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De verdwenen brieven van Esther Durrant
1951. In de schaduw van WOII wordt Esther Durrant denkend dat ze samen op vakantie gaan door haar man naar een inrichting voor geestelijk zieken gebracht. Het ziekenhuis voelt aanvankelijk aan als een gevangenis, maar al snel wordt het Esthers toevluchtsoord.
2018. Zeewetenschapper Rachel Parker start een onderzoek op de Scilly-eilanden, voor de kust van Cornwall. Wanneer ze een verzameling verborgen liefdesbrieven ontdekt, besluit Rachel, geboeid door de passie en de tederheid, de ontvanger op te sporen. Dit zet een reeks gebeurtenissen in gang die diep begraven geheimen dreigt te onthullen.
2018. Zeewetenschapper Rachel Parker start een onderzoek op de Scilly-eilanden, voor de kust van Cornwall. Wanneer ze een verzameling verborgen liefdesbrieven ontdekt, besluit Rachel, geboeid door de passie en de tederheid, de ontvanger op te sporen. Dit zet een reeks gebeurtenissen in gang die diep begraven geheimen dreigt te onthullen.
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 28, 2019
419 people are currently reading
10888 people want to read
About the author
Kayte Nunn
16 books583 followersKayte is the author of seven novels, including the international bestsellers The Botanist's Daughter, The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant, The Silk House and The Last Reunion.
The Botanist's Daughter was awarded the 2020 Winston Graham Historical Fiction Prize, and was selected as the National English Honour Society's Common Reader for 2023/4..
Her books have been described as, 'sensitive, atmospheric and often heartbreaking' (Who Weekly), offering 'compelling storytelling' (Australian Women's Weekly), and 'deliciously immersive' (The Daily Telegraph).
Kayte's novels are available worldwide in English, and have been translated into ten languages.
Born in Singapore, raised in the US and the UK, she now lives in Northern NSW, Australia.
The Botanist's Daughter was awarded the 2020 Winston Graham Historical Fiction Prize, and was selected as the National English Honour Society's Common Reader for 2023/4..
Her books have been described as, 'sensitive, atmospheric and often heartbreaking' (Who Weekly), offering 'compelling storytelling' (Australian Women's Weekly), and 'deliciously immersive' (The Daily Telegraph).
Kayte's novels are available worldwide in English, and have been translated into ten languages.
Born in Singapore, raised in the US and the UK, she now lives in Northern NSW, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 729 reviews
March 17, 2020
Bittersweet. Desperate times call for desperate measures and yes I read a book that has a great deal of love, lost and found. Loved it! Perfect book for me right now . A house on an island whose doctors treated those unable to cope after the war. Esther, is there for a different reason, one of great loss. Two timelines, the current features a young researcher, Rachel, who never stays in one place for more than a few years. Leah, a recluse, with sorrows of her own. Letters found, love books that contain letters, and curiosity is sparked. The search is on and the story, love behind it is beautiful.
Wonderful characters, loved them all, the bad guy being the situation, rather than a person. All characters wounded in one way or another. The descriptive passages of the island are absolutely gorgeous, would love to live there myself. A very heartfelt story, one I will cherish.
" Time is not kind to any of us. But it allows us still to breathe, to see, to feel. To be alive,"he replied."
Wise words, then and now.
ARC from Edelweiss.
Wonderful characters, loved them all, the bad guy being the situation, rather than a person. All characters wounded in one way or another. The descriptive passages of the island are absolutely gorgeous, would love to live there myself. A very heartfelt story, one I will cherish.
" Time is not kind to any of us. But it allows us still to breathe, to see, to feel. To be alive,"he replied."
Wise words, then and now.
ARC from Edelweiss.
June 20, 2019
It was 1951 when young mother Esther Durrant accompanied her husband John on an unexpected holiday. But unbeknown to her, John was leaving her in the care of a doctor, on an isolated island far from her home and her boy, Teddy. When Esther realized what had happened it was far too late to do anything about it. Abandoned and in the company of other mentally wounded men, nevertheless Esther gradually began to heal.
2018 and in her twenties, Eve had thought she would be with her boyfriend but the fall her grandmother had had meant Eve was the only one who could care for her. She loved her Grams and wanted to do all she could to help her recover, and if that meant spending months with her in London, she was happy to do it. Helping her Grams write her memoir was exciting for Eve – she had been a famous mountaineer in her younger days. Learning about Grams life and adventures made her feel closer than ever to her.
Australian Rachel Parker was a free spirit as well as a marine scientist and her latest research position was on islands off the Cornish coastline. Not long after her arrival, she and her dinghy were caught in a violent storm. The enforced shelter on a nearby island meant Rachel soon discovered some old and long held secrets. Rachel’s curiosity and outspoken ways had had her in trouble in the past – but this time she was sure she was doing the right thing. But was she? What would be the outcome in this confounding situation?
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is my first by Aussie author Kayte Nunn and I’m impressed. A wonderful historical fiction novel which blends a forbidden love story with a mystery which I devoured. Beautifully written, the timeframes were easy to follow, the descriptions of the isolated landscape perfect, and the characters well defined. I thoroughly enjoyed The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant and recommend it highly.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
2018 and in her twenties, Eve had thought she would be with her boyfriend but the fall her grandmother had had meant Eve was the only one who could care for her. She loved her Grams and wanted to do all she could to help her recover, and if that meant spending months with her in London, she was happy to do it. Helping her Grams write her memoir was exciting for Eve – she had been a famous mountaineer in her younger days. Learning about Grams life and adventures made her feel closer than ever to her.
Australian Rachel Parker was a free spirit as well as a marine scientist and her latest research position was on islands off the Cornish coastline. Not long after her arrival, she and her dinghy were caught in a violent storm. The enforced shelter on a nearby island meant Rachel soon discovered some old and long held secrets. Rachel’s curiosity and outspoken ways had had her in trouble in the past – but this time she was sure she was doing the right thing. But was she? What would be the outcome in this confounding situation?
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is my first by Aussie author Kayte Nunn and I’m impressed. A wonderful historical fiction novel which blends a forbidden love story with a mystery which I devoured. Beautifully written, the timeframes were easy to follow, the descriptions of the isolated landscape perfect, and the characters well defined. I thoroughly enjoyed The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant and recommend it highly.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2020
Kayte Nunn is a new author to me and I very much enjoyed this book. The narrative follows two time lines and three stories, all of which come together in a neat ending.
Esther Durrant is an unfortunate woman who suffers depression after the birth of her baby and ends up being committed for psychiatric care by her husband. I am glad we are more enlightened these days! Events do not turn out quite the way expected, relationships are formed and broken, and several people suffer huge changes in their lives. Many years later the discovery of some letters reunites Esther with her past.
It is a charming story which the author tells really well. I enjoyed all of the different characters especially Rachel who turned out to be the catalyst for all the events which took place after she came to the islands. This book was a pleasant piece of escapism and a very enjoyable read.
Esther Durrant is an unfortunate woman who suffers depression after the birth of her baby and ends up being committed for psychiatric care by her husband. I am glad we are more enlightened these days! Events do not turn out quite the way expected, relationships are formed and broken, and several people suffer huge changes in their lives. Many years later the discovery of some letters reunites Esther with her past.
It is a charming story which the author tells really well. I enjoyed all of the different characters especially Rachel who turned out to be the catalyst for all the events which took place after she came to the islands. This book was a pleasant piece of escapism and a very enjoyable read.
January 22, 2025
Did you ever have one of those moments where you are saying to yourself...
I need the right book to just read - to escape into?
Well...This is a book that came at just the right time, to meet that need.
And...The narrative follows two time lines and three stories, all of which come together in a satisfying ending that still leaves room for the imagination.
Which...Makes this tale so readable.
There are also long held secrets for us readers to unravel.
I need the right book to just read - to escape into?
Well...This is a book that came at just the right time, to meet that need.
And...The narrative follows two time lines and three stories, all of which come together in a satisfying ending that still leaves room for the imagination.
Which...Makes this tale so readable.
There are also long held secrets for us readers to unravel.
June 6, 2019
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
Every once in a while a very special book comes into your hands at EXACTLY the right time. The Forgotten Letters by Esther Durrant by Kayte Nunn is that book. It came to me at a time when I needed it the most. This absolutely exquisite and superbly told tale of love, family, sacrifice, endurance, the strength of the human spirit and long held secrets is a novel that I could easily award all the stars for.
A collection of letters provides an essential link from the past to the present in the latest book from Kayte Nunn. Rachel Parker, an adventurous marine scientist, comes across a suitcase of lost love letters while she is on her latest sojourn. As soon as Rachel touches these letters she makes it her mission to track down the recipient. Tracing back to the past in the year 1951, a woman is committed against her will to a mental asylum on an isolated island, off the coast of Britain. Intended to help heal her from her madness, Esther Durant must learn to embrace her new home in the hope that she can one day be reunited with her family and young son again. When Eve, a young woman living in the year 2018 is contacted by Rachel armed with a cache of letters, her grandmother’s past comes to the surface, with surprising revelations.
