The Garden

Dark, intriguing, horrific, riveting, thought provoking, and hard to put down! Come take a walk in The Garden and meet Evelyn and Lily, two elderly sisters who have lived in isolation in their walled in garden. They do not know what lies beyond the walls. They have each other, their garden, their bees, their flowers, their vegetables, and their crumbling home. They follow the instructions their deceased mother left for them in what they call the almanac. The sister’s lives are ordered, organized, and the same day after day. They live in the kitchen while the rest of the home lays to waste. Evelyn takes comfort in her life of order, while Lily is curious and inquisitive. When a boy is found living in the home, questions swirl through their minds….

What a delightfully dark and unique dystopian tale about two elderly women, a boy, and what may or may not have happened in the outside world. I loved the haunting and eerie atmosphere, the shocking jolt that the boy’s presence had in their lives. This book is oozing with atmosphere and unease. I was full of wonder and dread not knowing where this book was heading. I could not help but wonder what it must be like to spend almost one’s entire life with only one other person to talk with, to share a meal with, and to endure with. Having nothing but memories of the past, their mother, and their father. The Garden has a something-isn’t-quite right feel jumping off the pages. I enjoyed how the author had the sisters both experiencing the boy’s presence in differing ways and watching as it affected them individually and its affect their relationship with each other.

If you are looking for something a little peculiar, dystopian, original, and atmospheric, look no further. The Garden grabbed me from the very first chapter and never let go!

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.