My Photo

2025

  • Adrian Tinniswood: The Power and the Glory
  • Martin Williams: The King is Dead, Long Live the King
  • Gavin Plumley: A Home for all Seasons
  • Robert Harris: Precipice
  • Nigel Slater: A Thousand Feasts
  • Joan Aiken: Tales of London Town
  • Alan Connor: 188 Words for Rain
  • Ben Robinson: English Villages: An Extraordinary Journey through Time

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

Cornflower book group

« Holiday reading | Main | Ending, beginning »

Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Bloomsbury Bell

I have never read any Maggie O'Farrell but this looks fantastic - I am writing it down on my 'to get from the library list'!

Kirsty

Her first novel, After You'd Gone, absolutely floored me. Brilliant book. I still find myself pressing it into people's hands years after I read it.

That aside, for me there is a curious trend in MOF's novels. I only seem to enjoy her every other book. So, I adored her first, didn't like her second AT ALL, really liked her third (The Distance Between Us), wasn't all that struck on number four. By that reckoning, then, I will love this. I have it at home, atop Mount TBR.

adele geras

She's a corking writer but my favourite of hers is The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox which has the extra bonus of being set in Edinburgh! All are brilliant and you could just work your way through all of them. Afer YOu'd Gone is terrific.

Claire

I would second Adele. After You'd Gone and the Vanishing Act... are excellent. I so agree with your post and her ease of writing.

henrietta

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox and After you'd gone are my two favorates also. Edinburgh gets a look in too in After you'd gone and The Distance between us. Really looking forward to reading this latest book with anticipation.

Angela Young

As almost everyone else has said, AFTER YOU'D GONE and THE VANISHING ACT of ESME LENNOX. Both are quite wonderful.

And what a strange piece of serendipity ... I had time to look at your blog today for the first time in two thousand years, and I've just finished reading THE HAND THAT FIRST HELD MINE (yesterday). I agree with everything you say. She is a magician of a writer and it is a wonderful book.

Simon (Savidge Reads)

I have to concur with everyone who hs mentioned The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, its just superb. It was my first foray into O'Farrell and I thought it was quite, quite brilliant.

anne

I so enjoyed The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox.I was delighted to find others who had read the book so |I could talk about what they thought. I am really looking forward to The Hand That Once Held Mine.

Sarah

I've become a great fan of Maggie O'Farrell's so am glad you enjoyed this Cornflower! I've enjoyed each of her novels, but I think my favourite so far is After You'd Gone.

Alison

I have read all her books but would particularly recommend After you'd Gone and The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox - both brilliant reads (plenty of tissues required for After you'd Gone!)

Thomas at My Porch

I think I like The Distance Between Us slightly better than The Hand, and both slightly better than Esme. Thankfully I have two other O'Farrells in the TBR.

Danielle

Will chime in and say that I agree that After You'd Gone is a wonderful read!

dovegreyreader

Loved this one and Esme Lennox and Kirsty has been nagging me about After You'd Gone for ever now so perhaps I'll read that next.

Essy

It has to be After You'd Gone. A wonderful and moving story with well-conjured London/ Scotland settings. Afterwards I read all of Maggie's other books and became a kind of Maggie-dealer to my friends.

claire (kiss a cloud)

I am super looking forward to reading this. So many have recommended, and now you! :D

Susie Vereker

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox is my favourite. Shall certainly read this new one. She had become one of my 'definite buy' authors.

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Your Information

(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)

Current reading:

  • Adrian Tinniswood: Noble Ambitions

Please note

  • Sidebar book cover thumbnail pictures are affiliate links to Amazon, and the storefront links to Blackwell's and The Book Depository are also affiliated; should you purchase a book directly through those links, I will receive a small commission. Older posts may also contain affiliate links to one of those bookshops. I am not paid to produce content and all opinions are my own.

A request

  • If you wish to use any original images or content from this site, please contact me.

The Book Depository

  • Free Delivery on all Books at the Book Depository

Cornflower Book Group: read

2010

2009

Statcounter 2

  • Statcounter 2

2021

2017