It shocked me when I read in the ‘Acknowledgements’ section at the close of this dramatic new story from Kayte Nunn. In our not too distant past, in the 1950s, women could be committed to mental asylums by their spouse or father, without their permission – or the official diagnosis of a doctor’s examination. I was utterly taken aback and when Kayte Nunn bravely shared the story of her own great grandmother’s experience in a mental asylum. Nunn’s great grandmother remained at this asylum for the rest of her life, after developing postal natal depression when her son was just a small boy. The tragic nature of this personal story, which is perhaps just a drop in the ocean when it comes to similar lived experiences, moved me greatly.
Some of my most treasured books are those with split or dual timelines, involving a family mystery to unlock and revolving around a recovered artefact. Kate Morton does this genre well, along with Anna Romer, plus many more talented writers. The Forgotten Letters by Esther Durrant is a novel that easily falls into the dual timeline category, perfectly blending historical fiction with a contemporary tale. It is author Kayte Nunn’s second venture into this field and she has demonstrated just how much she has an aptitude for this style of writing.
The historical aspect of this novel was extremely well composed. The setting was incredibly well drawn and I was swept away by Nunn’s prose in this segment of her novel in particular. Nunn also adequately captures the correct period detail of the time. Nunn’s portrayal of the social attitudes and common practices of the 1950s was covered with a great deal of authenticity. The characters were rendered to perfection, I could picture them so clearly in my mind, it was like they were standing next to me as the story unravelled. Each protagonist has a compelling story to tell in the 1951 sequences. I couldn’t draw myself away from the pages of this book, especially the 1951 narrative strand, it was breathtaking and completely immersive.
The present day storyline and the placement of Rachel Parker forms in an integral layer to the unfolding story. I immediately warmed to Rachel and I loved Nunn’s construction of this character. Rachel is an important piece of the puzzle, acting as a catalyst, full of dogged determination to restore the equilibrium of times past. I admired her force and independent nature, as well as her free spirit. These traits are also mirrored in Esther Durrant to some extent. I liked how these two characters, separated by the years, seemed to echo one another.
The Forgotten Letters by Esther Durrant works incredibly well as a family mystery. It is also a stunning romance novel. The past and the present day characters enjoy their own unique romantic dalliances, which is represented with a depth of emotion by Kayte Nunn. There are a number of themes that underscore the romance and mystery aspect of this novel. Post natal depression, PTSD, self harm, mental illness, self confidence, loneliness, jealousy and infidelity are just a hint of the themes that are explored in this moving novel. I surrendered myself completely to The Forgotten Letters by Esther Durrant and I was provided with the ultimate reward, a stunning conclusion and a reading experience that I am sure I won’t forget any time soon.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is book #78 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
Every once in a while a very special book comes into your hands at EXACTLY the right time. The Forgotten Letters by Esther Durrant by Kayte Nunn is that book. It came to me at a time when I needed it the most. This absolutely exquisite and superbly told tale of love, family, sacrifice, endurance, the strength of the human spirit and long held secrets is a novel that I could easily award all the stars for.
A collection of letters provides an essential link from the past to the present in the latest book from Kayte Nunn. Rachel Parker, an adventurous marine scientist, comes across a suitcase of lost love letters while she is on her latest sojourn. As soon as Rachel touches these letters she makes it her mission to track down the recipient. Tracing back to the past in the year 1951, a woman is committed against her will to a mental asylum on an isolated island, off the coast of Britain. Intended to help heal her from her madness, Esther Durant must learn to embrace her new home in the hope that she can one day be reunited with her family and young son again. When Eve, a young woman living in the year 2018 is contacted by Rachel armed with a cache of letters, her grandmother’s past comes to the surface, with surprising revelations.
It shocked me when I read in the ‘Acknowledgements’ section at the close of this dramatic new story from Kayte Nunn. In our not too distant past, in the 1950s, women could be committed to mental asylums by their spouse or father, without their permission – or the official diagnosis of a doctor’s examination. I was utterly taken aback and when Kayte Nunn bravely shared the story of her own great grandmother’s experience in a mental asylum. Nunn’s great grandmother remained at this asylum for the rest of her life, after developing postal natal depression when her son was just a small boy. The tragic nature of this personal story, which is perhaps just a drop in the ocean when it comes to similar lived experiences, moved me greatly.
Some of my most treasured books are those with split or dual timelines, involving a family mystery to unlock and revolving around a recovered artefact. Kate Morton does this genre well, along with Anna Romer, plus many more talented writers. The Forgotten Letters by Esther Durrant is a novel that easily falls into the dual timeline category, perfectly blending historical fiction with a contemporary tale. It is author Kayte Nunn’s second venture into this field and she has demonstrated just how much she has an aptitude for this style of writing.
The historical aspect of this novel was extremely well composed. The setting was incredibly well drawn and I was swept away by Nunn’s prose in this segment of her novel in particular. Nunn also adequately captures the correct period detail of the time. Nunn’s portrayal of the social attitudes and common practices of the 1950s was covered with a great deal of authenticity. The characters were rendered to perfection, I could picture them so clearly in my mind, it was like they were standing next to me as the story unravelled. Each protagonist has a compelling story to tell in the 1951 sequences. I couldn’t draw myself away from the pages of this book, especially the 1951 narrative strand, it was breathtaking and completely immersive.
The present day storyline and the placement of Rachel Parker forms in an integral layer to the unfolding story. I immediately warmed to Rachel and I loved Nunn’s construction of this character. Rachel is an important piece of the puzzle, acting as a catalyst, full of dogged determination to restore the equilibrium of times past. I admired her force and independent nature, as well as her free spirit. These traits are also mirrored in Esther Durrant to some extent. I liked how these two characters, separated by the years, seemed to echo one another.
The Forgotten Letters by Esther Durrant works incredibly well as a family mystery. It is also a stunning romance novel. The past and the present day characters enjoy their own unique romantic dalliances, which is represented with a depth of emotion by Kayte Nunn. There are a number of themes that underscore the romance and mystery aspect of this novel. Post natal depression, PTSD, self harm, mental illness, self confidence, loneliness, jealousy and infidelity are just a hint of the themes that are explored in this moving novel. I surrendered myself completely to The Forgotten Letters by Esther Durrant and I was provided with the ultimate reward, a stunning conclusion and a reading experience that I am sure I won’t forget any time soon.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is book #78 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
July 22, 2019
*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant by Kayte Nunn. (2019).
1951: Esther, a young mother, is committed to an isolated mental asylum by her husband. It is at first her prison but then becomes her refuge.
2018: Rachel, a free-spirited marine scientist, discovers a collection of hidden love letters and is determined to track down the intended recipient.
Also in 2018, Eve is helping her grandmother, a renowned mountaineer, write her memoirs. When Rachel contacts her, secret kept buried for more than sixty years resurface....
This truly is a beautiful book. I was really absorbed by the story and found it to be an easy read that I didn't want to put down. The plot is primarily from Esther and Rachel's point of views with a few chapters relating to Eve and her grandmother. I particularly enjoyed both Esther and Rachel's respective stories and admired their courage. The book is at times quite sad but also very moving and ends on a positive note rather than a heartbreaking one so that was a lovely finish. I recently read and greatly enjoyed the author's previous historical fiction novel (The Botanist's Daughter) and I think the author has definitely cemented her talent in this genre with this fabulous new book. I certainly look forward to seeing what's next from author and would happily recommend this novel!
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant by Kayte Nunn. (2019).
1951: Esther, a young mother, is committed to an isolated mental asylum by her husband. It is at first her prison but then becomes her refuge.
2018: Rachel, a free-spirited marine scientist, discovers a collection of hidden love letters and is determined to track down the intended recipient.
Also in 2018, Eve is helping her grandmother, a renowned mountaineer, write her memoirs. When Rachel contacts her, secret kept buried for more than sixty years resurface....
This truly is a beautiful book. I was really absorbed by the story and found it to be an easy read that I didn't want to put down. The plot is primarily from Esther and Rachel's point of views with a few chapters relating to Eve and her grandmother. I particularly enjoyed both Esther and Rachel's respective stories and admired their courage. The book is at times quite sad but also very moving and ends on a positive note rather than a heartbreaking one so that was a lovely finish. I recently read and greatly enjoyed the author's previous historical fiction novel (The Botanist's Daughter) and I think the author has definitely cemented her talent in this genre with this fabulous new book. I certainly look forward to seeing what's next from author and would happily recommend this novel!
March 24, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
Beneath a pewter sky and afloat on an even darker sea, she was reminded of Charon, the ferryman of Hades, transporting newly dead souls across the Acheron and the Styx.
“You have the blood of a lizard.” He released her and placed his palm below her collarbone. “There is a stone where a heart should be.”
I suppose I am drawn to broken things. As a boy I loved to fix, to repair and restore. The same goes for me now, except it is people not toys.
It might not have been the right decision, but it was the only one I knew how to make.
My Review:
This expertly crafted and slowly unfolding tale was a heart-squeeze and a half, and I didn’t mind that one bit. Spanning two timelines over sixty years apart, this engaging book was a hybrid of genres being equal parts women’s fiction, mystery, and historical fiction. The plot was intriguing, multi-layered, well nuanced, and deftly paced. I was captivated by these complex characters as well as Ms. Nunn’s smoothly rendered writing style, which was poignant, insightful, and hit all the feels. My attention and curiosity were well and truly captured but while my brain cells stayed abuzz, my poor coronary muscle took some abuse. But I’d gladly do it all over again and hopefully will soon as I see Ms. Nunn has a respectable listing I need to acquaint myself with.
