A review by lazygal
The Sea Garden: A Novel by Deborah Lawrenson
4.0
I loved The Lantern and was so excited to read The Sea Garden, which is, in more ways than one, a follow-up. Rather than one story, the author has provided three novellas, with the second and third set in and around World War II. That there is an intersection for all three becomes apparently towards the end; at times that intersection feels a tad forced. My other reason for giving this a four rather than the five I wanted so much to give the book was that the third section at times read a little too much like parts of Code Name, Verity (there's even a Hugh Verity named!).
It was very nice re-meeting Marthe, the blind perfumiere that we meet during The Lantern, getting more of her backstory. Unlike that book, this doesn't have the Rebecca-esque overtones in the modern day story although there are a few moments of odd. And the section set in Porquerolles? Add that to my list of Islands I Want To Visit.
ARC provided by publisher.
It was very nice re-meeting Marthe, the blind perfumiere that we meet during The Lantern, getting more of her backstory. Unlike that book, this doesn't have the Rebecca-esque overtones in the modern day story although there are a few moments of odd. And the section set in Porquerolles? Add that to my list of Islands I Want To Visit.
ARC provided by publisher.