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pilateschick's review against another edition
2.0
I don't have the patience for descriptive detail that has nothing to do with anything, especially when it adds one or two hundred pages to a novel.
rebroxannape's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
**Spoilers**
Why did I read this book? Because of all of the great reviews. Because it sounded really good. Because I wanted to try something by this highly touted author. Because the cover was really pretty and the title intriguing (although the picture on my copy had nothing to do with the garden in the story.) Because I wanted to read something a little different and it had been quite a long time that I had read any multi-generational or otherwise sweeping family dramas. It was a genre that I used to enjoy a lot. And because it became available in a timely manner from my library waiting list. After reading about a quarter of the book and realizing that I didn’t particularly like or care about 2 of the 3 main characters, why did I keep reading? No idea. I guess the “big mysteries” kept me going, hoping for a shocking twist, a mind-blowing reveal, and satisfying justice for the evil doers and just reward for the good people.
The two main characters that left me cold were Nell and her granddaughter, Cassandra. Most of Nell’s story takes place in 1975 when she is in her mid-sixties. We learn that she was a delightful child and a lovely young woman whose life took a turn when her beloved father told her she was adopted. He had found her abandoned on the dock where he was port-master in Brisbane Australia, when she was only 4. When no one claimed her, he raised her as his own with his nice but sickly wife and his other children. She is so devastated by this news that her life is forever blighted. Or rather, she chooses to turn her back on her loving family emotionally, dump her adored fiance, and turn into a dried-up old stick, a terrible mother, and full of self-hatred. She has vague memories of being loved and cherished before ending up abandoned on a ship, and of the woman who took her there whom she only remembers as “The Authoress”.
When the old bat dies she leaves a cottage in Cornwall England to her granddaughter Cassandra, whom she raised, along with a fairy tale book. Nell had gone to England in 1975 right before Cassandra had come to live with her and had been on the verge of discovering her origins. She had to go home to Brisbane and was not able to return because her daughter left her granddaughter almost literally on her doorstep for her to raise. After her grandmother dies in 2005, Cassandra decides to go to Cornwall and continue Nell’s quest for the truth. The cottage is on the grounds of a great estate by the sea that Nell had learned her bio parents were heirs to. Cassandra is a lonely young widow whose husband and child were killed 10 years ago in a tragic accident. She is a good sort, but grew to be as dull and boring as she could be. It was not engaging to spend probably about 75% of the book with one unpleasant senior citizen and one almost middle-aged woman without a lick of spirit or humor.
The other main character is Eliza. She is the daughter of Georgiana, the daughter of the owners of Blackhurst, the great estate that Nell’s little cottage is on. Georgiana eloped with a sailor and fled her home from an evil so great that she chose to raise her daughter in a London tenement rather than return home when her husband was killed. Her daughter is a brave, intelligent, creative, and spirited girl who loves to tell stories. Her, I liked. Orphaned, she is tracked down and “rescued” from abject poverty in London to go and live with her mother’s family at Blackhurst. Although she is no longer destitute, her family is menacing and hateful. Nevertheless, she makes friends with Rose, the spoiled daughter of the house, and they are devoted to each other. We learn that Eliza grows up to be “The Authoress” that Nell remembers from her toddlerhood.
Although Nell thinks she has uncovered the mystery of her mother and father, she is still in the dark as to why The Authoress abandoned her on a ship bound for Australia. Of course, the reader suspects, since this is a mystery, that all may not be as it appears. The reader would be right. I had guessed pretty early on what the mystery of Nell’s parentage was, although there was a red herring that threw me off for a minute. We don’t learn until the end why Eliza abandoned Rose on the ship. But when we do, it throws her whole story in the toilet. Or let’s say that it flushed the toilet that her story had already been thrown into. The one truly positive and admirable character of all three main protagonists had already been damaged in my eyes by both her decisions and her slavish and unaccountable devotion to Rose. I felt sorry for Rose, sometimes, but I was very put off by her. She was not a good person. I will say that the antagonists and the evil characters, though cartoonish, were successfully crafted. Rose was very complex.
The theme of this book is not to embroil yourself in the past but to move forward through challenges and the bad things and look forward toward the future.
“You make a life out of what you have, not what you’re missing.”