Beneath a pewter sky and afloat on an even darker sea, she was reminded of Charon, the ferryman of Hades, transporting newly dead souls across the Acheron and the Styx.
“You have the blood of a lizard.” He released her and placed his palm below her collarbone. “There is a stone where a heart should be.”
I suppose I am drawn to broken things. As a boy I loved to fix, to repair and restore. The same goes for me now, except it is people not toys.
It might not have been the right decision, but it was the only one I knew how to make.
My Review:
This expertly crafted and slowly unfolding tale was a heart-squeeze and a half, and I didn’t mind that one bit. Spanning two timelines over sixty years apart, this engaging book was a hybrid of genres being equal parts women’s fiction, mystery, and historical fiction. The plot was intriguing, multi-layered, well nuanced, and deftly paced. I was captivated by these complex characters as well as Ms. Nunn’s smoothly rendered writing style, which was poignant, insightful, and hit all the feels. My attention and curiosity were well and truly captured but while my brain cells stayed abuzz, my poor coronary muscle took some abuse. But I’d gladly do it all over again and hopefully will soon as I see Ms. Nunn has a respectable listing I need to acquaint myself with.
March 14, 2020
Two women from very different eras the story switches between 1951- Esther and 2018 – Rachel.
It’s a story about lost love: choices, feelings of guilt (justified or not) and of course, consequences.
It is interesting to note how women were perceived differently between 1951 and 2018.
I haven’t quite figured out Leah’s relationship to the story except that it is her home where the letters are found.
I was more taken with Esther’s story which seemed to have more atmosphere and depth, although it is Rachel who finds the letters.
If you are terribly interested in clam population you will be enthusiastic to read Rachel’s sections.
It’s a story about lost love: choices, feelings of guilt (justified or not) and of course, consequences.
It is interesting to note how women were perceived differently between 1951 and 2018.
I haven’t quite figured out Leah’s relationship to the story except that it is her home where the letters are found.
I was more taken with Esther’s story which seemed to have more atmosphere and depth, although it is Rachel who finds the letters.
If you are terribly interested in clam population you will be enthusiastic to read Rachel’s sections.
October 11, 2020
4.25 Nostalgic Stars
This book has three different storylines that all connect in a wonderful way by the end of the book and I was captivated by the setting, islands southwest of Cornwall, England – Isles of Scilly. Now, more than ever, books are my way to travel since I can’t do it in real life just yet.
One storyline of course features Esther Durrant and how mental health was dealt with in the 1950s. It is terrifying to me as a woman that then a husband could commit his wife for as long as he would like. The good news is that Esther does get the help she needs, and it doesn’t come through electroshock therapy or a lobotomy. Also terrifying! I really liked her character.
Another storyline features a fascinating female scientist who has spent years traveling the world on various science research projects. Rachel finds herself headed to the Scilly Isles to research her beloved clams. During a freak storm, she shelters and finds a long lost cache of love letters.
The final storyline takes place in London and features Eve who is caring for her ailing grandmother. Eve is helping to get her grandmother’s memoir written and it details her fascinating past as an accomplished mountaineer.
I really enjoyed each of these storylines and I cheered for all of these women to find happiness and love. There were some great characters in this book and it was an enjoyable read!
Thank you to publisher William Morrow for the copy of this one that I won through a Goodreads giveaway.
This book has three different storylines that all connect in a wonderful way by the end of the book and I was captivated by the setting, islands southwest of Cornwall, England – Isles of Scilly. Now, more than ever, books are my way to travel since I can’t do it in real life just yet.
One storyline of course features Esther Durrant and how mental health was dealt with in the 1950s. It is terrifying to me as a woman that then a husband could commit his wife for as long as he would like. The good news is that Esther does get the help she needs, and it doesn’t come through electroshock therapy or a lobotomy. Also terrifying! I really liked her character.
Another storyline features a fascinating female scientist who has spent years traveling the world on various science research projects. Rachel finds herself headed to the Scilly Isles to research her beloved clams. During a freak storm, she shelters and finds a long lost cache of love letters.
The final storyline takes place in London and features Eve who is caring for her ailing grandmother. Eve is helping to get her grandmother’s memoir written and it details her fascinating past as an accomplished mountaineer.
I really enjoyed each of these storylines and I cheered for all of these women to find happiness and love. There were some great characters in this book and it was an enjoyable read!
Thank you to publisher William Morrow for the copy of this one that I won through a Goodreads giveaway.
February 21, 2022
I already enjoyed this book. If you are looking for a historical fiction book that is not about the war this is a book for you. Esther is put into a hospital fill of man that has had issues after fighting in the war (but that is not what this book is about). Esther was put their because she had major depression after having her baby. The book show Esther back when she was in the hospital and 2018 when a women founds the letters (that was written to her when she was in the hospital). I won a ARC of this book from a goodreads giveaway, but this review was 100% my own opinion.
October 27, 2019
This story opens in 1951 with John and Esther Durrant making their way to the south west top of England. Esther thinks it a strange choice for a holiday especially since it is only early November. Plus they had leave their young son Teddy at home with the nanny. It is only after they arrive at Little Embers, she finds that it is not a holiday at all. John has her committed to a small isolated mental asylum. The next chapter starts in 2018 with free spirited marine scientist Rachel Parker leaving her young lover and an island in the South Pacific to return to London. The third woman in this story is Eve who is helping her dearly loved grandmother, a renowned adventurer and mountaineer, write her memoirs. When Rachel finds a collection of letters, secrets hidden for many years finally see the light of day. What will it mean for these three women?
Having enjoyed a couple of this author’s previous novels and especially The Botanist’s Daughter, I couldn’t wait to get started on this one. Right from the start, it did not disappoint. The three women who are the focus of this novel are all very different and all interesting. I liked the interaction too with other patients at the mental asylum and getting to know them and their individual problems. With interesting characters and the setting in each case stunningly portrayed, what’s not to like. And then there is the mystery as well as a love story.
Every time I had to put this book down I couldn’t wait to pick it back up again. The whole gamut of emotions were engaged. Hard to believe that committing your wife to a mental asylum could still exist so easily in 1951. Poignant and involving this novel could not fail to capture me and keep me hooked. Interesting too to read the author’s notes in the acknowledgements pages. An eye-opener of a story.
Having enjoyed a couple of this author’s previous novels and especially The Botanist’s Daughter, I couldn’t wait to get started on this one. Right from the start, it did not disappoint. The three women who are the focus of this novel are all very different and all interesting. I liked the interaction too with other patients at the mental asylum and getting to know them and their individual problems. With interesting characters and the setting in each case stunningly portrayed, what’s not to like. And then there is the mystery as well as a love story.
Every time I had to put this book down I couldn’t wait to pick it back up again. The whole gamut of emotions were engaged. Hard to believe that committing your wife to a mental asylum could still exist so easily in 1951. Poignant and involving this novel could not fail to capture me and keep me hooked. Interesting too to read the author’s notes in the acknowledgements pages. An eye-opener of a story.
February 8, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Australia and Kayte Nunn for my digital copy of her new book : The Forgotten Letters Of Esther Durrant and I really enjoyed reading this book.
In 1951, John and Esther Durrant leave to go on a holiday and John has secretly made other plans! Esther finds herself isolated on a small island off the coast of Cornwall, she's not very happy when she discovers that she has been tricked by her husband and he did what he thought was the best for her at the time.
Esther is staying at a private mental asylum run by an old school friend of her husbands and his name is Doctor Richard Cresswell.
Esther discovers that she's the only female patient being treated at the private sanatorium all the other patients are men who are being treated for shell shock.
She soon finds out that she can't leave the island, it's in a very remote area, obviously the only way in or out is by boat, she soon settles in and makes friends with her fellow patients. Esther soon discovers how peaceful life is on the island and it's exactly what she needs. Esther has been consumed by grief and she needs time to heal. The Island is the perfect place to do this, plenty of fresh air, good food, she starts going for walks around the island and begins to regain her strength.
In 2017, marine scientist Rachel Parker is employed to do a research project around the small islands off the coast of Cornwall. She's a free spirited Aussie, she uses her job as a way of traveling the world and she doesn't stay in the one place for very long and she likes to move on to the next challenge.
The Forgotten Letters Of Esther Durrant is a book with a dual timeline, it flows easily between 1951 to 2017.
Esther is now in her 90's and she had a fall, she's being cared for by her grand daughter Eve who has put her own life on hold to look after her Gran and help her get back on her feet.
One Day Rachel decides to take her tinny out to do some research when she gets caught in a bad storm and she ends up being marooned on the same island that Esther stayed on so many years ago.
Rachel finds shelter in the same old house, she's rescued by a lady called Leah a recluse who lives on the island and she's also using the island as a way of escaping from the world.
Leah gave Rachel a suitcase with some women's clothes in it, as she has nothing to wear and Rachel finds some old letters hidden in the suitcase.
