so good that no matter what the judge and that awful woman who had the name of aunt in name only, for she was downright cruel all as payback, did, nothing but love for each other kept Grace and Vikram going through the hard years. Through all the lies came the truth to let them all live happily as the family they should have been right from the start
July 17, 2019
The basic premise for this book is an intriguing one -- a biracial affair in Ireland in the 1950's. However, I gave up about 20% of the way through because I felt that the writing was a bit sloppy. Words were repeated on the same page. Quotation marks were frequently messed up (at least in the Kindle edition), which annoyed me a lot. And there were unnecessary redundancies. So many books, so little time to spend on one that promises to be literary, but contains fixable issues.
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