Search - The Forgotten Garden

In the beginning this book had me a little confused. Keeping the characters and their time frame straight was a bit of a challenge, but as soon as I grasped the feel of each individual, their own voices came through and the overall story and flow was much easier to follow.

Having quite enjoyed The House at Riverton, I knew that Morton wouldn't let me down with this telling of Nell who as a very young child was left on a ships dock in 1913 with no note or adult and only a little white suitcase containing some clothes and a volume of fairy tales. The dock master took pity on her and brought her home and raised her as his child. On her 21st birthday, a day that she had so looked forward to, her father told her the truth. Destroying the dreams that Nell had had for her future she was then determined to find her true history.

Unable to find the answers before her death, Nell's granddaughter Cassandra finds the suitcase and takes up her grandmothers search. What ensues is a slow unwrapping of family, betrayal, fear, and greed. The reader has to pay close attention since each chapter is told in a different time frame and the story is slowly revealed with quite a few, "oh, I get it now" moments.

Morton creates a beautiful setting with mystery and intrigue at a Cliff Cottage on the Cornish coast. Don't rush this book, take your time and find the clues along the way.

What a beautiful book! A beautiful story in a beautifully bound book! I REALLY enjoyed this epic story. It was fascinatingly plotted, with rich characters and historical detail. I loved the whole fairy tale-angle, as well. The book just reminded me of stories from when I was younger. All in all, I really enjoyed it. A wonderful read and I definitely want to read anything else she writes!

I enjoyed this book immensely. It is very layered wth three generations and skips back and forth from past and present, but it is riveting once you know the pace of the book. Very engrossing with mystery and history.

Loved this book. It's one of those kinds of novels that you become good friends with, hating to part company with at the end of a chapter, or the end of the day. So full of enchanting and engrossing details, the characters as real to life as can be in any book. I am now moving on to other Kate Morton books, as they are meaty, engrossing, and a fully satisfying read.

This was a good book. Clean writing. No swearing or vulgarity. I am all for picking up those big, fat books, but this was a L-O-N-G, drawn out book. Took me quite a while to read, but not because of the page count. The ending (like the last 100 pgs) was really good, fast reading, but this author has a talent for really... drawing... things... out! I picked up the book because of all the great reviews and almost just quit reading it because there were so many slow parts. I was able to sum up the whole book to my husband in about 20 minutes. Overall, it's a good read, just don't expect anything fast paced (and you'll probably fall asleep reading it in bed).

A beautiful tale, cleverly crafted and intricately woven. One of the best books I've read in a very long time.