Once she is rescued Rachel decides to try and find out who wrote the letters and why they never posted them?
The Forgotten Letters Of Esther Durrant is a beautiful story, it's about how the mind, body and soul can be healed. Finding friendship in the last place you might expect and falling in love. I gave it four stars and I'm now very keen to read Kayte Nunn's first book called The Botanist's Daughter.
I shared my review on Goodreads, NetGalley, Twitter, Australian Amazon and on my blog.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
In 1951, John and Esther Durrant leave to go on a holiday and John has secretly made other plans! Esther finds herself isolated on a small island off the coast of Cornwall, she's not very happy when she discovers that she has been tricked by her husband and he did what he thought was the best for her at the time.
Esther is staying at a private mental asylum run by an old school friend of her husbands and his name is Doctor Richard Cresswell.
Esther discovers that she's the only female patient being treated at the private sanatorium all the other patients are men who are being treated for shell shock.
She soon finds out that she can't leave the island, it's in a very remote area, obviously the only way in or out is by boat, she soon settles in and makes friends with her fellow patients. Esther soon discovers how peaceful life is on the island and it's exactly what she needs. Esther has been consumed by grief and she needs time to heal. The Island is the perfect place to do this, plenty of fresh air, good food, she starts going for walks around the island and begins to regain her strength.
In 2017, marine scientist Rachel Parker is employed to do a research project around the small islands off the coast of Cornwall. She's a free spirited Aussie, she uses her job as a way of traveling the world and she doesn't stay in the one place for very long and she likes to move on to the next challenge.
The Forgotten Letters Of Esther Durrant is a book with a dual timeline, it flows easily between 1951 to 2017.
Esther is now in her 90's and she had a fall, she's being cared for by her grand daughter Eve who has put her own life on hold to look after her Gran and help her get back on her feet.
One Day Rachel decides to take her tinny out to do some research when she gets caught in a bad storm and she ends up being marooned on the same island that Esther stayed on so many years ago.
Rachel finds shelter in the same old house, she's rescued by a lady called Leah a recluse who lives on the island and she's also using the island as a way of escaping from the world.
Leah gave Rachel a suitcase with some women's clothes in it, as she has nothing to wear and Rachel finds some old letters hidden in the suitcase.
Once she is rescued Rachel decides to try and find out who wrote the letters and why they never posted them?
The Forgotten Letters Of Esther Durrant is a beautiful story, it's about how the mind, body and soul can be healed. Finding friendship in the last place you might expect and falling in love. I gave it four stars and I'm now very keen to read Kayte Nunn's first book called The Botanist's Daughter.
I shared my review on Goodreads, NetGalley, Twitter, Australian Amazon and on my blog.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
May 27, 2019
‘A seam of light escaping heavy curtains that had been drawn across a window came into focus and she raised her head to fully appraise herself of her surroundings. She had no idea where she was. Beneath her, an eiderdown, on top of her a blanket, though she was clothed beneath it. She tried to move her arms but found that they were securely wrapped around her waist. A coarse fabric chafed at her neck. She rolled to one side in an attempt to free her arms, but it was in vain. She had been bound. The design of the garment was such that it could not be torn, could not be loosened. She’d heard of such things, but never actually seen one: a strong dress.’
I first heard of this novel via a short publicity Q&A with the author, Kayte Nunn, in which she highlighted that the inspiration for this novel was two fold: from childhood wanderings through the ruins of an abandoned mental asylum, and from the real story of her own great-grandmother, who was committed to a mental hospital with post-natal depression when her son was a small boy, and tragically, she spent the rest of her life there. Both sources of inspiration struck me as profoundly sad, yet also, quite intriguing. I made a note then and there that this was a novel I would be reading as soon as I got my hands on a copy. It did not disappoint.
‘Esther was dumbfounded. He’d left her there? She’d heard of husbands committing their wives to insane asylums – for she was under no illusion now, that is what this godforsaken place must surely be – but had never imagined John would do such a thing to her, despite everything that had happened. She’d always believed that he loved her; depended on his kindness. Would he have really thought this the most appropriate course of action?’
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is an exploration of mental illness at a time when respectful care was still in its infancy. Esther is incarcerated, at the will of her husband, at a remote private hospice, located on an island off the Cornish coast. She is the only female patient, the other patients all being ex-soldiers suffering from different degrees of post traumatic stress. There is a lot of sadness threaded through this story, but it rings true. The doctor in charge is a caring, empathic, intelligent man who wants nothing more than to bring his patients back to a point where they can successfully live in society. He doesn’t use medication, and with the exception of the straight jacket for patient safety, he also doesn’t used barbaric methods of treatment. I felt that these sections were crafted beautifully; containing a great deal of sadness, but tinged with hope. What happened to Esther was tragic: the loss, the lack of compassion and support, the judgement, and then the eventual betrayal from her husband – all seemingly par for the course in keeping with the era. Now that’s a tragedy.
‘They must have taken Samuel away from me. I still don’t know where he went. I never saw him again, never even got to say goodbye.’ She twisted her hands on the chair. ‘There wasn’t a burial and I was in too much of a fog to ask why not. It was only later that John told me they had taken his body to hospital. To see if they could find out what had happened to him. He let them do that, to his own son!’ She spat the words out. ‘They never gave him back.’
‘Oh Esther, I’m sorry,’ he said. Hearing her tell the story, even though John had told him some of it already, made his heart ache for her.
‘There’s no grave, no way of sending his poor soul to heaven, no way of telling him how sorry I was, how I had let him down, that it was all my fault, that I hadn’t loved him as a mother should.’
The narration exists within two distinct timelines, but with three main characters. The author showed a lot of skill with this, and I really enjoyed how she connected these via her unravelling of the story. Kayte Nunn is certainly at home with this style of writing. The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is a quiet novel, an unfolding of a story in layers, the mystery and drama almost reserved. I liked this about it, a good, solid story that was devoid of dramatic overplay; the characterisation was subtle too, each uniquely rendered, yet not over shadowing the story, or each other. This really was my ideal novel and I loved it. It’s deeply moving, contemplative, and absorbing. Highly recommended.
Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of The Forgotten Letters Of Esther Durrant for review
I first heard of this novel via a short publicity Q&A with the author, Kayte Nunn, in which she highlighted that the inspiration for this novel was two fold: from childhood wanderings through the ruins of an abandoned mental asylum, and from the real story of her own great-grandmother, who was committed to a mental hospital with post-natal depression when her son was a small boy, and tragically, she spent the rest of her life there. Both sources of inspiration struck me as profoundly sad, yet also, quite intriguing. I made a note then and there that this was a novel I would be reading as soon as I got my hands on a copy. It did not disappoint.
‘Esther was dumbfounded. He’d left her there? She’d heard of husbands committing their wives to insane asylums – for she was under no illusion now, that is what this godforsaken place must surely be – but had never imagined John would do such a thing to her, despite everything that had happened. She’d always believed that he loved her; depended on his kindness. Would he have really thought this the most appropriate course of action?’
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is an exploration of mental illness at a time when respectful care was still in its infancy. Esther is incarcerated, at the will of her husband, at a remote private hospice, located on an island off the Cornish coast. She is the only female patient, the other patients all being ex-soldiers suffering from different degrees of post traumatic stress. There is a lot of sadness threaded through this story, but it rings true. The doctor in charge is a caring, empathic, intelligent man who wants nothing more than to bring his patients back to a point where they can successfully live in society. He doesn’t use medication, and with the exception of the straight jacket for patient safety, he also doesn’t used barbaric methods of treatment. I felt that these sections were crafted beautifully; containing a great deal of sadness, but tinged with hope. What happened to Esther was tragic: the loss, the lack of compassion and support, the judgement, and then the eventual betrayal from her husband – all seemingly par for the course in keeping with the era. Now that’s a tragedy.
‘They must have taken Samuel away from me. I still don’t know where he went. I never saw him again, never even got to say goodbye.’ She twisted her hands on the chair. ‘There wasn’t a burial and I was in too much of a fog to ask why not. It was only later that John told me they had taken his body to hospital. To see if they could find out what had happened to him. He let them do that, to his own son!’ She spat the words out. ‘They never gave him back.’
‘Oh Esther, I’m sorry,’ he said. Hearing her tell the story, even though John had told him some of it already, made his heart ache for her.
‘There’s no grave, no way of sending his poor soul to heaven, no way of telling him how sorry I was, how I had let him down, that it was all my fault, that I hadn’t loved him as a mother should.’
The narration exists within two distinct timelines, but with three main characters. The author showed a lot of skill with this, and I really enjoyed how she connected these via her unravelling of the story. Kayte Nunn is certainly at home with this style of writing. The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is a quiet novel, an unfolding of a story in layers, the mystery and drama almost reserved. I liked this about it, a good, solid story that was devoid of dramatic overplay; the characterisation was subtle too, each uniquely rendered, yet not over shadowing the story, or each other. This really was my ideal novel and I loved it. It’s deeply moving, contemplative, and absorbing. Highly recommended.
Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of The Forgotten Letters Of Esther Durrant for review
May 13, 2024
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is a terrific historical fiction novel from Australian author Kayte Nunn. Unfolding in dual timelines (1950s and 2018), the story is told from three character perspectives: Rachel (Marine Scientist), Esther Durrant (of the title) and Eve, looking after her grandmother in London.
It has to be said that I'm not usually a fan of romance novels or a great love story, but somehow Kayte Nunn tricked me by writing such a compelling historical fiction novel about a woman committed to a mental asylum by her husband in the 1950s, that the romance elements kind of snuck up on me.
Esther Durrant is a young mother committed to a private hospice by her husband with the very best of intentions for her care and recovery. It's 1951 and Esther is outraged when she finds herself trapped at Little Embers, which seems to be little more than a mental asylum. She has no choice but to surrender to the treatment being offered to her and the other patients in residence; men suffering shell shock and PTSD from the war.
Rachel takes up her new research post in the Isles of Scilly, off the Cornish coast and soon comes across the isolated island location of Little Embers. It's there that she discovers a number of incredibly moving letters secreted away in an old suitcase. (Although by the end of the novel, there's never an explanation for why the suitcase wasn't 'sent on' as planned).
In London, Eve is taking care of her grandmother - a retired mountaineer - and helping to write her memoir. These three storylines intertwined exceptionally well with just the right amount of time spent with each character.
The location was vividly described and I enjoyed the remote locality and the rugged wilderness of the Isles of Scilly in both timelines. However I'm not convinced the cover accurately conveyed the content or feel of the novel for me. Perhaps an image of the mental asylum on a remote island with a pair of hiking boots next to the door step would have encompassed the feel of the novel better for me. I also have no idea why there’s a butterfly on the cover.
The promo for this novel promises it will appeal to readers who love Elizabeth Gilbert and Kate Morton. I heartily agree with this. However, I'd go one step further to say that Kayte Nunn achieves her story in a far more compact and precise way than Elizabeth Gilbert did in The Signature of All Things and managed the timelines far better than Kate Morton did in her last novel The Clockmaker's Daughter .
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is highly recommended for historical fiction fans; even those who don't typically enjoy a romance.
* Copy courtesy of Hachette Australia *
It has to be said that I'm not usually a fan of romance novels or a great love story, but somehow Kayte Nunn tricked me by writing such a compelling historical fiction novel about a woman committed to a mental asylum by her husband in the 1950s, that the romance elements kind of snuck up on me.
Esther Durrant is a young mother committed to a private hospice by her husband with the very best of intentions for her care and recovery. It's 1951 and Esther is outraged when she finds herself trapped at Little Embers, which seems to be little more than a mental asylum. She has no choice but to surrender to the treatment being offered to her and the other patients in residence; men suffering shell shock and PTSD from the war.
Rachel takes up her new research post in the Isles of Scilly, off the Cornish coast and soon comes across the isolated island location of Little Embers. It's there that she discovers a number of incredibly moving letters secreted away in an old suitcase. (Although by the end of the novel, there's never an explanation for why the suitcase wasn't 'sent on' as planned).
In London, Eve is taking care of her grandmother - a retired mountaineer - and helping to write her memoir. These three storylines intertwined exceptionally well with just the right amount of time spent with each character.
The location was vividly described and I enjoyed the remote locality and the rugged wilderness of the Isles of Scilly in both timelines. However I'm not convinced the cover accurately conveyed the content or feel of the novel for me. Perhaps an image of the mental asylum on a remote island with a pair of hiking boots next to the door step would have encompassed the feel of the novel better for me. I also have no idea why there’s a butterfly on the cover.
The promo for this novel promises it will appeal to readers who love Elizabeth Gilbert and Kate Morton. I heartily agree with this. However, I'd go one step further to say that Kayte Nunn achieves her story in a far more compact and precise way than Elizabeth Gilbert did in The Signature of All Things and managed the timelines far better than Kate Morton did in her last novel The Clockmaker's Daughter .
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is highly recommended for historical fiction fans; even those who don't typically enjoy a romance.
* Copy courtesy of Hachette Australia *
May 27, 2019
‘It wasn’t their usual destination for a holiday and the timing was hardly ideal.’
In the autumn of 1951, John and Esther Durrant embarked on what she thought would be a holiday. But Esther quickly discovers that the house on the isolated island off the coast of Cornwall is a private mental asylum. She’s angry with John for committing her to this asylum and frustrated that she is unable to leave. Dr Richard Cresswell, the psychiatrist who runs the asylum, takes a small number of patients. Esther is the first woman; the other patients are men suffering because of their war service. This place of imprisonment soon becomes a refuge.
In the spring of 2018, marine scientist Rachel Parker is chosen to undertake a research project in the islands off the coast of Cornwall. At the same time, in London, Eve is caring for her grandmother and helping her write her memoirs. Eve’s grandmother, now frail, was once a renowned mountaineer.
So what will draw these three separate stories together? The story moves between 1951 and 2018, between Esther’s life on the island, Rachel’s marine research and Eve’s caring for her grandmother. After a violent storm Rachel ends up on the island where Esther was in 1951. The woman who lives in the house, Leah, finds her and takes care of her. And, in an old suitcase full of clothes Leah gives her, Rachel finds some old unsent love letters. Rachel is intrigued: who owned the clothes, and who wrote the letters?
Once rescued from the island, Rachel sets out to try to find both the owner of the clothes, the intended recipient of the letters and the author.
There are several different stories contained within this novel, and I found each of them satisfying. While some of the connections between 1951 and 2018 are obvious, others are more subtle. Each of the women has a story and there are secrets to be revealed. Affairs of the heart are rarely straightforward.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
In the autumn of 1951, John and Esther Durrant embarked on what she thought would be a holiday. But Esther quickly discovers that the house on the isolated island off the coast of Cornwall is a private mental asylum. She’s angry with John for committing her to this asylum and frustrated that she is unable to leave. Dr Richard Cresswell, the psychiatrist who runs the asylum, takes a small number of patients. Esther is the first woman; the other patients are men suffering because of their war service. This place of imprisonment soon becomes a refuge.
In the spring of 2018, marine scientist Rachel Parker is chosen to undertake a research project in the islands off the coast of Cornwall. At the same time, in London, Eve is caring for her grandmother and helping her write her memoirs. Eve’s grandmother, now frail, was once a renowned mountaineer.
So what will draw these three separate stories together? The story moves between 1951 and 2018, between Esther’s life on the island, Rachel’s marine research and Eve’s caring for her grandmother. After a violent storm Rachel ends up on the island where Esther was in 1951. The woman who lives in the house, Leah, finds her and takes care of her. And, in an old suitcase full of clothes Leah gives her, Rachel finds some old unsent love letters. Rachel is intrigued: who owned the clothes, and who wrote the letters?
Once rescued from the island, Rachel sets out to try to find both the owner of the clothes, the intended recipient of the letters and the author.
There are several different stories contained within this novel, and I found each of them satisfying. While some of the connections between 1951 and 2018 are obvious, others are more subtle. Each of the women has a story and there are secrets to be revealed. Affairs of the heart are rarely straightforward.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
October 27, 2023
O carte mediocră din punctul meu de vedere, cu o poveste destul de “slăbuță” și cu personaje foarte slab conturate.
Rachel Parker o cercetătoare australiană, ajunge din pricina unei furtuni violente pe o insulă pustie, din aproprierea coastei Cornwall, unde este găzduită de Leah, o artistă misterioasă, retrasă într-un conac vechi.
Aceasta descoperă o serie de scrisori de dragoste ascunse, scrise cu mai bine de jumătate de secol în urmă, și se hotărăște să găsească destinatara și autorul acestor misive uitate de timp și de lume.
Rachel Parker o cercetătoare australiană, ajunge din pricina unei furtuni violente pe o insulă pustie, din aproprierea coastei Cornwall, unde este găzduită de Leah, o artistă misterioasă, retrasă într-un conac vechi.
Aceasta descoperă o serie de scrisori de dragoste ascunse, scrise cu mai bine de jumătate de secol în urmă, și se hotărăște să găsească destinatara și autorul acestor misive uitate de timp și de lume.
March 5, 2020
Beautifully-written and full of romance, nostalgia, mystery, and intrigue, The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant by Kayte Nunn is a story of two women whose stories intertwine across history and through shared emotions. Beautiful and powerful!
It is no secret that I am finishing up my PhD in psychology, and I am very passionate about mental health and women’s issues. This book just spoke to me on so many levels, I found it to be a powerful story exploring the challenges women have faced throughout history.
Told in dual timelines and woven together through a collection of letters that are found in the present and link to the past, the structure of this book kept me captivated. I’ve always loved when books center around letters or journals from the past that open up a mystery to solve through time. In Nunn’s latest novel, I felt this magical thread that seemed to connect two women across history, and presented us with the takeaway that women’s challenges transcend time, no matter how much progress we have made.
When Rachel Parker find a suitcase of letters during her research, she becomes fascinated with the woman who wrote them. The letters lead her to more questions than answers, and she is determined to find the intended recipient of the letters. In 1951, Esther Durrant was a wife and mother, committed to a mental health hospital (let’s be real… a mental asylum) against her will.
