From the author of Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick The Rules of Magic comes a transfixing glimpse into a small American town where a mysterious, magical garden holds the truth behind three hundred years of passion, dark secrets, loyalty, and redemption. “[A] dreamy, fabulist series of connected stories . . . [These] tales, with their tight, soft focus on America, cast their own spell.”—The … their own spell.”—The Washington Post
The Red Garden introduces us to the luminous and haunting world of Blackwell, Massachusetts, capturing the unexpected turns in its history and in our own lives. From the town’s founder, a brave young woman from England who has no fear of blizzards or bears, to the young man who runs away to New York City with only his dog for company, the characters in The Red Garden are extraordinary and vivid: a young wounded Civil War soldier who is saved by a passionate neighbor, a woman who meets a fiercely human historical character, a poet who falls in love with a blind man, a mysterious traveler who comes to town in the year when summer never arrives.
At the center of everyone’s life is a mysterious garden where only red plants can grow, and where the truth can be found by those who dare to look.
Beautifully crafted and shimmering with magic, The Red Garden is as unforgettable as it is moving.
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I liked that the author used historical setting as a character, and the red theme was pervasive throughout the book, melding everyone’s stories together. Beautifully written with a rhythm of its own.
Pretty good, about different people from the same founding families through the generations. I think I would have liked it better if there were fewer people and it went more in-depth with the characters.
I love Alice Hoffman’s storytelling. This one took an unexpected turn. Really good read.
I enjoyed this book. I found it to be thought-provoking and to have a really unique perspective. I recommend it all the time.
This novel is a good example of love and magic, it educate one on loving without stand or persons personality. it’s original because its midstream magic
I love Alice Hoffman’s “voice.” She is an excellent story teller. This group of connected stories does not disappoint.
I found the book enjoyable at the time, but not memorable.
I love bed the strong and wild women of this book, and the stories they told. Magic realism was included, but with a light touch.
Love all Alice Hoffman books, this was another great one!
I loved how each story built on the next,
Guess I was hoping for something close to Practical Magic, but this book was depressing.
I liked this book, mostly. However, it failed in many spots; mainly left stories, characters hanging or missing. For instance: what happened to the “Monster”. Every story was left with a question then the next one jumped to the future. I really wanted to know about the people who left the town a bit more. The writing was good and brought you …
Loved it!
At times I became frustrated with what seemed to be a lack of common thread tying the characters together. All in all , it was entertaining and somewhat quirky. Different in it’s approach and yet the characters were well developed .
Loved the way each chapter was complete unto itself, but continued the main story of the lives of all of the characters.
This book firmly made me a devoted follower of Alice Hoffman! Her creativity, though a bit magical is also very (almost) real. Hoffman draws me into her character’s nooks & crannies with great subtlety. Yet, I might consider stalking them because they are so incredibly magnificent!
I read her books the day they hit the stores, famished for …
Enjoyed spending time with and thinking about the characters.