I don't think I have read a conglomerate work like this--biography, personal essay, literary analysis, fiction. The format serves the subject well. I appreciate that Anna Funder does not serve up a bitter feminist banter, but instead presents what biographers might have missed when documenting Orwell's life and why his wife, Eileen, should get a second look (or more). It's probable the same could be said for many women behind great men. I found the piece to be thoughtful and balanced, and I still have more to ponder on the subject. I received this book as an e-arc from Netgalley.

I love reading about older women, and this book is another gem in the genre. I wish Eileen were as famous as Orwell, but I'm glad I got to know more about her through this book nonetheless. Being a wife in the same profession as your more famous husband is challenging and embarrassing at times, but Eileen was an alpha woman, and the way she dealt with every situation with elan is admirable. I loved the writing and would love to read more books from the author.

This book did not interest me all that much as the chapters did not connect with each other as a single thread to tell a gripping story. Instead, it gave me a feel of a mosaic of interspersed events and it was hard for me to retain my interest till the end.