Winter Garden

by Kristin Hannah | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 9780312364120 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingAceofHeartswing of Mississauga, Ontario Canada on 2/7/2010
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3 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingAceofHeartswing from Mississauga, Ontario Canada on Sunday, February 7, 2010
Amazon Editorial Review:

Can a woman ever really know herself if she doesn’t know her mother?

From the author of the smash-hit bestseller Firefly Lane and True Colors comes a powerful, heartbreaking novel that illuminates the intricate mother-daughter bond and explores the enduring links between the present and the past

Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard; the other followed a dream and traveled 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.

Journal Entry 2 by wingAceofHeartswing from Mississauga, Ontario Canada on Thursday, February 18, 2010
Meredith and Nina Whitson are sisters who have grown up with a cold, disapproving mother. Each of them coped in their own way. Meredith did so by having a family, running the family's apple orchard, and becoming a super achiever. Nina coped by becoming a world famous photojournalist taking pictures in grief stricken areas of the world, constantly travelling and running away.

When their beloved father falls ill he extracts a promise from Nina that she will get her mother to tell the Russian fairy tale story that they had loved as children. But he wants Nina to get her mother to tell it through to the ending which the girls have never heard. When he dies the sisters and their mother are pulled in opposite directions, each dealing with the grief in their own way. Meredith throws herself into her work alienating her husband, Nina runs away to Africa and Anya, their mother, sits in her garden even in the winter in her nightgown and looks to be becoming more and more forgetful.

Nina finally turns toward home and starts her mother telling her and the reluctant Meredith the Russian fairy tale. A tale about a young girl and her fairy tale prince and their falling in love in Leningrad. Only it is really their mother's tale about Leningrad and the infamous siege of Leningrad.

This is such a wonderful tale. I especially enjoyed the historical fiction portion about the siege of Leningrad. The ending was such a great surprise and so up-lifting and just plain feel good. Great book!!

Journal Entry 3 by wingAceofHeartswing at Mississauga, Ontario Canada on Thursday, July 8, 2010
given to a friend to mail in the US

Journal Entry 4 by loriped at Keizer, Oregon USA on Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Received in the mail today. Thanks for sending it to me.

Journal Entry 5 by loriped at Keizer, Oregon USA on Thursday, January 2, 2014
This book touched me in many ways. There were times when I cried as the story brought out the emotions that I am currently experiencing with my father's decline. The other emotional factor for me is that this book was sent to me by a book friend who recently passed away from cancer. I wish I had read it earlier so that I could thank her for sending such a wonderful story.

The author does a wonderful job of paralleling the stories of the two daughters and their mother. I believe that this is the author's best work so far.

Sending off to someone who selected it from a VBB at BookObsessed.

Journal Entry 6 by Lizabeth86 at Middletown, Connecticut USA on Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Arrived today. I see this was originally
Registered by Ace. She is very missed by
her bookobsessed family. Great to know her
Words and reviews live on.

Journal Entry 7 by Lizabeth86 at Middletown, Connecticut USA on Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Like Loriped this was a very emotional book for me due to the passing of my father. Also due to the story line itself. By the end of Anya's story I was balling my eyes out. It was intense but well written.

Anyone who enjoyed this book may also like Jodi Picoult's The Storyteller. Perhaps Jodi drew some inspiration from this book.

Journal Entry 8 by Lizabeth86 at Middletown, Connecticut USA on Friday, April 27, 2018
Donating to the friends of Russell library

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