Nell ruined her life, and made her loved ones victims as well, by letting her knowledge of her abandonment rule her life. What made it worse was the knowledge that so many good people had sacrificed so much because of her. It was a waste. But in her 60s she forsook her search for her past to raise her granddaughter, Cassandra. She finally became a successful worthwhile person because of that. In taking up the search where Nell left off, in Cornwall, Cassandra leaves her grief over her dead husband and child behind and finds friends, a purpose, and a new love. The cautionary tale is provided by Eliza who leaves her child and her future dreams on a ship bound for Australia to revisit her childhood hovel and retrieve a “legacy” hidden there by her long-dead mother. The consequence of that little detour was a severe punishment indeed. So two main characters with whom spending time was tedious, and a tragic and disappointing ending for the good one. I held out hope for this book to the end, and a great ending could have saved it. But it was not to be.
“You make a life out of what you have, not what you’re missing.”
Nell ruined her life, and made her loved ones victims as well, by letting her knowledge of her abandonment rule her life. What made it worse was the knowledge that so many good people had sacrificed so much because of her. It was a waste. But in her 60s she forsook her search for her past to raise her granddaughter, Cassandra. She finally became a successful worthwhile person because of that. In taking up the search where Nell left off, in Cornwall, Cassandra leaves her grief over her dead husband and child behind and finds friends, a purpose, and a new love. The cautionary tale is provided by Eliza who leaves her child and her future dreams on a ship bound for Australia to revisit her childhood hovel and retrieve a “legacy” hidden there by her long-dead mother. The consequence of that little detour was a severe punishment indeed. So two main characters with whom spending time was tedious, and a tragic and disappointing ending for the good one. I held out hope for this book to the end, and a great ending could have saved it. But it was not to be.
nikkit_nzl's review against another edition
5.0
What a page turner! One of those books Yu pick up whenever u have time to sneak a chapter.
outsmartyourshelf's review against another edition
Too slow moving, find myself making excuses not to read it so moving on.
salgalruns's review against another edition
4.0
While I did enjoy this fast paced book, it really didn't grab me as much as I had hoped. It took me a while to pull all the characters together, as the book rotates back and forth between three different time periods and multiple people at each time period to boot. Trying to create your own family tree in your head gets a bit confusing until partway through when you're finally getting them settled.
The storyline is somewhat of a mystery - Nell finds out early on in the story that who she believes her parents to be is not actually the truth. You then find yourself whisked through time (1913ish, 1975ish, and present day) to discover who Nell's parents are and why it was that she ended up in Australia without them. I will give Morton credit though - I did enjoy each of the storylines, but it created a choppiness that was distracting at times, and I normally enjoy changing POVs.
The storyline with the forgotten garden is intriguing - a garden hidden at the end of a maze that appears to be quite magical. I loved the garden for its theraputic element and for the connection between all the generations.
There is one reason alone that I bumped this from a 3 to a 4, and that's because the author gave credit within the story to Frances Hodgson Burnett, the author of [b:The Secret Garden|2998|The Secret Garden|Frances Hodgson Burnett|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327873635s/2998.jpg|3186437], which happens to be one of my favorite children's books. I also loved the emphasis on children's literature through fairy tales. Thus, a 4. ;)
The storyline is somewhat of a mystery - Nell finds out early on in the story that who she believes her parents to be is not actually the truth. You then find yourself whisked through time (1913ish, 1975ish, and present day) to discover who Nell's parents are and why it was that she ended up in Australia without them. I will give Morton credit though - I did enjoy each of the storylines, but it created a choppiness that was distracting at times, and I normally enjoy changing POVs.
The storyline with the forgotten garden is intriguing - a garden hidden at the end of a maze that appears to be quite magical. I loved the garden for its theraputic element and for the connection between all the generations.