Rachel tracks the mystery of the letters down until she finds a woman named Eve, whose grandmother Esther wrote the letters containing references to a secret Esther was harboring. Now, Eve cares for her grandmother at the end of her life, when Rachel finds them in search of the key to the mystery of those forgotten letters.
Full of warmth and heart, I connected with all three women characters in the book. In a story of the strength that women bring to life, even at their most damaged and vulnerable, I lost myself in the best way.
Thank you to TLC book tours for my copy. Opinions are my own.
It is no secret that I am finishing up my PhD in psychology, and I am very passionate about mental health and women’s issues. This book just spoke to me on so many levels, I found it to be a powerful story exploring the challenges women have faced throughout history.
Told in dual timelines and woven together through a collection of letters that are found in the present and link to the past, the structure of this book kept me captivated. I’ve always loved when books center around letters or journals from the past that open up a mystery to solve through time. In Nunn’s latest novel, I felt this magical thread that seemed to connect two women across history, and presented us with the takeaway that women’s challenges transcend time, no matter how much progress we have made.
When Rachel Parker find a suitcase of letters during her research, she becomes fascinated with the woman who wrote them. The letters lead her to more questions than answers, and she is determined to find the intended recipient of the letters. In 1951, Esther Durrant was a wife and mother, committed to a mental health hospital (let’s be real… a mental asylum) against her will.
Rachel tracks the mystery of the letters down until she finds a woman named Eve, whose grandmother Esther wrote the letters containing references to a secret Esther was harboring. Now, Eve cares for her grandmother at the end of her life, when Rachel finds them in search of the key to the mystery of those forgotten letters.
Full of warmth and heart, I connected with all three women characters in the book. In a story of the strength that women bring to life, even at their most damaged and vulnerable, I lost myself in the best way.
Thank you to TLC book tours for my copy. Opinions are my own.
November 12, 2020
What a joyful experience it was reading this well-rendered story. Both of the female protagonists were such interesting characters and I was wondering all the while just how the two tales would converge.
The remote locale and island setting made the book a very atmospheric read. That coupled with the well-developed plot and empathetic characters assured that it will be one of my favourite novels read this year.
If I had to find one fault with it is that the ending seemed to come on suddenly, yet, having said that, the ending did tie up all loose ends and left the reader with a satisfactory feeling.
Long held secrets, forbidden love, and a modern woman's tale, this novel, with its dual timeline, will appeal greatly to fans of such authors as Kate Morton, Rosamund Pilcher, Harriet Evans, and the like.
Highly recommended!
The remote locale and island setting made the book a very atmospheric read. That coupled with the well-developed plot and empathetic characters assured that it will be one of my favourite novels read this year.
If I had to find one fault with it is that the ending seemed to come on suddenly, yet, having said that, the ending did tie up all loose ends and left the reader with a satisfactory feeling.
Long held secrets, forbidden love, and a modern woman's tale, this novel, with its dual timeline, will appeal greatly to fans of such authors as Kate Morton, Rosamund Pilcher, Harriet Evans, and the like.
Highly recommended!
June 24, 2019
I love stories set on isolated, windswept islands so The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant lived up to my expectations. Thanks to Books With Heart Book Club for my copy of the June edition of their group read. I enjoyed Kayte Nun's book immensely.
April 20, 2021
I received a free e-copy of The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant from NetGalley for my honest review.
A wonderfully written book with a dual timeline. It is set in the Archipelago of Scilly Island in the UK,
Once I started this book I was pulled into all of it's emotion. A book of finding love, healing, healing and trust.
A wonderfully written book with a dual timeline. It is set in the Archipelago of Scilly Island in the UK,
Once I started this book I was pulled into all of it's emotion. A book of finding love, healing, healing and trust.
October 20, 2024
Cute little read
January 14, 2020
What a simply beautiful story. Whilst it was predictable it was warm and friendly. You go between two different eras and two strong women. It's captivating and hard to put down. Well done Kayte Nunn! I look forward to more from you.
October 20, 2019
Not for me. It was just too predictable
June 2, 2019
Last year I read and really enjoyed The Botanist's Daughter, so of course I was interested in checking out this author's latest release.
The location might confuse her, but Esther Durrant thinks she's heading out for a nice holiday with her husband. After the heartache she's been through, she's glad for the break. But soon after arriving at the isolated island, she realises something isn't right.
Rachel Parker is an Australian marine scientist who travels all over the world. She doesn't like spending too much time in one place and doesn't do attachments, so her job is perfect. When her latest assignment leads her to an island off the Cornish coast, she discovers a lot more than clams.
Eve lives in London with her grandmother and is helping to take care of her after a bad fall that puts the otherwise strong and independent elderly woman on bedrest. But she's also helping her write a book about her old mountaineering days.
When Rachel finds some letters written by Esther, they lead her to Eve...
Well, that was a nice, well-written novel.
Told in the alternating POV of Esther--as she suffers through a traumatic ordeal--Rachel--as she finds herself in new cold and wet surroundings--and Eve--as she focuses on helping her grandmother while struggling to find her own place in the world. Each woman's story unfolds at their own pace, but complements one another until all the seemingly unconnected pieces fall into place.
My favourite story was Esther's. She was a woman suffering through a terrible loss during a time in history when women were expected to be a certain way no matter what. Even after having the best of intentions, the man she trusted most in her life betrayed her with his secrets and lies. And inadvertently introduces Esther to a passion she wouldn't have discovered otherwise. Or the heartbreak that led her to.
While I mostly enjoyed Rachel's POV because of her independence and peculiar profession, I felt that Eve's and Richard's somewhat pulled me out of the story, and I looked forward to going back to Esther. To be honest, the excess in POVs kept me from fully immersing myself into the story as deeply as I'd hoped.
I have to admit, that while I did enjoy this book overall, I personally didn't feel the same connection and wasn't charmed in the same intoxicating way I was by The Botanist's Daughter. But that's okay, because this is an entirely different story.
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is an interesting tale about the effect women's lives have on the generations that follow. About how their legacies echo into the future, and what happens when secrets rise to the surface.
It also showcases the differences between modern women and the ones who came before. The ones treated like property, and the impossible, heartbreaking choices they had to make just to keep the peace.
These stories are important, and should be shared.
The location might confuse her, but Esther Durrant thinks she's heading out for a nice holiday with her husband. After the heartache she's been through, she's glad for the break. But soon after arriving at the isolated island, she realises something isn't right.
Rachel Parker is an Australian marine scientist who travels all over the world. She doesn't like spending too much time in one place and doesn't do attachments, so her job is perfect. When her latest assignment leads her to an island off the Cornish coast, she discovers a lot more than clams.
Eve lives in London with her grandmother and is helping to take care of her after a bad fall that puts the otherwise strong and independent elderly woman on bedrest. But she's also helping her write a book about her old mountaineering days.
When Rachel finds some letters written by Esther, they lead her to Eve...
Well, that was a nice, well-written novel.
Told in the alternating POV of Esther--as she suffers through a traumatic ordeal--Rachel--as she finds herself in new cold and wet surroundings--and Eve--as she focuses on helping her grandmother while struggling to find her own place in the world. Each woman's story unfolds at their own pace, but complements one another until all the seemingly unconnected pieces fall into place.
My favourite story was Esther's. She was a woman suffering through a terrible loss during a time in history when women were expected to be a certain way no matter what. Even after having the best of intentions, the man she trusted most in her life betrayed her with his secrets and lies. And inadvertently introduces Esther to a passion she wouldn't have discovered otherwise. Or the heartbreak that led her to.
While I mostly enjoyed Rachel's POV because of her independence and peculiar profession, I felt that Eve's and Richard's somewhat pulled me out of the story, and I looked forward to going back to Esther. To be honest, the excess in POVs kept me from fully immersing myself into the story as deeply as I'd hoped.
I have to admit, that while I did enjoy this book overall, I personally didn't feel the same connection and wasn't charmed in the same intoxicating way I was by The Botanist's Daughter. But that's okay, because this is an entirely different story.
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is an interesting tale about the effect women's lives have on the generations that follow. About how their legacies echo into the future, and what happens when secrets rise to the surface.
It also showcases the differences between modern women and the ones who came before. The ones treated like property, and the impossible, heartbreaking choices they had to make just to keep the peace.
These stories are important, and should be shared.
December 8, 2023
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant is an accomplished dual time story in which I was equally engaged by both the past and present day stories, something that doesn't always happen in such books. I also liked the setting of the Scilly Isles, one I haven't come across before in a work of fiction.
The chapters that gradually reveal Esther's story shine a light on the lack of understanding about post-natal depression. Indeed it is regarded as a form of madness. The way in which Esther's despair manifests itself is treated not with kindness but with crude measures of control, and she is effectively duped into travelling to the island of Little Embers by her husband. Is he doing so to rid himself of a "problem" or because he believes, perhaps misguidedly, it is the best way to help her?
As it happens, Dr Richard Creswell, the psychiatrist in charge of the hospital (which is actually just a large but remote house) is more enlightened than many of his peers. Ahead of his time, he believes in what today we would call talking therapies and the healing power of nature. This enlightened attitude is also apparent in his treatment of the other patients under his care, all of whom are struggling with the after effects - both mental and physical - of their experiences during the war. As one of them confides to Esther, 'People like us have to find a way to live with our sorrow, for it can never be banished forever' and touchingly the patients do become a kind of family for one another.
