The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton tells the story of Nell. As a very small child, she sails alone from London to a small port in Australia. No one knows who she is or how she ended up on a ship all alone. As an adult, Nell is determined to discover the truth about her origins. This book also tells the story of Cassandra, Nell's granddaughter, who travels to England to continue her grandmother's search. The Forgotten Garden follows so many storylines through so many points of view in so many different time periods that at times it is difficult to remember which of the many characters is in possession of which facts.
I did enjoy this book, but because it was the book club selection for November and I was running out of reading time, I had to finish it very quickly. I think I would have been able to immerse myself and take much more pleasure in these characters if I had given myself more time. My favorite part of the book was the fairy tales written by Eliza Makepeace. These fairy tales were intended to build up the story, but they were so beautifully written that they could have stood on their own.
Ms. Morton wove an intricate and engrossing tale and I look forward to reading more of her books. I actually just picked The Distant Hours at our library's semi-annual book sale for only $3! Next time I will take a little longer in which to wrap my self in the story. If you read The Forgotten Garden , let me know what you think.
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