The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

549 pages

Published 2008
Atria Books
A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
New York, NY

I can't remember where I first learned of The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. I think it was through one of the numerous book blogs that I follow. At any rate I remember hearing it had to do with a secret garden and was reminiscent of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden (which is one of my all-time favorite books). This was enough to put the book on my TBR list.

Although it ended up being totally different than I expected, I still enjoyed this read... But then I'm getting ahead of myself.

The Plot:
"A tiny girl is abandoned on a ship headed for Australia in 1913. She arrives completely alone with nothing but a small suitcase containing a few clothes and a single book -- a beautiful volume of fairy tales. She is taken in by the dock master and his wife and raised as their own. On her twenty-first birthday they tell her the truth, and with her sense of self shattered and with very little to go on, 'Nell' sets out on a journey to England to try to trace her story, to find her real identity. Her quest leads her to Blackhurst Manor on the Cornish coast and the secrets of the doomed Mountrachet family. But it s not until her granddaughter, Cassandra, takes up the search after Nell's death that all the pieces of the puzzle are assembled. At Cliff Cottage, on the grounds of Blackhurst Manor, Cassandra discovers the forgotten garden of the books' title and is able to unlock the secrets of the beautiful book of fairy tales." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
The Forgotten Garden is a complicated weaving of the stories of three related women who live during three very different times and on two very different places of the world. Throughout the novel the story flashes back and forth between these times and places, which at first caused me some confusion, but as the story progresses and the characters and plot develop I found myself absorbed in this spellbinding story.


Overall I really enjoyed this story. There is a secret garden and an appearance by Frances Hodgson Burnett which was fun. The reader is left to imagine that Mrs. Hodgson Burnett's visit to the garden helps to inspire her novel by the same name, though this is purely fictional and in truth it was Kate Morton who was inspired in part by Mrs. Hodgson Burnett's writing. Another element of this book reminded me of Daphne DuMaurier's Jamaica Inn, again another author that inspired Morton. All of these links added to the pleasure of reading to this book.

On the other hand, I can't say the mystery of this story is that difficult. I found myself guessing the ending well before the middle of the book, but kept reading to see if I was right and also because I wanted to know how all the details were wrapped up in the ending. And yes, the ending leaves no loose ends. This is satisfying, but for the fact that one element really tried me as a reader. I can't say too much without giving away a major part of the story, but suffice it to say there is one aspect that I was not pleased with. In fact I wished it anyway but how it was and yet, looking back over the story as a whole I don't see how Morton could succeed in telling this story without the element being as it is. Changing this one aspect would have changed the story entirely, which just wouldn't have worked.


In the end, I can say I found Kate Morton to be a very imaginative story teller. Her characters were well painted, her fairy tales (woven throughout the book) masterpieces in and of themselves, and her story a clever and unique read that I am glad to have read.


That said, I can't say The Forgotten Garden was a classic. It's unlikely that I will re-read the story and even more doubtful that it will ever hold a place in my personal library. Still, I am glad I read it and definitely impressed with the writing capability of 33 year old Kate Morton as this is her second novel ever. I look forward to reading some of her other works and hope they will be as good, if not even better than this one. And if The Forgotten Garden is ever made into a movie I think I will take the time to see it. It's definitely a clever and unique story.

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Related Links:
More information about Kate Morton

My review of Jamaica Inn by Daphne DuMaurier

Tuesday Teasers: Far From the Madding Crowd

"Can you get me a lodging?' inquired Gabriel.
'That I can't, indeed,' he said, moving past Oak as a Christian edges past an offertory-plate when he does not mean to contribute. 'If you follow on the road till you come to Warren's Malthouse, where they are all gone to have their snap of victuals, I daresay some of 'em will tell you of a place. Good-night to ye, shepherd.' The bailiff who showed this nervous dread of loving his neighbour as himself, went up the hill, and Oak walked on to the village..." (Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, Chpt. 5, page 56)

Friday Five Favs

Despite the fact that this week was extremely difficult I have much to be thankful for. My top five favorite things from the past week include:

1. My friends. Work has been very stressful of late as I've had to push to get some projects done by certain deadlines. This has meant some days I've had to work 6-8 hours and all around taking care of my 2 1/2 year old daughter. At the point when I thought I was going to lose my mind a friend offered to take my daughter for a day so I could have some solid alone time to concentrate and plow through the paperwork that was threatening to bury me alive. Wow did it made such a difference! I got so much done and I had such a happier outlook on life in general. Meanwhile my daughter had a fun time playing with other children. True friends are truly a blessing.

