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marilynw's review against another edition
4.0
The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly
Narrated by Shiromi Arserio, Marisa Calin, Danielle Cohen, Katherine Littrell, and Siobhan Waring
What a lovely story that challenged me a bit with it's three time periods and many characters. We never stay in one place very long and that seemed to help me not lose track of the many people we meet. The connection between the times is both a garden and bloodlines (or not).
In 1907, Venetia Smith has made a reputation for herself as the designer of gardens for the wealthy. Her designs are innovative and her latest commission is to design the gardens of Highbury House. Her reputation is her most coveted asset and she guards it as such. It is when she meets the brother of the lady of the house that things go very wrong.
In 1944, orphaned Beth Pedley has been pushed from her aunt's home to find her own way. She is a land girl now and she will be working on a farm outside of the village of Highbury. She comes to love this life and this place, she gains friends and people she cares about and who care about her. It's as if she was made for this hard work and feeling of belonging and but she'll have to speak up to keep this life.
In the present day, Emma Lovett restores forgotten and neglected gardens. She is thrilled to be hired to restore the Highbury House estate gardens, which had been design by Venetia Smith, whose work she so much admires. To restore the gardens to their original state Emma needs to know as much as she can about the gardens' past.
The distinctive voices of the five narrators helped me to slip into each timeline. My favorite timeline was that of 1944 but all three of them are interesting and by the end of the book I understood how everything was connected. The 1907 timeline is Venetia's story and the present day timeline is Emma's story, but the 1944 timeline focuses on many more people and that is the heart of the story for me. Being in the midst of WWII and with the estate being requisitioned to aid the wartime efforts, there is even the threat that the gardens will be plowed under. That is when widowed estate owner widow Diana Symonds puts her foot down. Present day Emma has so many questions about the past and one curiosity is what has happened to the key to the overgrown winter garden. Slowly the past unfolds for her and the reader.
Pub Jan 12 2021
Narrated by Shiromi Arserio, Marisa Calin, Danielle Cohen, Katherine Littrell, and Siobhan Waring
What a lovely story that challenged me a bit with it's three time periods and many characters. We never stay in one place very long and that seemed to help me not lose track of the many people we meet. The connection between the times is both a garden and bloodlines (or not).
In 1907, Venetia Smith has made a reputation for herself as the designer of gardens for the wealthy. Her designs are innovative and her latest commission is to design the gardens of Highbury House. Her reputation is her most coveted asset and she guards it as such. It is when she meets the brother of the lady of the house that things go very wrong.
In 1944, orphaned Beth Pedley has been pushed from her aunt's home to find her own way. She is a land girl now and she will be working on a farm outside of the village of Highbury. She comes to love this life and this place, she gains friends and people she cares about and who care about her. It's as if she was made for this hard work and feeling of belonging and but she'll have to speak up to keep this life.
In the present day, Emma Lovett restores forgotten and neglected gardens. She is thrilled to be hired to restore the Highbury House estate gardens, which had been design by Venetia Smith, whose work she so much admires. To restore the gardens to their original state Emma needs to know as much as she can about the gardens' past.
The distinctive voices of the five narrators helped me to slip into each timeline. My favorite timeline was that of 1944 but all three of them are interesting and by the end of the book I understood how everything was connected. The 1907 timeline is Venetia's story and the present day timeline is Emma's story, but the 1944 timeline focuses on many more people and that is the heart of the story for me. Being in the midst of WWII and with the estate being requisitioned to aid the wartime efforts, there is even the threat that the gardens will be plowed under. That is when widowed estate owner widow Diana Symonds puts her foot down. Present day Emma has so many questions about the past and one curiosity is what has happened to the key to the overgrown winter garden. Slowly the past unfolds for her and the reader.
Pub Jan 12 2021
glindaaa's review against another edition
3.0
The first impression of the book was really well. I was interested in how the book worked and what the relationship was between the woman of the three timelines. It was actually interesting to figure out the little notes. Henry talking about the art of the garden while you read about someone who liked drawing before and such. The actual reveal was only done in the end, which was properly done in the writing. I think that made it interesting but in general, I did not like how much the women were obsessed with romance and the men. Surely not everyone had that but still it felt like that was a big part of the book, and that did not interest me at all.
I felt like in the end it was less about the garden and more about love in the story of Venetia and Beth. That made me like Stella and Emma the most, albeit the latter could also be discussed as "looking for love" or not. Still, this book was highly interesting and about the power that the women wanted to have and the future they wanted to have, which they took into their own hands. So that was interesting for sure.
Maybe the author note was the most interesting, not going to lie, sorry!
I felt like in the end it was less about the garden and more about love in the story of Venetia and Beth. That made me like Stella and Emma the most, albeit the latter could also be discussed as "looking for love" or not. Still, this book was highly interesting and about the power that the women wanted to have and the future they wanted to have, which they took into their own hands. So that was interesting for sure.
Maybe the author note was the most interesting, not going to lie, sorry!
aconoro's review against another edition
4.0
It’s very niche, you have to like BritLit. If Secret Garden was your favorite childrens book then you’re in the right place. Love a historical fiction narrative with strong(ish) female protagonists, so it’s a 4 for me.
chelswillread's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 I loved how this book was centered around a delightful English garden.
jorlang11's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
miaev's review against another edition
5.0
I took a chance on this book since it is not an author I am familiar with but it was a recommended book by Audible.
I like historical novels and this one involves switching between 3 different time periods and sets of characters. They aren't always done well but this one is.
I like historical novels and this one involves switching between 3 different time periods and sets of characters. They aren't always done well but this one is.
calmlyeatingmuffins's review against another edition
3.0
I finally finished this okay book. I really wanted to like it, as it’s historical fiction about women and I like gardens. But I felt the story lacked heart. The characters just didn’t grab me. And it ended rather tidily. And it wasn’t so much the events that were depressing, but the characters’ attitudes. I wanted to like it, but it’s a 2.5 for me.
elizabethise's review against another edition
5.0
Well, this was just lovely. WWII books are everywhere right now so I'm glad this was so much more and expanded through multiple generations. The imagery was dreamy, characters were endearing, and made me want to go outside and plant some stuff! I loved that the house and garden was the common thread throughout the whole story and connected characters without being super obvious. Just a delightful, easy read perfect for springtime!