Kitty S. (kittynewengland) reviewed on 10/24/2012 + 116 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

I enjoyed reading THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN by Kate Morton. It is an epic, magical tale stretching out over some 100 years, two countries and five generations of women. Once you get a handle on all the characters and the jumping between time periods, the reader is pulled into an engrossing story. I particularly liked the story of Eliza Makepeace and her fairy tales. I had minor quibbles with some of the story-- why did Nell's father wait 40 years to give her the suitcase? Why did Nell not share her story with Cassandra or return to Cornwall once Cassandra was grown? These issues did not distract from the heart of the story--the mystery of Nell's identity and why she was left alone on a ship bound for Australia. Two quotes from the novel: "You make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing" and "All wanting things they shouldn't or couldn't have" sum up this novel about abandonment, identity, regret and lost loved ones.

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details