2. Listening to the rain. Generally I prefer sunshine to rain, but every so often I do enjoy waking up or going to sleep to the sound of rain falling. It's rather relaxing. We had several days of sunshine followed by a couple days of rain. One night I had the luxury to lay in bed and listen to the pitter patter of the rain.

3. Babysitters. It's been a while since my husband and I were able to have a date night. We try for once a month, but that doesn't always happen. Thanks to one of our fantastic babysitters we got a last minute date night out. And let me tell you -- a night out together without taming a toddler does wonders for my morale and for my marriage. Bless my babysitter!

4. A new dress. I love when you find that perfect item. It fits like a dream, it makes you look fantastic AND it's on clearance!

5. Song of the Week: Lead Me To the Cross (Chris and Conrad). Enjoy!


What about you? What were your five favorite things from the last week? What blessed you? Leave me a comment and let me know or a link to your own Friday Five Fav post and have a fantastic weekend!

Wordless Wednesday: Reading at Barnes & Noble

Just a quick post today since I'm buried in To-Do's for work. This was from yesterday afternoon. We had an outing to the mall complete with a visit to B&N and some book browsing. Have you ever noticed how good B&N stores smell? I love ours, a mix of coffee and books scents in the air.

What's On My Nightstand: March 2010

It's been a while since I posted an actual picture from my nightstand. Usually I just list what I'm reading and sometmies I even post pictures of the books, but since I have a new nightstand I thought it might be fun to post something more personal. For the last few years we've been using TV tables as nightstands, not ideal, but they worked. At long last my husband had time to build us a matching pair of nightstands complete with shelves and a drawer hidden behind a beautiful door. They are stained Bombay Mahogany to match our bedroom set. I am loving mine!

Here are the books I'm reading this month (and probably next month):

1. Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. I am reading this novel for the April meeting of my book club. So far I'm enjoying the story. Until now I had only read one other Hardy novel, Under The Greenwood Tree, which I liked, so I am hopeful that this will be as good.

2. Wild Strawberries by Angela Thirkell. Until recently I'd never heard of this book, let alone the author. Thirkell came recommended to me by Marie (a fellow blogger and bibliophile) as someone I might like since I enjoy D. E. Stevenson so much. I'm very excited to read this book.

3. Mr. Twigg's Mistake by Robert Lawson. I'm a huge fan of Robert Lawson. I grew up with my mom reading aloud to me books that Lawson had illustrated like Ferdinand by Munroe Leaf and Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater and books he both illustrated and wrote like: Rabbit Hill, The Tough Winter, Mr. Wilmer and Ben & Me. I was recently browsing the ILL system to see if there were any other Lawson books available that I had not read when I came upon this one. It's a short book, obviously intended for young readers, but I am pretty excited about reading it.

4. Mrs. Miniver by Jan Struther. This one has moved back and forth from my nightstand for the last several months, but I am determined to finally get to it this time around! I remember the movie, which was bittersweet. I am looking forward to reading the story that inspired such a great movie classic.

So that is what you'll find on my nightstand, but what about you? What are you reading? Leave a comment or head over to 5 Minutes For Books and link up your own What's On Your Nightstand post.

Mrs. Tim of the Regiment by D. E. Stevenson

378 pages

Published in 1940

Farrar & Rinehart, Inc.

Printed in the USA

by J. J. Little and Ives Company, NY

I am particularly excited to share with you about my latest D. E. Stevenson read, Mrs. Tim of the Regiment.