There is one reason alone that I bumped this from a 3 to a 4, and that's because the author gave credit within the story to Frances Hodgson Burnett, the author of [b:The Secret Garden|2998|The Secret Garden|Frances Hodgson Burnett|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327873635s/2998.jpg|3186437], which happens to be one of my favorite children's books. I also loved the emphasis on children's literature through fairy tales. Thus, a 4. ;)
andreea27's review against another edition
5.0
Kate Morton imi atrasese de ceva timp atentia si planuiam sa citesc Gradina uitata, deci am fost foarte fericita cand un prieten mi-a daruit-o. Am inceput sa o citesc pe nerasuflate, insa in scurt timp am facut greseala de a incepe si alte carti care au ajuns sa-mi capteze aproape complet timpul si astfel am cam neglijat Gradina uitata, luandu-mi destul de mult sa o termin. Regret ca am lasat asta sa se intample, pentru ca acum traiesc cu impresia ca nu i-am dat destula atentie si ca in timpul petrecut citind altceva am omis detalii importante care poate m-ar fi facut sa apreciez si mai mult aceasta carte, care este extrem de complexa. Intocmai precum gradina secreta descrisa in ea, as putea sa o numesc chiar labirintica.
Eram de mult timp in cautarea unei carti care sa ma impresioneze la fel de mult precum [b:The Shadow of the Wind|1232|The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books #1)|Carlos Ruiz Zafón|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344545047s/1232.jpg|3209783] . Un roman in care misterul sa se confunde cu o poveste de iubire, cu o atmosfera gotica si o intriga intesata de secrete. Exact asta am primit de la aceasta carte.
Finalul este neasteptat, insa trebuie sa recunosc ca pe parcursul lecturii incepuse sa imi incolteasca ideea unui astfel de final, desi la inceput oarecum nedefinita complet.
Imi este cu neputinta sa spun ceva substantial despre aceasta carte fara sa dau in vileag tot suspansul care o caracterizeaza. Pot spune totusi, foarte pe scurt, ca este vorba de un roman care urmareste calatoria initiatica a Cassandrei, o femeie care mosteneste de la bunica sa o casa in Cornwall. Odata cu aceasta casa ea va de peste un trecut al familiei sale plin de secrete obsedante, intunecate si peste destinele a doua femei din generatii diferite care ii vor schimba complet viata si ii vor reda speranta si iubirea.
Cartea urmareste in prim plan destinele a trei femei, si anume Eliza, Nell si Cassandra. Ca personaje secundare, dar foarte importante si simbolice apar si verisoara Elizei, Rose, sotul acesteia, Nathaniel, si mama ei Adeline.
Aceasta din urma a reprezentat o continua sursa de uimire pentru mine. Fiica ei, Rose, era comoara ei nepretuita. Afectiunea ei pentru Rose era atat de mare incat devenise aproape obsesiva. Instinctul matern care dorea sa ii ofere protectie si fericire crescuse intr-atat incat nimeni altcineva nu avea o catusi de mica importanta pentru Adeline. Acest comportament o va duce la actiuni care, cu singuranta, nu vor fi o sursa de uimire doar pentru mine, cat si pentru alti cititori. De adaugat este ca personalitatea ei era accentuata si de o rigiditate impusa de strictele bune maniere pe care le exercitase pana la perfectiune, pentru a-si acoperi rusinea de a proveni dintr-o familie de rang mai scazut, inainte de a se casatori cu bogatul Linus si devenind astfel stapana peste conacul Blackhurst.
De asemenea, un alt personaj secundar dar care a ramas pana la sfarsitul romanului o enigma pentru mine este sotul lui Rose, Nathaniel Walker. La fel ca Adeline, si el avea origini modeste, insa era dotat cu un talent impresionant de artist, marea sa pasiune fiind ilustratiile. Prin casatoria cu Rose, Adeline a reusit sa-l introduca in cercuri inalte si i-a innabusit astfel aceasta pasiune, facandu-l sa creeze numai portrete ale marilor domni si doamne din societatea Adelinei. Enigma a reprezentat pentru mine relatia lui cu Eliza. Imi este greu sa descifrez cu exactitate, insa pot face presupunerea ca el, desi o iubea pe Rose si a dat incontestabile dovezi de dragoste si intelegere fata de ea, nu a putut sa se impotriveasca farmecului exercitat (involuntar) de Eliza.
Insa o astfel de presupunere este foarte atragatoare pentru mine, o romantica incurabila, si nu pot neglija ideea unei eventuale idile dintre Nathaniel si Eliza, fie ea si imaginara.
