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thischarmingreader's Reviews (1.46k)
I started this book a couple of weeks ago and then set it down as my life became busier with fewer reading opportunities. I picked it up again this morning and was almost immediately transfixed. I was so engrossed and involved in this twisted tale of Myra Lamb and all who knew and loved her that I found myself actually sobbing in places. I had to put the book down for a couple of breaks. I called one of my best friends and chatted about everyday stuff to give my heart time to recover. I used to moderate a Southern fiction book club and this Appalachian saga would have given us enough to talk about to last two or three sessions. The language and dialect and phrasing alone are worthy of a single meeting. I could quote entire passages as examples of the beautiful writing, but I won't.
Love the concept and the language of this book, but the plot was telegraphed from the get-go. Still, I do love contemporary magical realism and Southern literature. With this one, I got both. I definitely love Sarah Addison Allen's books in order of the chronology. The first book was my favorite, followed by the second and now the third. I do hope her fourth will recapture the talent infused in Garden Spells.
