The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
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Remember how I said that The Red Tent was the last book on my summer reading list? Well, it was. But when I finished it, I realized that there was still a few weeks left of my summer. The thought of not having a book to accompany me on those beautiful last couple weeks of vacation terrified me, so, I did what I always do when I don't have a book to read, I begged my mother for a suggestion.
My love for reading is definitely genetic. I grew up in a family of book lovers. My mom, aunt, and grandma had a constant book exchange throughout the years and eventually, when I was old enough, I was included in that group. Now, with the combination of eBooks, well used library cards, and my grandma not reading much anymore, the book exchange is no longer active. BUT, my mom and aunt are always still willing and ready to share a book suggestion at any given time, and that is how I found myself bothering Mom for something to read.
Luckily, she had just finished The Forgotten Garden and highly recommended it. When she handed it to me, I was a little overwhelmed. It's a big book. 549 pages to be exact. Usually, big books don't overwhelm me... in fact, they usually have the opposite affect. But I only had two and a half weeks to finish this book before school started, (and my spare time would be filled with lesson planning and grading...) and I didn't know if it could be done.
I finished it in just over a week.
And let me tell you, it was AWESOME. I loved this book and will be buying another written by Kate Morten on my trip to the bookstore tomorrow! The last 100 pages or so went so fast; I couldn't put it down.
The Forgotten Garden is unique in that it follows three generations of women in the same family. It spans from 1900 to 2005. Throughout the novel, the characters and storyline work to find an answer to the following question: Why was a four year old girl sent on a ship from London to Australia, apparently abandoned by her parents, in 1913 with nothing but a small white suitcase? This young girl arrives in Brisbane and doesn't know her name or where she came from. She is taken in by the Portmaster and his wife, given the name Nell, and raised as their own. It isn't until her 21st birthday that she finds out that she is not the biological daughter of Hugh and Lil, an insight that leaves her confused and devastated. She slowly starts to piece together the story of her past, but is halted on her path to discovery when her young granddaughter, Cass, comes to live with her. Many years later, after Nell's death, Cass finds herself the owner of a a small cottage in Cornwall and travels to England to finally solve the mystery of Nell's origin.
The Final Say:
Spanning over 100 years, this novel shifts from one generation to the next seamlessly as it follows this family and their quest for discovery. The Forgotten Garden contains just enough mystery and intrigue to keep its reader captivated, and I definitely was. As I said earlier, I thoroughly enjoyed Kate Morten's writing style and can't wait to read another of her novels. Another neat aspect of this novel is its quirky parallels with Hodgsen Burnett's The Secret Garden... Burnett is even found at a garden party hosted by our main characters in the early 1900's! Despite its large size, it truly is a quick read, and I think you're likely to enjoy it as much as I did!
However, I still have just over a week until school starts and once again find myself without a book. Any suggestions?
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