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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Historical fiction from 3 time periods all connected by a country house garden in England. I really enjoyed this read. It’s a quieter, more peaceful read than some. Best read in the physical book form I would think because of the many perspectives and time periods. It was a bit hard on kindle.
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Trigger warnings: war, death of a family member, miscarriage
In 1907, garden designer Venetia Smith begins work on the gardens at Highbury House. Her design for the garden mirrors the stages in life, moving from the children's garden to the lover's garden to the winter garden that reflects death and grief.
During World War II, Lady Diana Symonds is the mistress of Highbury House. Her husband died in the war and the house has been requisitioned as a hospital for wounded soldiers. Beth Pedley is an orphan who volunteers for the war effort as a land girl, coming to Highbury to plant crops to feed the troops. She becomes friends with Highbury cook Stella Adderton. Stella is trying to get out of Highbury, but her ambitions and savings take a hit; her sister drops off nephew Bobby because he'll be safer in the country but leaves her no money to care for him.
Each of the WWII women is in a different stage of life -- Mrs. Symonds is a widow, Beth is just beginning to find her way in the world, and Stella has motherhood thrust upon her when she'd rather be alone. The three women's stories weave together and create the most interesting part of the novel.
Fast forward to 2021, where Emma Lovett is hired to restore the overgrown gardens to their former glory. Emma's love for Venetia Smith's designs makes her the perfect person to head the project, and Emma also hopes that she will discover why Venetia moved to America after working at Highbury. While searching for more detailed drawings of the gardens, she discovers secrets about Venetia and the WWII residents of Highbury.
Having multiple narrators for the audiobook helps keep all the characters straight, but it's still a feat at the beginning of the novel when you're introduced to so many women at once. It would have been an impossible task with only one narrator.
Recommended for fans of historical women's fiction.
I received an electronic galley copy of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I also received a digital audio recording of this title from the publisher through Libro.fm as a librarian review copy. I read the latter edition.
Read the review here: https://guenevol.wixsite.com/novelmaven/post/garden-england
In 1907, garden designer Venetia Smith begins work on the gardens at Highbury House. Her design for the garden mirrors the stages in life, moving from the children's garden to the lover's garden to the winter garden that reflects death and grief.
During World War II, Lady Diana Symonds is the mistress of Highbury House. Her husband died in the war and the house has been requisitioned as a hospital for wounded soldiers. Beth Pedley is an orphan who volunteers for the war effort as a land girl, coming to Highbury to plant crops to feed the troops. She becomes friends with Highbury cook Stella Adderton. Stella is trying to get out of Highbury, but her ambitions and savings take a hit; her sister drops off nephew Bobby because he'll be safer in the country but leaves her no money to care for him.
Each of the WWII women is in a different stage of life -- Mrs. Symonds is a widow, Beth is just beginning to find her way in the world, and Stella has motherhood thrust upon her when she'd rather be alone. The three women's stories weave together and create the most interesting part of the novel.
Fast forward to 2021, where Emma Lovett is hired to restore the overgrown gardens to their former glory. Emma's love for Venetia Smith's designs makes her the perfect person to head the project, and Emma also hopes that she will discover why Venetia moved to America after working at Highbury. While searching for more detailed drawings of the gardens, she discovers secrets about Venetia and the WWII residents of Highbury.
Having multiple narrators for the audiobook helps keep all the characters straight, but it's still a feat at the beginning of the novel when you're introduced to so many women at once. It would have been an impossible task with only one narrator.
Recommended for fans of historical women's fiction.
I received an electronic galley copy of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I also received a digital audio recording of this title from the publisher through Libro.fm as a librarian review copy. I read the latter edition.
Read the review here: https://guenevol.wixsite.com/novelmaven/post/garden-england
I very much enjoyed this. It was pretty quick reading, and the viewpoint alternates between five different women in 1907, 1944, and present day. If I have one criticism, it's that I would have liked to have gone a little deeper into each storyline. Nice enjoyable read overall though.
It is a touching and memorable historical fiction that I grew to love the more I read. With so many stories braided into one another, it's a story of women from different times of their resiliency, passion, and determination with all one connection to the same garden - a garden you wish you could visit, only because of these women.
I love books about gardens, history and family. This one has story lines
wrapped up in the history of an elaborate estate.
I like the characters and the story. I won't spoil it for others, but it was an
easy read for a quiet rainy weekend with a cup of tea.
wrapped up in the history of an elaborate estate.
I like the characters and the story. I won't spoil it for others, but it was an
easy read for a quiet rainy weekend with a cup of tea.
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
I would give this 3.5. It's an enjoyable read, suitable for lighter summer reading. It's not great literature or remarkable, but a nice story.
It's fine to have different chapters in different eras. It's fine to have different protagonists in different eras. But multiple main characters, in the same era, in different chapters is just a mess. Editing, please.
This was a very satisfying read. I love books about women in different time periods. And the garden makes a fabulous setting that pulls the stories together. One thing though: the modern storyline takes place in 2021. It’s a magical 2021 with trivia nights at the pub and no covid in sight. I don’t know why but I found that very jarring. Overall I was very happy to hang out in that world.