This is the first in a series of novels about Mrs. Tim (Hester) Christie, the wife of a British officer. These novels are somewhat unique in that they are written in the first person by way of diary entries and also in the fact that they detail the life and adventures of a military family living in Britain during the years leading up to (and during) the second world war.

Telling a story in the form of diary entries can be tricky. The author risks slowing the story down through limited dialogue or mundane day-to-day activities, but readers will find that is not the the case here. Mrs. Tim of the Regiment was extremely entertaining with plenty of action, detailed description, and witty dialogue cleverly woven throughout. Even what might be perceived as mundane was told in such a way that kept me interested and amused. It takes a definite type of humor to cause me to laugh out loud while reading and this book has plenty of it. While I've read some great reads this year, this one was by far one of the funniest. I'm already planning to request the next book in the series (Mrs. Tim Carries On) through my library's ILL program.

And that brings me to the other reason why I'm so excited about this book. Not only was it a delightful read, but it will soon be readily available for readers in the USA thanks to Bloomsbury Group who have republished the book in paperback form. Copies will be available in stores and online as of April 13, 2010 for as little as $9.45. (And yes, I am reserving a copy for my own personal library.) Maybe, if sales are good enough they'll reprint the entire series? Here's hoping!

In the meantime if you aren't certain about buying a copy then be sure to check your libraries collections and if they don't own a copy then ask your librarian if they can purchase a copy of Mrs. Tim of the Regiment. In my opinion, this is another must read by D. E. Stevenson.

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Related D. E. Stevenson Posts

Miss Buncle's Book
Miss Buncle Married
The Two Mrs. Abbotts
Rochester's Wife
Celia's House
Listening Valley
The Blue Sapphire

Tuesday Teasers: Mrs. Tim of the Regiment
Tuesday Teasers: The Blue Sapphire
Tuesday Teasers: Listening Valley
Tuesday Teasers: Miss Buncle Married

Friday Five Favs

Here's how it works. On each Friday participants look back over the week and find their five favorite things, be they activities, food, quotes, books, etc. Anything that blessed them over the last seven days. Here are five of my favorites:

1. The weather. I loved that after a full week of rain following some very cold temperatures we finally had a week of sunshine and temperatures into the upper 60s. Although I still had a very busy work week I made sure to take advantage of the pleasant weather. My daughter and I took walks, spent time at the park, and explored outside. I enjoyed the snowy winter we had, but I am happy spring has arrived!

2. My crockpot. Slow cooked meals are the answer to any crazy schedule. This week was especially busy, so I was very grateful that St Patrick's Day fell on my busiest day. Thanks to the crockpot we were still able to enjoy our annual corned beef and cabbage (with potatoes and carrots) even though I was out of the house most of the day. Next year I plan to add a little extra bits to the day's celebration, after all celebrating with a child is what makes these minor holidays so much fun.

3. Song: Temporary Home (Carrie Underwood). This song has been on my mind this week, especially the latter part.

4. Time with friends. Last night I went out with some of my girlfriends for a girl's night out/baby shower. We celebrated at a quiet restaurant in an older/classy part of town and enjoyed some delicious appetizers and desserts. It's been several months since we'd had such an opportunity and it was so relaxing and fun to spend a couple hours visiting and laughing.

5. Favorite Children's Read of the Week: The Country Bunny And the Little Gold Shoes by Du Bose Heyward. This story was a childhood favorite. So when I found a beautiful used hardcover copy with dust jacket for $0.99 I couldn't pass it by. If you're looking for a different type of Easter bunny story this is definitely worth you time. Originally published in 1939, The Country Bunny tells the story of a little bunny girl who dreams of one day becoming one of the five Easter bunnies who deliver treats to children all over the world, and how those dreams eventually do come true. Although as a child I viewed it simply as a fun story with beautiful illustrations I realize now there are some messages woven within the tale -- messages like kindness and love are just as important as strength and speed, and that it is possible to be a good mother and still have some of your greatest dreams come true.

What about you? What were your five favorites from this past week?

