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Your next favorite book
is waiting.
by John Irving
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.
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (5/28/2026)
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney for book club. Queen Esther by John Irving. I am loving the references to Cider House Rules.. Had to rewatch the movie.
-Jolene_Blankley
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (12/11/2025)
I just finished reading Queen Esther by John Irving. I was very disappointed in the book, although it had some highlights. I gave it a 3-star rating- the character of Esther when young is good, but the...
-Jorene_J
What’s the last book you purchased? Why did you select it? Paperback, hardback or ebook?
Queen Esther by John Irving in hard cover. It was an impulse item because A Prayer for Owen Meany is in a class all by itself and I was hoping for another book of that caliber....
-Judith_V
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (11/6/2025)
Let's see… So last week I was fortunate enough to read two absolutely wonderful novels. The first, https://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/23451/the-young-will-remember The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung, won't be out until May - but be on the lookout for i...
-kim.kovacs
Irving masterfully threads the narrative, from New England to Vienna to Jerusalem, while exploring the themes he frequently wrestles with—orphans, sexuality, and found families. Irving's luminous prose embodies his singular gifts; the novel is expansive, darkly comic, melancholic, and deeply compassionate, conveying a profound empathy for his flawed characters. Countless literary references, lyrical flourishes, and allusions add depth to the Dickensian motif as Irving brilliantly blends moral ambiguity and emotional truth in this essential addition to his oeuvre. ―Booklist (starred review)
"The book can be amusing and its underlying themes of identity and belonging, survival and personal freedom sometimes resonate. But Irving's treatment of antisemitism comes awfully close to being another stunt. A sequel for committed Irving fans only." —Kirkus Reviews
"It's tough to find a clear through line, and Irving sidetracks the proceedings for extended digressions." —Publishers Weekly
This information about Queen Esther was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
John Winslow Irving was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1942. His novels include The World According to Garp, The Hotel New Hampshire, The Cider House Rules, A Prayer for Owen Meany, A Son of the Circus, and Last Night In Twisted River. Irving is married and has three sons; he lives in Toronto and in southern Vermont.
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