Friday, July 25, 2014

The Sea Garden by Deborah Lawrenson

The Sea Garden: A Novel*By Tara. Item received for review via Edelweiss. No financial reimbursement.* An interesting book. Very interesting. And different. It begins in modern times, with this garden designer traveling to an island off the coast of France to restore a memorial garden. But things go wrong on the boat there, immediately giving the story a sinister feel and it certainly sucked me in and grabbed my attention. A man just...walks...overboard.

Yes, you read that right.

And then it gets better with things missing and a very strange old lady...and something about this old lady tells me there's something shocking to come.

The modern story felt almost like a horror, at least to me...then it suddenly goes back to the war, to a blind girl who has a way with perfume and uses her skills--both knowingly and unknowingly--to aid the French Resistance, Americans, and British.

I think she was my favorite. I really didn't want her part to end. She is so brave and handles her disability in an admirable way. I wish I'd handled my own so maturely so quickly.

And then it switches again, to a woman operative in England and the people she knows and the people she watches go to France on covert missions. And at 75% I still couldn't see how these three stories tied together. I only saw one common denominator: a radio operative. It was at this point that I began to get impatient. I like some clues, at least.

And then it concluded, leaving me confused on a few points, namely one, and I can't reveal what it is without spoiling the book, so... But I kept asking, "But why is she...." And though I loved the blind girl's story best of all, I am left wondering how exactly it ties into the other two. There's no connection beyond a brief scene at the end. The blind girl and the others were two ships barely passing in the night. Surely they could have been tied in better than that?

BUT I loved, absolutely loved, reading about the Radio Game. (I'm not going to spoil that either) How spine chilling! I am wondering if this is a piece of true history.




6 comments:

VickieC said...

I would love to read this book

Unknown said...

I've never heard of or read anything by this author, but she sounds very promising. Thanks for the review!

Unknown said...

This Book is a Book that I definitely would like to read. A book with lots of mystery to it..One that will grab your attention right away an extra plus..The cover of this Book is beautiful. The Purple Whisperia Hanging Down from the Archway Tunnel.. Excellent Review.. Thankyou!

Robin Wilson said...

I think this sounds like a little confusing of a plot line for me. I don't care for ones that jump around all over the place. At any rate, I am unable to read anymore, I have to listen to audio so that might make a difference.

Romeo said...

Being I have very little... My life's a challenge after being injured in an accident. Though I still have the use of my left hand & arm; I have been suggested to listen to audio books. So this might make a difference.

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Ceecjjj said...

Sounds like a great book, I would like to read about the man walking overboard and find out about the strange old lady!