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The Savage Garden
by
Mark Mills
From the author of the acclaimed national bestseller Amagansett comes an even more remarkable novel set in the Tuscan hills: the story of two murders, four hundred years apart-and the ties that bind them together.
Adam Banting, a somewhat aimless young scholar at Cambridge University, is called to his professor's office one afternoon and assigned a special summer project:...more
Adam Banting, a somewhat aimless young scholar at Cambridge University, is called to his professor's office one afternoon and assigned a special summer project:...more
Hardcover, Large Print, 473 pages
Published
August 28th 2007
by Thorndike Press
(first published January 1st 2007)
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3.5 stars, more or less, but gets an extra half star for mentioning things I love (in no particular order):
ancient villas in Tuscany
good wine
la fiorentina (T-Bone steak, Tuscan style)
The Boboli Gardens
Siena
the Dorothy L. Sayers translation of The Divine Comedy
The Bomarzo Gardens
natural hot springs
I would have been just as happy without the sex, but that's just me.
A decent mystery, nice story telling. Motivations and ...more
ancient villas in Tuscany
good wine
la fiorentina (T-Bone steak, Tuscan style)
The Boboli Gardens
Siena
the Dorothy L. Sayers translation of The Divine Comedy
The Bomarzo Gardens
natural hot springs
I would have been just as happy without the sex, but that's just me.
A decent mystery, nice story telling. Motivations and ...more
view all 19 comments
Heather
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
art lovers, people interested in classical studies, mystery readers
Andrew Strickland is a somewhat unfocused art history student at Cambridge University. His work is rather lackadaisical, drawing heavily on his source material without coming to many original conclusions. He prefers to spend his days drinking with friends and has given little thought to his thesis. After all, it’s not due for a year.
Everything changes when Andrew’s mentor, Professor Leonard, assigns him to a special summer project. The owner of a famous memorial garden in Tuscany has req...more
Everything changes when Andrew’s mentor, Professor Leonard, assigns him to a special summer project. The owner of a famous memorial garden in Tuscany has req...more
Another book about a house with a dark past -- and another reference to Jane Eyre!
Set in Tuscany in 1958, Adam - an art history undergrad - goes off to stay at a villa to study the sculpture in the gardens for his thesis. As he uncovers the message of the gardens, and subsequently a crime committed 400 years ago, he also begins to uncover a similar crime much closer to home.
Whilst the plot is a little far fetched, this is beautifully written and the descriptions of the ...more
Set in Tuscany in 1958, Adam - an art history undergrad - goes off to stay at a villa to study the sculpture in the gardens for his thesis. As he uncovers the message of the gardens, and subsequently a crime committed 400 years ago, he also begins to uncover a similar crime much closer to home.
Whilst the plot is a little far fetched, this is beautifully written and the descriptions of the ...more
A quick, easy and absorbing read with a mildly compelling plot and an interesting cast of characters. I wasn't too impressed with the quality of the writing, though; one of the reviews quoted on the jacket makes the rather outlandish claim that it's of Booker nominee standard, but there's noticeable repetition of several phrases, the sex scenes are frankly terrible, and the dialogue is littered with slang that I don't think would have even existed in 1950s Britain, let alone been understood by a...more
Cecilia
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
thriller readers/mystery fans
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This book uses the magic and allure of Tuscany to its advantage by setting a taut mystery within one of the region’s gardens. Mills does a great job of setting the stage for his mystery…which is much more psychological than action. Mills’ main character, Adam Strickland, is a Cambridge grad student who is given what appears to be the assignment of a lifetime. While in the gardens of Tuscany which he is to write about, he uncovers a mystery several centuries past. This mystery of long ago leads h...more
Despite the very slow pace of this novel I found it hugely atmospheric. Maybe especially so because I know some of the places mentioned personally, A particular favourite being Bomarzo, The Sacred Wood.
