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A review by karteabooks
Letter from a Tea Garden by Abi Oliver
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
1965, an English country mansion.
Eleanora Byngh is not in a good state. Wedded to the whisky bottle and with her house crumbling round her ears, her days seem destined to follow a lonely (and grumpy) downhill path.
When the post brings an unexpected invitation to return to the Indian tea gardens of her childhood, Eleanora risks breaking open painful memories of her younger years, lived across a tumultuous century.
As relationships with her new-found family face their own challenges, she is offered fresh truths, the chance of love and unexpected new life - if she is prepared to take them.
Eleanora Byngh is not in a good state. Wedded to the whisky bottle and with her house crumbling round her ears, her days seem destined to follow a lonely (and grumpy) downhill path.
When the post brings an unexpected invitation to return to the Indian tea gardens of her childhood, Eleanora risks breaking open painful memories of her younger years, lived across a tumultuous century.
As relationships with her new-found family face their own challenges, she is offered fresh truths, the chance of love and unexpected new life - if she is prepared to take them.
Thank you to Literally PR for a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I am so glad that I was invited to join in the book tour for this book, as historical fiction is one of my favourite genres and this book did not disappoint.
This was an emotive read, one that will stay with me for a long time. The book not only had two settings, but two timelines too and that made it all the more unputdownable. Set between India and England and between Eleanor growing up in India in the early 1900’s to her return visit nearly 60 years later, this book really does take you on not only Eleanor’s journey, but your own personal journey with her. The author’s writing style and her descriptive writing of the setting plunged me straight into 1960’s India and her descriptions of the tea gardens and the different types of tea had me heading straight to the kettle and pots of Earl Grey!
This is a warm hug of a book and most certainly one that should be savoured along with several cups of tea, but this gentle book also deals with some pretty heavy topics too: abuse, war, addiction, but all written in such an empathetic and considerate way. The author also deals with the loss of a child and the loss of a true love so thoughtfully, but I did still find myself reaching for the tissues several times as the writing literally brought tears to my eyes.
I am looking forward to reading more of this author’s work really soon.
I highly recommend this book, not only to historical fiction fans, but anyone. Just make sure that you have a few cups of tea lined up as you read…