I liked the way the small, remote island of Little Embers initially appears bleak, mirroring Esther's troubled state of mind when she first arrives, but begins to show its beauty as the process of her recovery begins. 'The tranche of shifting grey-blue sea lay like a hammered metal sheet... pockmarked with islets and swarming with seabirds hovering on currents of warmer air.' But what never leaves her is her sadness at being parted from her five-year old son, Teddy. She finds solace in her daily meetings with Dr Creswell that begin as counselling sessions but develop into conversations about a shared love of music and literature.
In the modern day storyline, Rachel's discovery of a cache of letters, written but never sent, reveal an abiding love of the kind she has never experienced herself. Moving from place to place, she has never formed - or wanted to form - any lasting attachments, unwilling to be tied down to any one person. Like Esther, it's the Scilly Isles (in this case the main island of St. Mary's) and its spirit of community - and one particular member of that community - that starts to make her think there is nothing to be feared from setting down roots.
The identity of the writer of the letters and the intended recipient are not hard to guess but I don't think the author intended it to be so. The different threads come together in a very satisfying way revealing a moving story of two people whose moral principles kept them apart for decades. You may need some tissues handy at the end.
The chapters that gradually reveal Esther's story shine a light on the lack of understanding about post-natal depression. Indeed it is regarded as a form of madness. The way in which Esther's despair manifests itself is treated not with kindness but with crude measures of control, and she is effectively duped into travelling to the island of Little Embers by her husband. Is he doing so to rid himself of a "problem" or because he believes, perhaps misguidedly, it is the best way to help her?
As it happens, Dr Richard Creswell, the psychiatrist in charge of the hospital (which is actually just a large but remote house) is more enlightened than many of his peers. Ahead of his time, he believes in what today we would call talking therapies and the healing power of nature. This enlightened attitude is also apparent in his treatment of the other patients under his care, all of whom are struggling with the after effects - both mental and physical - of their experiences during the war. As one of them confides to Esther, 'People like us have to find a way to live with our sorrow, for it can never be banished forever' and touchingly the patients do become a kind of family for one another.
I liked the way the small, remote island of Little Embers initially appears bleak, mirroring Esther's troubled state of mind when she first arrives, but begins to show its beauty as the process of her recovery begins. 'The tranche of shifting grey-blue sea lay like a hammered metal sheet... pockmarked with islets and swarming with seabirds hovering on currents of warmer air.' But what never leaves her is her sadness at being parted from her five-year old son, Teddy. She finds solace in her daily meetings with Dr Creswell that begin as counselling sessions but develop into conversations about a shared love of music and literature.
In the modern day storyline, Rachel's discovery of a cache of letters, written but never sent, reveal an abiding love of the kind she has never experienced herself. Moving from place to place, she has never formed - or wanted to form - any lasting attachments, unwilling to be tied down to any one person. Like Esther, it's the Scilly Isles (in this case the main island of St. Mary's) and its spirit of community - and one particular member of that community - that starts to make her think there is nothing to be feared from setting down roots.
The identity of the writer of the letters and the intended recipient are not hard to guess but I don't think the author intended it to be so. The different threads come together in a very satisfying way revealing a moving story of two people whose moral principles kept them apart for decades. You may need some tissues handy at the end.
June 8, 2019
This is a story that I found very hard to put down, the story of two woman one in the 1950’s and one in 2018 and the story of a love that lasts for over sixty years, the strength and courage shown by Esther and what she went through back in 1950 will have you turning the pages, a fabulous story that I highly recommend.
Esther Durrant is a young wife and mother living in England, it is 1951 and she has been sent away to an isolated island is the Scilly Isles by her husband to get help from a psychiatrist who seems to be having some success with his patients, after the birth of her second child. Esther soon finds that this island will bring her back from the dark and help her into the future even if there are secrets that are kept for many years. Lives will change on this island.
Rachel Parker is a marine biologist and has just taken up a new position on the Scilly Isles, she is strong and very independent an Australian who has traveled a lot and never settled down, during a storm she gets washed onto rocks and rescued by a recluse Leah and while she is staying at the house she comes across a collection of hidden love letters that have been there for years, Rachel is pulled in by the love that flows from these letter and is determined to discover the writer and who the recipient should have been.
In England 2018 Eve is helping her grandmother with her autobiography learning about her mountaineering life that had kept her going for many years when Eve is contacted by a Rachel, requesting to visit with Esther, this starts a new chain of events that will uncover secrets that have been kept for over sixty years.
This is a moving and compelling story, I loved the setting Scilly Isles sounds beautiful the people that we meet, what they went through and why they were on the island is heartbreaking. But getting to know Richard Creswell the doctor and his way of treating people was uplifting in ways as well and the ending is just the best there were happy tears, I really did enjoy this book, a fabulous read that is sure to be enjoyed by many people.
Esther Durrant is a young wife and mother living in England, it is 1951 and she has been sent away to an isolated island is the Scilly Isles by her husband to get help from a psychiatrist who seems to be having some success with his patients, after the birth of her second child. Esther soon finds that this island will bring her back from the dark and help her into the future even if there are secrets that are kept for many years. Lives will change on this island.
Rachel Parker is a marine biologist and has just taken up a new position on the Scilly Isles, she is strong and very independent an Australian who has traveled a lot and never settled down, during a storm she gets washed onto rocks and rescued by a recluse Leah and while she is staying at the house she comes across a collection of hidden love letters that have been there for years, Rachel is pulled in by the love that flows from these letter and is determined to discover the writer and who the recipient should have been.
In England 2018 Eve is helping her grandmother with her autobiography learning about her mountaineering life that had kept her going for many years when Eve is contacted by a Rachel, requesting to visit with Esther, this starts a new chain of events that will uncover secrets that have been kept for over sixty years.
This is a moving and compelling story, I loved the setting Scilly Isles sounds beautiful the people that we meet, what they went through and why they were on the island is heartbreaking. But getting to know Richard Creswell the doctor and his way of treating people was uplifting in ways as well and the ending is just the best there were happy tears, I really did enjoy this book, a fabulous read that is sure to be enjoyed by many people.
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April 16, 2020Even the things left unsaid may yet still be heard.
1951: When Esther Durrant, is committed to an isolated mental asylum by her husband, she thinks it will be nothing more than a prison. Run by an unconventional psychiatrist, she never expects for it to become her refuge.
2018: Embarking on a new job, Rachel Parker comes to the Isles of Scilly, off the Cornish Coast. When a violent storm forces her to take shelter on a far-flung island, she discovers a collection of unsent love letters. Moved by the the tenderness they convey, she attempts to track down the person they were meant for. But she has no idea how many hearts will be affected by her discovery.
2018: As Eve sits down with her grandmother in London to write her memoirs, she's ready to hear all of her grandmother's stories. But when she accepts a phone call from Rachel, it sets in motion a chain of events that just might reveal secrets that have been buried for more than sixty years.
A story of healing hearts 60 years apart. A tale of a love that wasn't meant to be.
Trigger warnings for depression, steamy scenes, injury of a loved one, parental death, drugging, unintentional self harm (scratching), sexism, mental illness of a parent, grief, mental breakdowns, smoking, suicide, mention of addiction, ****SPOILER TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR death of a child, misconduct, and suicide of an LGBTQ+ character****.
A huge thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks and Kayte Nunn for my arc giveaway win. All opinions are my own.
Sad, listless Esther had been swallowed by her grief. Even though she found it hard to care about much of anything, she was in so much pain, and my heart just went out to her. Between the trauma that had brought her to Little Embers and being left there with no way to leave, forced to process what happened, the young mother was at a loss. I may not have liked all the choices she made, but I really appreciated seeing her take up gardening, gradually confide in Dr. Cresswell and the others, take part in the island, and truly begin to enjoy life again.
Independent, strong-willed Rachel was a bit of a loner. A self-proclaimed rolling stone, she didn't foresee getting attached to the Isles of Scilly. Wether searching and observing aquatic life for her job, discovering the beauty of the islands, or uniting the love letters with their intended recipient, she was a seeker through and through. Her passionate, persistent nature followed her through all areas of her life. It was interesting to see this stubborn, steadfast soul slowly soften her edges.
From others tormented by their own experiences to a closed off, secretive soul, unexpected friendships were found on Little Embers Island. Each of the well-formed characters were suffering and healing from their own pain. Creatively smart, I adored how some of Esther's fellow patients were dealing with traumas that reflected the war and the rest of the time period. In their respective timelines, the bonds these people formed with Esther and Rachel truly changed the women's lives. However, one of the supporting cast's fate really left a sour taste in my mouth. It was a pleasure to get to know Robbie, George, Wilke, Eve, and Leah.
When you pour out your heart and find yourself in love, it has a funny way of spilling on everyone in your life. Esther and Rachel's journeys in love looked very different, but eerily the same. One used to making sacrifices, and one finding out just how devastating of a sacrifice she eventually had to make, both of them were scared to see where their hearts went. Unfortunately, I found Esther's love story hard to get behind. Told from a couple of different perspectives, we didn't really get to experience love with her, rather we were told about the pitter patters of her heart. True to her character, Rachel's was stubbornly sweet.
