Freud is always an empathetic writer but this novel has the feel of a retread. Illegitimate babies, punitive Irish nuns, lives of regret and longing... we’ve been here before. It’s a well written saga but the characters aren’t special, nor the story arc. One of this author ‘s less memorable works.

A stunning, resonant novel about the love, hate, promises and betrayals that link there generations of women in a haunting, powerful narrative. Women of all ages will recognize themselves in these brilliantly observed characters because the emotions, if not the context or situation, are so authentically rendered .

This story spans the years from WWII up till the 1960s. It is the story of three women and the trials they face bearing the burdens of unwanted pregnancies, illigitimate children and the rigid views of Catholicism.
This book is researched impeccabily and the writing is poigent and beautiful. Telling the story of the anguish borne by these women, the loneliness and solitude they felt as society shunned them. This novel tells what it means to be a mother, wife, and daughter and it tells of family, lies and secrets kept. All woven intricately into one of the most heart-wrenching, emotional stories I have read lately. This may have hit really close to home for me, I was raised Cathoilic first of all, Catholic schools, the whole nine yards. Secondly, my mother was an unwed mother back in 1963 when it was still considered a disgrace and brought shame to the family. I am the end result of that pregnancy, so I feel deep empathy for these women and what they went through.
This story is not new, it has been told for generations, but the manner in which Esther Freud delivers it is sadly beautiful and poetic.
5 stars, I strongly recommend for all fans of women's fiction. This would be a great book club read with plenty of issues to discuss.
Thank you to the publishers at Ecco publishing and Net Galley for the free ARC copy of this novel, I am leaving my honest review in return.

Three women, three generations.
Concurrently told, the lives of Aiofe, Rosaleen and Kate have been changed by unplanned pregnancies, illegitimate children and the boundaries and views of the Catholic Church. Spanning the years from WWII London to 1960’s Ireland and to present day, Esther Freud shares their stories. Their anguish, solitude and social vilification is cradled with great care.
I have read novels about this period in time and the Magdalene Laundries specifically but none have touched me as this one has. The pain is often palpable as wives, mothers, daughters, family, secrets and lies join in the cost of what it is to be human.
Highly recommended. Great for book clubs.
Thank you to NetGalley, Esther Freud and Ecco Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review.

Beautiful ,lyrical a novel of women.A book that drew me in mesmerizing thoughtful involving,A book I will be recommending a story that will stay with me#netgalley#eco

This is the story of 3 generations of women whose lives were changed by the strictures of the Catholic Church in Ireland and the effects of an unplanned, untenable pregnancy. We heard about the incredible abuse of the nuns in the book, PHILOMENA.

This book uses the same institution as its center. The reader follows Aiofe, Rosaleen and Kate as they struggle to understand what happened inside those walls. Told from the different vantage points, we follow their stories. At times, I did find some of the narratives confusing.

This is a great novel for women’s groups. There are many issues to discuss.

Thank you Netgalley for this interesting read.

Wow, wow, wow, This was so powerful and thoughtful. Three women I'll be thinking about for a long time. As a former catholic, much of this book resonated--especially the cruel and shame spouting nuns.

This new novel is deep, complex, and memorable, and these characters and their vivid stories will remain with me for a very, very long time. About half or more of the book takes place in Ireland, and (IMHO) Freud captures the turns of phrase and idioms of southern Ireland beautifully. The primary characters are mothers and daughters, and what they go through to find and keep those connections is drama enough for any book. I found the events to be very believable and in fact sadly reflective of current events. Probably a majority of reviews will mention that Freud's father was Lucian Freud, the brilliant painter who also fathered children by various women; there is a main character in the book who resembles him. For me, the book was complicated by intercutting between past and present, and the various sub-characters in each woman's life. There is a mystery at the heart of the book and you may need to jot down names and plot points if you're getting lost. But it's worth it.