Our Library

It was announced last year that the county had finally received a grant from the state which provides funds to rebuild our local library. The library building itself was in fine condition being only 20 years old, but it was just too small for the number of people and activities each day. And so a temporary location was found where the library could still lend out books and hold story time.

In the meantime construction began, which meant today they began demolition.

My daughter and I took a walk and when we passed the library they had started to tear off the bricks. Then on our return trip we discovered they had torn off the entrance. My daughter saw the gaping hole and said, "Mommy!!! Those people are naughty! They wrecked the library!"

Quote of the Week

The librarian who hosts story time at our local library is named Robin, but she goes by "Miss Robin" to the children. Upon leaving the library on Monday I said "Goodbye, see you next week."

To which my daughter called over her shoulder, "Good-bye Christopher Robin! See you next week."

Friday Five Favs

For some time I've noticed a few bloggers (including Carrie over at Reading To Know) have been participating in a Friday's Five Fav carnival. It looked like fun and I thought I might occasionally participate, but haven't had the time. Finally, today as it is a quiet work day and raining out, I've decided there's no time like the present.

Here's how it works. On each Friday participants look back over the week and find their five favorite things, be they activities, food, quotes, books, etc. Anything that blessed them over the last seven days.

1. Kona Coffee. Sometime in the last seven years I became a coffee drinker. I keep it to one small tea cup each morning, but on the weekends my husband and I splurge and make ourselves cappuccinos. My favorite coffee is the Hawaiian Kona coffee. Best coffee ever! It reminds me of our trip to Hawaii in April/May 2007.






2. LOST. There are very few TV shows I actually sit and watch week after week. In fact, with the exception of the British Car show Top Gear, LOST is the only one. I laugh now when I think back to 2004 when I assumed LOST was just another of those stupid reality TV survivor shows. At the time I was both puzzled and alarmed when I overheard someone talking about someone being killed on the show. What!? Then I learned it was a fictional TV series. In 2008 my sister asked me to watch an episode with her and I've been hooked ever since. We're in the last season and finally getting answers to this bizarre, yet totally compelling and entertaining drama. I look forward to each Tuesday night when a new episode airs.

3. "I Can't Do This" by Plumb. I came upon this song thanks to the WOW Hits 2007 collection. This song is on my workout play list and runs through my mind whenever I am facing a particularly difficult day (or week).

4. My favorite quote from a book I read this week was:

"It is to be the light in the darkness, the belief in the distrust, the never-failing source of consolation. It is to be the gentleness of forgiveness for all of one's mistakes -- strength and tenderness, passion and purity, the fire and the snow. It is to make one generous to all the world with one's sympathy and compassion, because in the sanctuary there is no lack of love. It is 'the joining together of two souls for life, to strengthen each other in all peril, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent, unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting.'" (M. Reed, The Spinster Book, Chpt. 7, pg 157)

5. My favorite moment in time this week: Was watching my daughter read to her baby doll and prepare her baby for bed. She went through all the actions and conversations that we have with her each night. Her personality develops more and more with each passing day and she is truly a joy to be with.


What about you? What are your favorite five things from this past week?

The Master's Violin by Myrtle Reed

315 pages
1904, reprinted 1909
G. P. Putnam's Sons --
The Knickerbocker Press

The Master's Violin is the seventh novel by Myrtle Reed, a best selling author of the early 20th century and the fourth that I have read. Up until this point nearly all of Ms. Reed's books that I have read I have picked up with some foreknowledge as to what the story entails, but not so with The Master's Violin. In fact, the very reason that I happened to read it had to do with the simple fact it was one of four books by Reed available through my library's Inter Library Loan program that I had not yet read.

The Master's Violin is set in the early 1900s and somewhere in a German settled town within the state of Pennsylvania. (Note: German immigrants play heavily into this story, including a character or two who speak with heavy accents, which at times make reading their dialogue a bit of a challenge.)

