If I were to create a recipe for THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN, it would be "mix Setterfield's THIRTEENTH TALE with Byatt's POSSESSION and throw in a dash of Burnett's SECRET GARDEN." A delicious concoction indeed! I saw this book in Barnes and Noble and picked it up on a whim. I liked the cover and the story sounded interesting. Something about it spoke to me. I wasn't disappointed. I could NOT put this book down. I carried it with me everywhere hoping to find stolen moments in which to read it.
THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN tells the story of a four-year-old girl named Nell who was found on a dock in Australia all by herself. The girl will not reveal her name and origins and is raised by a kindly man and his wife. She learns the truth of her origins on her 21st birthday and begins a quest to find her true identity that will last throughout her life and into her grand-daughter's life. The story takes us from Australia to England and back and forth through time as we are given tantalizing glimpses into Nell's story.
BOTTOME LINE: HIGHLY recommended. There are times when I worry about liking a book because I fear it won't hold up to its promise. I wasn't disappointed this time. The book offers an intriguing family mystery while telling a story about the importance of roots and family and how it all affects our identity.
1 comment:
This sounds like something I would really like. I haven't read Kate Morton's other book, but I've heard great things about that one as well. Great review, Amy!
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