I loved the depiction of this curmudgeonly character with all her foibles. Sybil van Antwerp is a character you won’t forget and Evans does a masterful job detailing how Sybil’s decisions affected others and her relationships with them throughout her life. The characters she interacts with are interesting and complicated and, for the most part, counter her chilliness with warmth and humanity.
I was surprised to read that Evans wrote this in her late 30s. Her observations and realizations for a character more than twice her age were highly perceptive and poignant.
The narration was beautifully done. Each character has a different voice — casting was superb. This is one book that I think should be heard vs read. I was sad for it to end.