raven_morgan's review against another edition
5.0
This book is BEAUTIFUL. Haunting (both literally and figuratively), filled with wonderful characters and food and flowers. Pretty much recommending it to everyone.
dmwhipp's review against another edition
2.0
With the promise of ghosts, secrets, witches and more, I was hoping for something along the lines of Barbara Michaels or maybe Sarah Addison Allen. Instead I found very descriptive writing, with very little actually taking place. While the characters were interesting I found the story tedious. And old age is depicted as more reliving rather than living, with so many mentions of regrets and physical ailments that it became rather depressing.
sonofthe's review against another edition
5.0
What a great book. Rickert has been publishing excellent stories for something like the past ten years, but this is her first novel. It is full of great characters, mysteries, joy, sadness, discovery, and more. And it's subtle. A couple times I was reminded of Gene Wolfe's writing, but mostly just Mary Rickert's, which is an excellent thing.
I feel there's much more to write about the story, but it's just sitting in my mind, still unfurling. I'll give it another read and come back. If you haven't read any of her stuff, give some of her short stories a try. Here are a few.
I feel there's much more to write about the story, but it's just sitting in my mind, still unfurling. I'll give it another read and come back. If you haven't read any of her stuff, give some of her short stories a try. Here are a few.
pnw_michelle's review against another edition
5.0
For months now I've been starting books and not finishing them, or finishing them but not feeling especially excited about them. The Memory Garden reassured me that I'm still capable of really enjoying novels. I just needed to find the right one. It's the best ting I've read all year.
What's not to love about a book full of witches, gardens, friendship and family and dark secrets?
SO GOOD. Seriously.
What's not to love about a book full of witches, gardens, friendship and family and dark secrets?
SO GOOD. Seriously.
quietdomino's review against another edition
1.0
It was just not the time for me and a book about magic realism to be friends.
aelgert's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
dreamofbookspines's review against another edition
2.0
Rickert should've focused on *one* thing and done that well, instead of this trainwreck of different ideas and confusing subplots. It's like she wanted to write a magical realism book, but also wanted to write about the terror of reproductive justice that was the 60s (ish). In the end she ended up doing neither well. I wanted to like it, really I did, because at times the writing reminded me of Sarah Addison Allen. Rickert is not an unskilled writer, but the editor should have been vehement that she needed to pick *one* thing to do well and then made her stick with it.
barry_x's review against another edition
3.0
This was a really pleasant read, which felt quite fulfilling. I felt that spending a lazy, summer's afternoon reading in a nice garden, or enjoying a really satisfying meal, eaten slowly. Which is funny because this is a book where the senses are fully exploited taking in the sights, sounds and smells of eating with friends and the sight and smells of a wild garden. However, to stretch the analogy further, lying around in a field all day may be quite pleasant and relaxing but there isn't much 'depth' to it and that's kind of how I feel about this one. It was okay, it was fun, I enjoyed it but I don't think anything in particular has been explored in any death.
I did quite like the 'magic on the fringes' where, at least in some places it is for the reader to determine whether 'magic' is used. I did like the evocation of what I call traditional midwifery, when it was a role fulfilled by local women rather than the medical profession, including when a local herbalist could help another woman when she needed support with not having a child (indeed, I suspect in any historical witchcraft 'purges' it was more about powerful and knowledgeable women being crushed by a patriarchal, religious society rather than rooting out 'evil witchcraft').
I quite liked the characters, especially the elderly ladies (who may or may not be witches). I liked the exploration of the elements of their friendships and the teases about the nature of their relationships. The younger characters I related to less. The central character Bay seemed a 'young' 15 and I didn't really see her as a young woman on the cusp of adulthood. Most of the younger characters seemed really incidental and added nothing to the book.
I also enjoyed the unravelling of the deeper plot although I felt it was telegraphed significantly. The end was quite rewarding and tugged at my sentimentality strings.
Enjoyed it, but I doubt it will leave a lasting impression on me.
I did quite like the 'magic on the fringes' where, at least in some places it is for the reader to determine whether 'magic' is used. I did like the evocation of what I call traditional midwifery, when it was a role fulfilled by local women rather than the medical profession, including when a local herbalist could help another woman when she needed support with not having a child (indeed, I suspect in any historical witchcraft 'purges' it was more about powerful and knowledgeable women being crushed by a patriarchal, religious society rather than rooting out 'evil witchcraft').
I quite liked the characters, especially the elderly ladies (who may or may not be witches). I liked the exploration of the elements of their friendships and the teases about the nature of their relationships. The younger characters I related to less. The central character Bay seemed a 'young' 15 and I didn't really see her as a young woman on the cusp of adulthood. Most of the younger characters seemed really incidental and added nothing to the book.
I also enjoyed the unravelling of the deeper plot although I felt it was telegraphed significantly. The end was quite rewarding and tugged at my sentimentality strings.
Enjoyed it, but I doubt it will leave a lasting impression on me.