Motivul cautarii identitati este redat intr-un mod destul de complex, prin alternarea timpurilor. Romanul nu are o actiune cronologica, ceea ce il face destul de greu de parcurs uneori, avand in vedere ca trebuie sa acorzi mereu atentie timpului in care se desfasoara evenimentele. Este astfel relatat prezentul Cassandrei, insa alternat cu trecutul din care au facut parte bunica ei Nell, care isi cauta originile, si Eliza.
In final, trebuie sa vorbesc despre elementul-cheie al romanului.
Eliza este un personaj fascinant. Este o intruchipare a creativitatii, a unui suflet bun si liber, lipsit de rigurozitatea regulilor care alcatuiau un comportament exemplar in epoca victoriana, si totusi fara sa fie needucata. Dimpotriva, inteligenta sa era redata prin basmele pentru copii pe care le creea, insa care erau pline de talc si intelepciune. Cuvantul care o caracterizeaza cel mai bine este naturaletea, insa acest lucru nu a fost observat niciodata ca o calitate de catre Adeline, care era orbita de dragostea pentru fiica ei si care vedea in Eliza o amenintare la fericirea acesteia. Insa Eliza nu nutrea astfel de sentimente negative in ceea ce o privea pe verisoara sa. Dragostea ei Rose nu avea limite, iar acest lucru a fost demonstrat in roman printr-un gest de daruire totala fata de ea, printr-un incredibil act de generozitate care a atins un stadiu carnal. Trebuie sa cititi romanul pentru a intelege semnificatia celor spuse anterior.
Recomand deci cu multa placere acest roman, cu avertizarea ca trebuie citit cu atentie, fiindca detaliile sunt extrem de importante iar alternanta timpurilor poate fi inselatoare.
Eram de mult timp in cautarea unei carti care sa ma impresioneze la fel de mult precum [b:The Shadow of the Wind|1232|The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books #1)|Carlos Ruiz Zafón|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344545047s/1232.jpg|3209783] . Un roman in care misterul sa se confunde cu o poveste de iubire, cu o atmosfera gotica si o intriga intesata de secrete. Exact asta am primit de la aceasta carte.
Finalul este neasteptat, insa trebuie sa recunosc ca pe parcursul lecturii incepuse sa imi incolteasca ideea unui astfel de final, desi la inceput oarecum nedefinita complet.
Imi este cu neputinta sa spun ceva substantial despre aceasta carte fara sa dau in vileag tot suspansul care o caracterizeaza. Pot spune totusi, foarte pe scurt, ca este vorba de un roman care urmareste calatoria initiatica a Cassandrei, o femeie care mosteneste de la bunica sa o casa in Cornwall. Odata cu aceasta casa ea va de peste un trecut al familiei sale plin de secrete obsedante, intunecate si peste destinele a doua femei din generatii diferite care ii vor schimba complet viata si ii vor reda speranta si iubirea.
Cartea urmareste in prim plan destinele a trei femei, si anume Eliza, Nell si Cassandra. Ca personaje secundare, dar foarte importante si simbolice apar si verisoara Elizei, Rose, sotul acesteia, Nathaniel, si mama ei Adeline.
Aceasta din urma a reprezentat o continua sursa de uimire pentru mine. Fiica ei, Rose, era comoara ei nepretuita. Afectiunea ei pentru Rose era atat de mare incat devenise aproape obsesiva. Instinctul matern care dorea sa ii ofere protectie si fericire crescuse intr-atat incat nimeni altcineva nu avea o catusi de mica importanta pentru Adeline. Acest comportament o va duce la actiuni care, cu singuranta, nu vor fi o sursa de uimire doar pentru mine, cat si pentru alti cititori. De adaugat este ca personalitatea ei era accentuata si de o rigiditate impusa de strictele bune maniere pe care le exercitase pana la perfectiune, pentru a-si acoperi rusinea de a proveni dintr-o familie de rang mai scazut, inainte de a se casatori cu bogatul Linus si devenind astfel stapana peste conacul Blackhurst.
De asemenea, un alt personaj secundar dar care a ramas pana la sfarsitul romanului o enigma pentru mine este sotul lui Rose, Nathaniel Walker. La fel ca Adeline, si el avea origini modeste, insa era dotat cu un talent impresionant de artist, marea sa pasiune fiind ilustratiile. Prin casatoria cu Rose, Adeline a reusit sa-l introduca in cercuri inalte si i-a innabusit astfel aceasta pasiune, facandu-l sa creeze numai portrete ale marilor domni si doamne din societatea Adelinei. Enigma a reprezentat pentru mine relatia lui cu Eliza. Imi este greu sa descifrez cu exactitate, insa pot face presupunerea ca el, desi o iubea pe Rose si a dat incontestabile dovezi de dragoste si intelegere fata de ea, nu a putut sa se impotriveasca farmecului exercitat (involuntar) de Eliza.
