Winter Garden

Ever read a book that you dreaded coming to an end? This was one of those for me.

This was a bit of a slow start and took me a while to get into it, but once I was able to really dedicate a little time to reading and made it through the first 25% or so I got more into it and couldn't put it down! I flew through the rest in just a couple of days of reading on the beach or poolside a few hours each day. I didn't know much of the history discussed in this book and it's made me want to learn more about it too

meh, interesting historic aspects, stretch the whole cold mother new life ignore children forever because of past trauma. so i suppose therapists don't exist? what spouse let's their kids get treated this way? and if the mother was so traumatized how could she ever have a true relationship, she needed her own help. Feels like forcing into a marriage and having kids is taking advantage of a traumatizd woman. just needed total suspension of disbelief. the it was love to me sounds more like abuse emotional psychological. so meh

Heartbreaking but a very good ending.

This one is going to stick with me awhile. It’s the story of an elderly mom, Anya, her grown daughters Meredith and Nina, and the dying wish of husband and dad, Ethan, to finally get Anya to share her mysterious backstory with the girls. Anya has always been cold and inaccessible with the girls. She cooks, but never taught them to cook. She never smiles. And the girls have no idea just how old she really is. The girls, now women, have issues with their own relationships. And miss their father, terribly. All they have left is seemingly cold and unfeeling Anya. But when Anya starts to tell the fairytale of the girl and the prince this time, they realize that the story has gotten further along than they’d ever heard, previously. Then they begin to know that it’s the story of their own mother’s life during a horrific period - the Siege of Leningrad - and the sacrifices and choices she made. The final frames were a surprise - one that I wanted to savor twice, so I read it all over again. I learned a lot about this terrible event in history. Stopped reading to google it and learned the city was essentially starved to death by the Nazi regime for almost 3 years. And Stalin got them no help. The ‘present’ day took place in 2000 and 2001, which is why a first person account by Anya was able to be finally told. Amazing story of forgiveness and redemption - for those lost, and for those who are still with us.