The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

Summary from Borders.com –

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 dockmaster 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 very little to go on, "Nell" sets out to trace her real identity. Her quest leads her to Blackhurst Manor on the Cornish coast and the secrets of the doomed Mountrachet family. But it is not until her granddaughter, Cassandra, takes up the search after Nell’s death that all the pieces of the puzzle are assembled. A spellbinding tale of mystery and self-discovery, The Forgotten Garden will take hold of your imagination and never let go.

Rhia’s Review – I borrowed this book from one of my teachers, and I must say, it’s the best recommendation I’ve gotten in a long time. While the book is neither fantasy, nor YA, it is an engaging mystery, and is, at some times, historical. The story takes place at multiple points in time, which can be a little confusing at first, but the book wouldn’t have been as fun if it had been written any other way. I really enjoyed piecing together the mystery, and watch the present-day characters do the same. Now the book is over, I find I quite miss them all.

The Recommendation –  I’d recommend this book for anyone who enjoys mystery and escapist reads. Historical fans might also find this is a good read, as much of the story takes place in the past. I wouldn’t recommend this book for reading over long stretches of time (I probably took nearly a  year to read it), you need to stick with it, it’s much less confusing.

The Other Books – While The Forgotten Garden is not part of a series, and as I far as I know there are no plans for a companion novel, I am interested in reading Kate Morton’s other novels, The House at Riverton and The distant Hours.

The Vitals* – The list price seems to be $15.00 paperback, but Borders apparently has it for $9.00 right now. Get it! It’s worth it!

The Links – Kate Morton's Official Website

*=All prices are from Borders.com and are subject to change without notice, and without this page reflecting those changes.