The plot:
After twenty years a widow returns to her childhood home and although she is haunted by her past, she is determined to stay so her grown son can further his musical career at the hands of a local master violinist. What ensues is the love stories of three couples who find each other amidst sadness and loss, bitter memories, forgivenss, love, and new found hope.

My Thoughts:
The Master's Violin is a sweet, yet sad, and at times even a little sappy story. Compared side by side with some of Reed's other novels I'd have to say The Master's Violin isn't quite as memorable. It lacks the same level of wit and spice to the dialogue, plot, and characters that other of her books have contained. Still, I found it to be an enjoyable read and probably best defined as an Edwardian period romance with a pretty ending.

Despite the drawbacks to this book (the occasional accented dialogue, the lacking in wit and spice, the silliness of one female, the snobbishness of another...) I still found the story entertaining, pleasing in it's closure and plenty of passages to jot down in my book of books. Here is one such passage:

"Perhaps if we lived rightly, if our faith were stronger, death would not rend our hearts as it does.'

'Life,' replied Lynn 'is the pitch of the orchestra, and we are the instruments.' Doctor Brinkerhoff nodded. 'Very true. The discord and the broken string of the individual instrument do not affect the work, except as false notes, but I think that God, knowing all things, must discern the symphony, glorious with meaning, through the discordant fragments that we play.'" (Chapter 14, page 183)

All in all, I liked The Master's Violin, but not as much as the other books I've read by Myrtle Reed. I feel rather sorry that I can't give a standing ovation for this novel. I have really enjoyed all of Ms. Reed's books that I have read thus far, but then each one in a different way. I loved Lavender And Old Lace, but in comparison The Master's Violin was only mediocre. Thankfully for someone curious to read this story, but not willing to spend a lot of money there are acceptable copies to be found on Amazon for as little as $0.99. Unfortunately I have not found a decent electronic version of this book. The one website I did find that contained the entire book had font errors and missing words, which made reading nearly impossible.

But don't let my so-so feelings about this novel keep you from reading Myrtle Reed. She wrote some beautiful novels in her time and they are well worth your time.

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Myrtle Reed Related Posts:

Lavender And Old Lace by Myrtle Reed (reviewed)
A Spinner In The Sun by Myrtle Reed (reviewed)
A Weaver of Dreams by Myrtle Reed (reviewed)

Wordless Wednesday: Storytime With Her Baby

My daughter reading Itty Bitty by CeCe Bell. This library book is a definite favorite. We've had to renew it and then check it out after returning it. We're on week three with this book and heading into week four. Too bad there aren't more stories about Itty Bitty.

Poetry

I have always enjoyed poetry, though I can't say I have always understood or appreciated it. There is a difference there, you know, between enjoying and appreciating literature. One can enjoy the sound of the words as they form on the lips, but it doesn't always follow that one can always grasp the meaning behind them. At least not immediately.

Sheakespeare is like that for me. I have always (ever since I picked up my first Shakespearian play, Romeo & Juliet) enjoyed reading Shakespeare, but at the same time he's never been an easy read for me.

More traditional poetry is also like this for me. I read Sir Walter Scott's The Lady of the Lake when I was 19 and while I enjoyed the ebb and flow of the words there were aspects of the epic poem that I just didn't get. I'm much better with the simple poems.

As a child my favorite was Vachel Lindsay's The Moon's The North Wind's Cooky. Which to this day I still love and often recite for my daughter. One day I hope to have the opportunity to study poetry, perhaps with my book club (it was discussed as an option during our last meeting). But for now, here's a simple children's poem I discovered a few months back (Accrossthepage) about one of my favorite places:

Library
No need even
To take out
A book: only
Go inside
And savor
the heady
Dry breath of
Ink and paper,
Or stand and
Listen to the
Silent twitter
Of a billion
Tiny busy
Black words.

[Library From All the Small Poems and Fourteen More (New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1994)]

Breaking Records Never Recorded

You know you're a true bibliophile when you're willing to admit you not only visited three libraries in one day, but you visited them in the span of one afternoon and they were 15 miles apart. Maybe I've not broken any world records, but I can honestly say this is something I've never done... Thankfully all my library items are in order and the little bear bookworm and I have plenty of reading materials to keep us happy for yet another week.

