"Anna and Her Daughters" by D.E. Stevenson (re-read)

Back in September, my D.E. Stevenson fan group decided on "Anna and Her Daughters" (first published in 1958) for our next read.  We last read this book just four years ago, in the summer of 2022. 

(To be honest, I would have much preferred to read one of the several DES books we haven't yet covered since I joined the group 12 years ago -- or at least one we haven't covered quite so recently -- but, majority rules, and we had a willing discussion coordinator, so... !)  

(I had read the book through on my own before re-reading with the group back in 2022, and you can read my two previous reviews from then here and here. Since I was already pretty familiar with the story, I opted not to do a readthrough first on my own this time around and simply followed along with the group reading schedule.) 

The book is titled "Anna and Her Daughters," but Anna is actually not the main character. The novel is narrated by her youngest daughter, Jane, who is 17 as the story begins. Jane and her next-oldest sister Rosalie (a classic middle child) have always lived in the shadow of their oldest sister, the beautiful, spoiled and selfish Helen.  Their comfortable lives in London are interrupted when their father dies suddenly, leaving them with no income and very little savings. His brother, the girls' Uncle Leonard, urges them to downsize to a small flat and find jobs -- but Anna is determined to sell the house instead and return to Ryddelton, her hometown in Scotland (and the setting of several other DES books), where they can buy a small house and live more cheaply.  

Their lives are further changed when Jane meets tall, dark, handsome Ronnie Ferguson... but the relationship doesn't evolve quite the way you might think...  

Jane is an appealing heroine who grows and matures over the course of the book, and (as you might suspect!) ultimately gets a happy ending -- but (as I mentioned in my previous reviews), there were just a few too many plot twists and manouevres and holes along the way for my liking. There's a section set in colonial Kenya that's pretty wince-inducing for modern readers. Not my favourite DES book, but it has its moments. 

Our next group read will be determined soon.  

I previously rated this book at 3 stars, and that still sounds right. 

This was Book #34 read to date in 2026 (and Book #1 finished in November), bringing me to 85% of  my 2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 40 books. I am currently 1 book ahead of schedule to meet my goal! (with 6 books to go!) You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2026 tagged as "2026 books."