Queen Esther

By John Irving

Book Overview

After forty years, John Irving returns to the world of his bestselling classic novel and Academy Award-winning film, The Cider House Rules, revisiting the orphanage in St. Cloud's, Maine, where Dr. Wilbur Larch takes in Esther--a Viennese-born Jew whose life is shaped by anti-Semitism.

Esther Nacht is born in Vienna in 1905. Her father dies on board the ship to Portland, Maine; her mother is murdered by anti-Semites in Portland. Dr. Larch knows it won't be easy to find a Jewish family to adopt Esther; in fact, he won't find any family who'll adopt her.

When Esther is fourteen, soon to be a ward of the state, Dr. Larch meets the Winslows, a philanthropic New England family with a history of providing foster care for unadopted orphans. The Winslows aren't Jewish, but they despise anti-Semitism. Esther's gratitude for the Winslows is unending; even as she retraces her roots back to Vienna, she never stops loving and protecting the Winslows. In the final chapter, set in Jerusalem in 1981, Esther Nacht is seventy-six.

John Irving's sixteenth novel is a testament to his enduring ability to weave complex characters and intricate narratives that challenge and captivate. Queen Esther is not just a story of survival but a profound exploration of identity, belonging, and the enduring impact of history on our personal lives showcasing why Irving remains one of the world's most beloved, provocative, and entertaining authors--a storyteller of our time and for all time.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1501189441
• ISBN13: 9781501189449
• Release Date: November 2025
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.7" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

was excited but oh so disappointed DNF

I was very excited to hear about John Irving's new book . I learned about it from a shout out, author John Boyne gave in an interview. He was about to read it. I loved Irvings early character driving books, ...Garp, Hotel..., Cider..., and my favorite , A Prayer for Owen Meany. I had read a few other of his later novels but did not enjoy them as much. I sort of forgot about him. I understood he was returning to a previous character, Dr. Larch and place ,St Cloud's from Cider House Rules, so I was interested enough to grab the latest, Queen Ester. I really tried to read it. I have a generous 75 page rule, if a book does not hold me at that point, I give up. I gave this book double that and bailed. Irving introduced characters and then deviated from their development , to a history tangent of various subjects that could have been introduced without beating the reader over the head with each one. I am giving it 2 stars only because if you rate something 1 star, the banner reads I Hated It . Hate is too strong of a word. We need to choose our words carefully, so the 2 star I didn't like it, fits.

Not interested in subject matter.

I finished reading the whole book and was not moved by it. The subject matter I didn't like and there really wasn't a good reason for its story. No good feeling personally at the end and very weak conclusion.