Review: The Forgotten Garden

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! Kate Morton tells the story of Eliza Makepiece, author of book of fairytales published in the early 1900's, Rose Montrachet, spoiled invalid daughter of a Cornish aristocrat, Nell, found abandoned on an Australian dock in 1913, and Nell's granddaughter Cassandra. Cassandra has lived with her grandmother most of her life, and when Nell dies in 2005, Cassandra discovers that her grandmother had been adopted. Nell has left her a cottage in Cornwall as well as journal in which Nell has recorded her research into her family history. Nell goes to Cornwall to try to discover the truth about her grandmother's life. The narrative is told from the viewpoints of the 4 women, and jumps backwards and forwards from the early 1900's to 2005. I was spellbound by the story; Morton created an atmosphere of mystery and magic emanating from a hidden garden. I loved the inclusion of Frances Hodgson Burnett's fictional visit to the hidden garden and the hint that her book "The Secret Garden" was inspired by the visit. This was one book I was sorry to finish, because it was so good.

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