Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publish Date: February 2, 2010
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 391
ISBN: 978 0312364120

Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sister can be.  One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard: the other followed a dream and travelled the world to become a famous photojournalist.  But when their beloved father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters.  As children, the only connection between them was the Russian fairy tale Anya sometimes told the girls at night.  On his deathbed, their father extracts a promise from the women in his life: the fairy tale will be told one last time – and all the way to the end.  Thus begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya’s life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago.  Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother’s life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are.

My Thoughts

This I was not expecting.  I thought it would be your typical Chick-Lit Romance novel and would blend in like all the rest of them.  It was not.  I was completely blown away and taken by surprise by this story.  Like most reviews, it is a bit slow in the beginning with sisters Meredith and Nina constantly bickering (like sisters do) but I still found myself engaged with the story and where it was heading.  

At first I wanted to hate Anya, and how cold she was, but ultimately I knew there had to be a heartbreaking reason behind her emotionless demeanor...and is there ever!  It takes a lot in a novel to bring me to tears while reading, and more than once I found myself getting choked up and wanting to set the book aside.  But no matter how hard I tried I had to keep reading, I was just so transfixed by the "fairy tale."

With a surprise ending I was not expecting, that kept me wanting more I just can't say enough about this novel.  Hannah did not disappoint.  Highly recommended!

My Rating: «««««

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The reviews made here are my personal opinion. I’m not being paid to review any of these books. I am by no means a professional book reviewer or editor.  I do this for the love of books.