Queen Esther is the latest book from John Irving,

author of Cider House Rules! Thank you @simonbooks for gifting us this arc!

I feel compelled to say that this book was a bit of a slow starter for me. However, about 1/4 way in it started catching my attention!

Queen Esther is a story about the life of a little orphaned Jewish girl in New Hampshire. When she is dropped off at the orphanage she knows two things for sure as a 3 year old, that she’s named after Queen Esther in the Bible and that she’s Jewish.

As a teenager she is taken in by a prominent New England family to help raise their 4th daughter, Honor. Esther quickly becomes part of the Winslow family and is very forthcoming about her future plans. She will return to her birth place of Vienna and will find her way to Jerusalem. The story revolves around the Winslows and Esther and the unbreakable bonds of love that they have for each other.

This book publishes in November! Thank you again @simonbooks! Alyssa