The Forgotten Garden

Kate Morton has written an intriguing, and haunting book in "The Forgotten Garden". This is a saga in the true sense, the story of 3 women, all searching for family.

In 1913, a tiny girl is abandoned on a ship by her companion, "The Authoress". Lost and alone she ends up sitting on a dock in Australia, where she is taken in by a dockman and his family. The only clue to her identity is a small white suitcase.

In 1975 a woman travels from Australia to England and impulsively buys a small but charming cottage on a large estate. She plans to make it her new home, but she never returns.

In 2005 a young woman inherits the cottage and is determined to discover the answers to the many questions surrounding her family history.

This was a wonderful book, spanning 4 generations of motherless girls. The stories are woven together so skillfully, I found myself disappearing into them. Secrets are revealed, love is found and lost, envy and bitterness, permeate one life, and in the end, answers are revealed in a very satisfying way.

The characters were so richly drawn, I cared about ALL of the women, and I HAD to know what was next. The descriptions were wonderful, a travelogue for me, and it was one terrific trip.

And it is my birthday!! I am old!

This book is from my very own shelf!