The Blue Sapphire by D. E. Stevenson

286 pages
Published in 1963
Holt, Rinehart and Winston
USA

The Blue Sapphire is another charming story by Scottish author Dorothy Emily Stevenson.

The Plot:
"Julia Harburn is engaged to the extremely proper Morland Beverly, and everyone expects them to marry and settle down {once he makes junior partner at his father's firm}. But an unexpected conversation with a handsome stranger on a London park bench has unforseen results that alter the course of Julia's life." (Summary courtesy of the publisher, 1977)

My Thoughts:
Although aspects of The Blue Sapphire make it a little predictable I still enjoyed the rich tapestry of characters, the beautiful settings, and the witty dialogue. I've now read several of Stevenson's novels and have enjoyed nearly ever one of them and yet... The Blue Sapphire stood out to me as one of my all-time favorites, so much so that I went out and found an affordable used copy (the book is out of print) to add to my personal library.

What is so special about The Blue Sapphire? I think it stems from the fact that it isn't just another romance. For starters, I really liked Julia as the heroine. Although she doesn't begin as a very strong character a series of unrelated events bring Julia to the point of knowing her own mind and learning to listen to her heart and do what is right no matter the pressures from those around her to do otherwise. By the stories end she is a strong woman with a very loving nature and Christian spirit. Also woven throughout the story are other threads that deepen the plot and captivated me as the reader like the mystery and drama of long held family secrets and the adventurous tales of sapphire mining in Africa. The latter Stevenson depicts in such a way as to impart the reader with a small education about sapphires and mining yet without losing the entertainment factor of the story.

The only complaint I had was that towards the latter third of the book (while Julia resides in Scotland) the story seems to lag. The reader knows the ending is still chapters away and full of answers, but it seems to take more time than necessary to get there. Still, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a different kind of romance and adventure set in the mid 20th century.

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More of my reviews of D. E. Stevenson's books:

Miss Buncle's Book
Miss Buncle Married
The Two Mrs. Abbotts
Rochester's Wife
Celia's House
Listening Valley

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Tuesday Teasers:

Mrs. Tim of the Regiment
The Blue Sapphire
Listening Valley
Miss Buncle Married

Finding A Place to Rest

When all around me life presses in and the days blur past I often find myself begging for a rest. When life is this way I can usually only capture a few minutes here and there, but I love the escape, the tranquility, the rest that comes when all is quiet. When I am alone and can close my eyes and picture my favorite places or memories of the happiest moments in my life.

I also love the escape, the tranquility, the rest that can be found in a good read. A library (my library) is indeed a hospital for the mind (my mind).

What about you? What photographs or paintings giving you a feeling of tranquility? What captures a favorite place or memory? What book is your greatest escape from the pressures of life?

For me, it's usually a beautiful landscape (either a garden like the one depicted above, or a forest like the ones I explored as a teenager, or a tropical beach like the one I relaxed on with my husband three years ago). And for reads, outside of the Psalms (from the Holy Bible) probably one of my all-time favorite reads would be The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

As you might have guessed I'm having an incredibly busy week (as was last week). I'm hoping to post a book review before the week's end, so stay tuned! And happy reading!

Tuesday Teasers: Mrs.Tim of the Regiment

"Once more the good lady has missed my point. I begin to feel as if I were conversing in a foreign language or with somebody very deaf. There was an old gentleman at Hythe who prided himself upon his hearing. A conversation with him was always fraught with surprises. I remember asking him whether he had been for a long walk today, to which he replied smilingly, 'Yes, May is my favourite month too.' Decide that Mrs. McTurk suffers from mental deafness. She has ears but hears not -- at least I suppose she must have ears concealed under her rolls of mud-coloured hair or Mr. McTurk would not have paid a hundred and twenty pounds for diamond earrings for her." - (Mrs. Tim of the Regiment by D. E. Stevenson, Diary Entry: May 5, page 174)