The book is a literary fiction that juxtaposes two seemingly unrelated narratives: one set in 1950s London following an ambitious young woman named Lexie Sinclair, who finds her way from rural Devon to the centre of postwar Soho's burgeoning art scene, and another in the present day, centered around Elina Vilkuna, an artist dealing with the emotional challenges of new motherhood.

[1] In the context of O'Farrell's body of work, the novel stands out for its exploration of emotional and psychological depth, with a focus on memory and identity.

It solidified O'Farrell's reputation as a skilled novelist capable of blending intimate personal stories with broader thematic concerns.

There, she becomes immersed in the city's art scene and develops a relationship with magazine editor Innes Kent, 13 years her senior, having taken her under his wing.

Lexie's journey is one of self-discovery, as she navigates the complexities of professional success and personal fulfillment in a time when women's independence was still constrained by societal norms.

After experiencing a near-fatal childbirth involving a Caesarian section, Elina experiences memory loss and struggles to adjust to motherhood.

Critics praised O'Farrell for her ability to craft a novel that deftly handles emotional complexity while maintaining a compelling, suspenseful plot.

In the hands of a lesser writer, this technique would be jarring but O'Farrell possesses such a lyrical touch that the passages work with seamless clarity.

Crown, for The Guardian, was happy that O'Farrell "vaulted" the high bar set by her previous work, noting that compared to Esme, she now "returns to the domestic sphere of her earlier novels, but with a meatier, more complex agenda."

Rather than discuss relationships like in her first three books, this was about "motherhood's bumpy terrain: through her candid depictions of its darknesses and pleasures, she delivers a novel which is just as disturbing, and possibly more potent still, than her last.

"[6] However, there was difference in receptivity between the two plot lines, and while "O'Farrell is an accomplished storyteller who keeps us guessing until the end... one narrative proves more compelling than the other."