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A review by libraryofdreaming
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
4.0
You all remember when I fell in love with The House at Riverton? Well, ever since then I've had Kate Morton's other books high on my to-read list and The Forgotten Garden is the first I've gotten to so far. Sadly though, it is not as stunning as her debut. The fairytale parallels are very fascinating and the various historical eras well done, but I think the issue was KM bit off far more than she could chew. There are over 6 narratives/points of view including three different main characters in three separate timespans. And the mystery this huge narrative slowly unravels can be guessed fairly easily after the first half and there is no riveting final twist.
That's not to say this is a bad book. The main characters are interesting and relatable, perhaps the protagonist least of all, but then she is a prickly sort of person. There is a poignantly sad sisterly relationship. Cassandra (the most modern main character) has a lovely journey of recovery from personal tragedy. Eliza, who writes the fairytales, is probably the most enjoyable character with a fun voice and a bittersweet story. It's just messy, I think. And following up on a gem like The House at Riverton, messy and sprawling just doesn't cut it.
That's not to say this is a bad book. The main characters are interesting and relatable, perhaps the protagonist least of all, but then she is a prickly sort of person. There is a poignantly sad sisterly relationship. Cassandra (the most modern main character) has a lovely journey of recovery from personal tragedy. Eliza, who writes the fairytales, is probably the most enjoyable character with a fun voice and a bittersweet story. It's just messy, I think. And following up on a gem like The House at Riverton, messy and sprawling just doesn't cut it.