Insa o astfel de presupunere este foarte atragatoare pentru mine, o romantica incurabila, si nu pot neglija ideea unei eventuale idile dintre Nathaniel si Eliza, fie ea si imaginara.
Motivul cautarii identitati este redat intr-un mod destul de complex, prin alternarea timpurilor. Romanul nu are o actiune cronologica, ceea ce il face destul de greu de parcurs uneori, avand in vedere ca trebuie sa acorzi mereu atentie timpului in care se desfasoara evenimentele. Este astfel relatat prezentul Cassandrei, insa alternat cu trecutul din care au facut parte bunica ei Nell, care isi cauta originile, si Eliza.
In final, trebuie sa vorbesc despre elementul-cheie al romanului.
Eliza este un personaj fascinant. Este o intruchipare a creativitatii, a unui suflet bun si liber, lipsit de rigurozitatea regulilor care alcatuiau un comportament exemplar in epoca victoriana, si totusi fara sa fie needucata. Dimpotriva, inteligenta sa era redata prin basmele pentru copii pe care le creea, insa care erau pline de talc si intelepciune. Cuvantul care o caracterizeaza cel mai bine este naturaletea, insa acest lucru nu a fost observat niciodata ca o calitate de catre Adeline, care era orbita de dragostea pentru fiica ei si care vedea in Eliza o amenintare la fericirea acesteia. Insa Eliza nu nutrea astfel de sentimente negative in ceea ce o privea pe verisoara sa. Dragostea ei Rose nu avea limite, iar acest lucru a fost demonstrat in roman printr-un gest de daruire totala fata de ea, printr-un incredibil act de generozitate care a atins un stadiu carnal. Trebuie sa cititi romanul pentru a intelege semnificatia celor spuse anterior.
Recomand deci cu multa placere acest roman, cu avertizarea ca trebuie citit cu atentie, fiindca detaliile sunt extrem de importante iar alternanta timpurilor poate fi inselatoare.
berlinbibliophile's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really liked the writing. It's really evocative, and the difference between the different strands of the narrative is always clear. That's not an easy feat when there are so many characters and time periods to consider. I also thought that this book had a good mystery that kept me on my toes, but it was the characters that kept me going. They all seem so real and realistic that I really sympathized with them and kept wanting to know what could possibly happen to them next.
sandles81255's review against another edition
5.0
So very good! I enjoyed the audio book tremendously- the narrator’s attempt at an ‘American ‘ accent made me giggle.
A very well told story. Thanks to Angie for the recommendation!!
A very well told story. Thanks to Angie for the recommendation!!
taylor394's review against another edition
5.0
I'm struggling to find the words to describe how wonderful this novel was. It has currently become my new favorite book 5/5 stars!
The Forgotten Garden is filled with fairy-tales (quite literally), mystery, secrets, history, and incredibly rich characters. Morton creates unique characters that were easy for me to identify with and connect to. The story centers around Nell, an abandoned and then adopted little girl seeking to find her true family. At Nell's death, her granddaughter, who was in essence equally abandoned, take up the search and throws the reader into the realm of the past lives of characters like Eliza and Rose.
The story is exciting, and emotional (I cried three times!). It is vibrant and historically rich, and I would read it again, and recommend it countless times!
I absolutely loved the Forgotten Garden.
The Forgotten Garden is filled with fairy-tales (quite literally), mystery, secrets, history, and incredibly rich characters. Morton creates unique characters that were easy for me to identify with and connect to. The story centers around Nell, an abandoned and then adopted little girl seeking to find her true family. At Nell's death, her granddaughter, who was in essence equally abandoned, take up the search and throws the reader into the realm of the past lives of characters like Eliza and Rose.
The story is exciting, and emotional (I cried three times!). It is vibrant and historically rich, and I would read it again, and recommend it countless times!
I absolutely loved the Forgotten Garden.