We hear the echoes of our choices, the good and the bad, for the rest of our lives. A tale of forbidden love, long kept secrets, and dealing with pain that tears us apart from the inside, Esther and Rachel made choices that broke and repaired hearts. It may have taken a while for the events of both timelines to truly coincide, but the slow build up gave time for each woman's story to play out, and made me eager for them to merge. Stunningly set against the backdrop of the Isles of Scilly, Kayte Nunn gorgeously depicted the primary location of her story of healing hearts. No less poignant, the statements about grieving, healing, and rediscovering life lacked the needed subtlety and nuance. As much as I loved the tone, the characters, and the interesting, uplifting take on mental health in the 1950's, I couldn't help but feel like we were missing key parts of the historical fiction. Instead of being able to feel along side the characters, witness important conversations and events, we were merely told that they were happening. However, I did love this story, and the author's note made me appreciate it all the more.
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant proves those who touch our hearts are not easily
forgotten.
1951: When Esther Durrant, is committed to an isolated mental asylum by her husband, she thinks it will be nothing more than a prison. Run by an unconventional psychiatrist, she never expects for it to become her refuge.
2018: Embarking on a new job, Rachel Parker comes to the Isles of Scilly, off the Cornish Coast. When a violent storm forces her to take shelter on a far-flung island, she discovers a collection of unsent love letters. Moved by the the tenderness they convey, she attempts to track down the person they were meant for. But she has no idea how many hearts will be affected by her discovery.
2018: As Eve sits down with her grandmother in London to write her memoirs, she's ready to hear all of her grandmother's stories. But when she accepts a phone call from Rachel, it sets in motion a chain of events that just might reveal secrets that have been buried for more than sixty years.
A story of healing hearts 60 years apart. A tale of a love that wasn't meant to be.
Trigger warnings for depression, steamy scenes, injury of a loved one, parental death, drugging, unintentional self harm (scratching), sexism, mental illness of a parent, grief, mental breakdowns, smoking, suicide, mention of addiction, ****SPOILER TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR death of a child, misconduct, and suicide of an LGBTQ+ character****.
A huge thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks and Kayte Nunn for my arc giveaway win. All opinions are my own.
Sad, listless Esther had been swallowed by her grief. Even though she found it hard to care about much of anything, she was in so much pain, and my heart just went out to her. Between the trauma that had brought her to Little Embers and being left there with no way to leave, forced to process what happened, the young mother was at a loss. I may not have liked all the choices she made, but I really appreciated seeing her take up gardening, gradually confide in Dr. Cresswell and the others, take part in the island, and truly begin to enjoy life again.
Independent, strong-willed Rachel was a bit of a loner. A self-proclaimed rolling stone, she didn't foresee getting attached to the Isles of Scilly. Wether searching and observing aquatic life for her job, discovering the beauty of the islands, or uniting the love letters with their intended recipient, she was a seeker through and through. Her passionate, persistent nature followed her through all areas of her life. It was interesting to see this stubborn, steadfast soul slowly soften her edges.
From others tormented by their own experiences to a closed off, secretive soul, unexpected friendships were found on Little Embers Island. Each of the well-formed characters were suffering and healing from their own pain. Creatively smart, I adored how some of Esther's fellow patients were dealing with traumas that reflected the war and the rest of the time period. In their respective timelines, the bonds these people formed with Esther and Rachel truly changed the women's lives. However, one of the supporting cast's fate really left a sour taste in my mouth. It was a pleasure to get to know Robbie, George, Wilke, Eve, and Leah.
When you pour out your heart and find yourself in love, it has a funny way of spilling on everyone in your life. Esther and Rachel's journeys in love looked very different, but eerily the same. One used to making sacrifices, and one finding out just how devastating of a sacrifice she eventually had to make, both of them were scared to see where their hearts went. Unfortunately, I found Esther's love story hard to get behind. Told from a couple of different perspectives, we didn't really get to experience love with her, rather we were told about the pitter patters of her heart. True to her character, Rachel's was stubbornly sweet.
We hear the echoes of our choices, the good and the bad, for the rest of our lives. A tale of forbidden love, long kept secrets, and dealing with pain that tears us apart from the inside, Esther and Rachel made choices that broke and repaired hearts. It may have taken a while for the events of both timelines to truly coincide, but the slow build up gave time for each woman's story to play out, and made me eager for them to merge. Stunningly set against the backdrop of the Isles of Scilly, Kayte Nunn gorgeously depicted the primary location of her story of healing hearts. No less poignant, the statements about grieving, healing, and rediscovering life lacked the needed subtlety and nuance. As much as I loved the tone, the characters, and the interesting, uplifting take on mental health in the 1950's, I couldn't help but feel like we were missing key parts of the historical fiction. Instead of being able to feel along side the characters, witness important conversations and events, we were merely told that they were happening. However, I did love this story, and the author's note made me appreciate it all the more.
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant proves those who touch our hearts are not easily
forgotten.
March 10, 2020
It is crazy to me to think that only a few decades ago, husbands were allowed to commit their wives for mental issues. This is the story of Esther Durrant, who leaves home with her husband thinking they’re going on vacation only to find that he is leaving her at a private and isolated treatment facility for mental issues because he thinks she needs it.
1951: Esther Durrant is left at a small facility with a few other gentleman residents. These are men that have served in the military and have issues that require treatment related to their service. The men and the doctor there are kind to her, but she still is angry at her husband for deceiving her. She is left there for a pre-determined time and it is left to the discretion of the doctor as to whether or not her treatment has been successful. If so, she will be allowed to return home. Esther misses her young son terribly but at the same time, she grows to enjoy life on the isolated island where the treatment facility is located. She befriends the other residents and the doctor
2018: Eve has put her life on hold in order to take care of her grandmother, who was injured after a fall. Her grandmother has had an adventurous life and Eve is helping her write a memoir. Rachel is a marine scientist who is working on a research assignment. When she ends up crashing her boat on a small, isolated island, she finds some wonderful love letters that were written back in the 1950’s, but it looks like they were never mailed. Rachel wants to use her investigative skills to track down the intended recipient of the letters.
The three POV’s blend together well and I felt invested in the story and how things would end. I was surprised to find out who wrote the love letters and I was curious about what Rachel would uncover when she began her search for the people connected to the letter. I enjoyed all three POV’s, but I have to say that I was most captivated by Esther’s story. I connected to her feelings about motherhood and the child she was separated from, and I also felt her anger and confusion at her husband for leaving her in that place like he did. I also felt deeply for the other residents, and their stories resonated with me. It’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the story that Eve and Rachel told, but I really felt swept away by the story that took place during Esther’s time on the island during the 1950’s.
I think that people that enjoy dual-timeline historical fiction stories will enjoy this one. There is a little bit of mystery involving the letters, which was fun for me, and there is also a little bit of romance.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, William Morrow Books!
1951: Esther Durrant is left at a small facility with a few other gentleman residents. These are men that have served in the military and have issues that require treatment related to their service. The men and the doctor there are kind to her, but she still is angry at her husband for deceiving her. She is left there for a pre-determined time and it is left to the discretion of the doctor as to whether or not her treatment has been successful. If so, she will be allowed to return home. Esther misses her young son terribly but at the same time, she grows to enjoy life on the isolated island where the treatment facility is located. She befriends the other residents and the doctor
2018: Eve has put her life on hold in order to take care of her grandmother, who was injured after a fall. Her grandmother has had an adventurous life and Eve is helping her write a memoir. Rachel is a marine scientist who is working on a research assignment. When she ends up crashing her boat on a small, isolated island, she finds some wonderful love letters that were written back in the 1950’s, but it looks like they were never mailed. Rachel wants to use her investigative skills to track down the intended recipient of the letters.
The three POV’s blend together well and I felt invested in the story and how things would end. I was surprised to find out who wrote the love letters and I was curious about what Rachel would uncover when she began her search for the people connected to the letter. I enjoyed all three POV’s, but I have to say that I was most captivated by Esther’s story. I connected to her feelings about motherhood and the child she was separated from, and I also felt her anger and confusion at her husband for leaving her in that place like he did. I also felt deeply for the other residents, and their stories resonated with me. It’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the story that Eve and Rachel told, but I really felt swept away by the story that took place during Esther’s time on the island during the 1950’s.
I think that people that enjoy dual-timeline historical fiction stories will enjoy this one. There is a little bit of mystery involving the letters, which was fun for me, and there is also a little bit of romance.
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, William Morrow Books!
March 17, 2019
I love starting a book and immediately feel like you have been wrapped in a snuggly blanket and can settle in for a wonderful read. Kayte Nunn certainly delivers in this captivating tale set on a remote Cornish Island. The indomitable spirits of her characters shine through in this dual timeline as the forgotten letters lead us on an intersecting trail of healing, love and secrets. I didn't want it to end.
January 21, 2020
Fictional history/multigenerational family saga at its best for me with a story that opens in 1951 & runs until 2018. Many themes for female book review clubs! Brava talented author latte Durrant!
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