Will definitely appeal to lovers of Italy, Gardens their histories and thrillers. It was only my interest in these first two that kept me turning the pages at first because I found I was almost halfway through before the mystery pulled me in properly. I was pulled in very slowly by th...more
Will definitely appeal to lovers of Italy, Gardens their histories and thrillers. It was only my interest in these first two that kept me turning the pages at first because I found I was almost halfway through before the mystery pulled me in properly. I was pulled in very slowly by th...more
This is an unusual book abut an English college student in the 1950's who goes to Italy to write a thesis on a Renaissance garden that still exists. The garden was created by the original owner of the attached house in memory of his dead wife. The student quickly figures out that all is not as it appears -- either in the garden's symbolism and the story it tells or in the locked up 3rd floor of the attached house.
In all honesty, a lot of things about this book could have been bette...more
In all honesty, a lot of things about this book could have been bette...more
Young art scholar Adam Strickland is sent to Italy by his thesis adviser to study a Renaissance garden built by a Florentine banker in memory of his wife, who died in 1548 under mysterious circumstances. The garden, filled with statues, a temple and grotto, is indeed interesting as art. But it becomes even more interesting when Adam hits upon the key to deciphering it: Dante’s “The Divine Comedy” – the nine-tiered garden is modeled on the nine circles of hell. Following the clues, he suspects th...more
This book –that I thought was a romantic tale- provided a nice surprise. Well written, the romantic overtones tempered by some irony and an interesting plot. There are three time frames: the Renaissance, the end of WW II and 1958. Adam, an art student from Cambridge, is set by his professor with a subject for a thesis: the study of an old garden in a villa near Firenze. There is something wrong with the garden, erected by a rich Florentine in memory of his wife, died very young. There are...more
Well, this is one of those books that makes me feel like I better become an author. Seriously, can any old crap become a bestseller? If so, let me start writing. That's a bit mean, but DUDE. It was a bit rubbish.
It tells the story of a young man who as a university project goes to study a Renaissance garden in Italy. It's written in the past, and opens with him in university, and the narrator says of his past self: "Try as he might, he couldn't penetrate the workings of that stran...more
It tells the story of a young man who as a university project goes to study a Renaissance garden in Italy. It's written in the past, and opens with him in university, and the narrator says of his past self: "Try as he might, he couldn't penetrate the workings of that stran...more
‘Abandon all hope, ye who enter.’
Adam Strickland is drifting towards his degree in art history in 1958 when he is called to his professor's office one afternoon. Adam is assigned a special summer project: to write a scholarly monograph about a famous garden built in the 1500s. This garden, dedicated to the memory of Signor Docci's dead wife, is a mysterious world of statues, grottoes, meandering rills, and classical inscriptions. But during his three-week sojourn at the villa, Ada...more
Adam Strickland is drifting towards his degree in art history in 1958 when he is called to his professor's office one afternoon. Adam is assigned a special summer project: to write a scholarly monograph about a famous garden built in the 1500s. This garden, dedicated to the memory of Signor Docci's dead wife, is a mysterious world of statues, grottoes, meandering rills, and classical inscriptions. But during his three-week sojourn at the villa, Ada...more
Cambridge student Adam Strickland is handed the opportunity of a lifetime, a two week trip to Tuscany to study the 17th century garden at the Villa Docci. Never before studied, it's the perfect thesis topic. When he arrives, Adam finds both villa and garden enchanting, and somehow mysterious. The elderly Signora Docci and her granddaughter Antonella are equally charming. But as Adams delves into the garden's many enigmatic features, he begins to question the reasons behind its design. The garden...more
Another fun historical novel with a slightly far-fetched plot but a good pace of events. Is this a cozy? I can't decide. Great art, pretty buildings, a dark-eyes stranger, but it resists the formula of a cozy mystery. It's more subtle.
There were several times in the story where the author, I think, just forgot that he was writing about an English student and the Italians he meets in 1958. A man confronts drunk, armed German soldiers because they are breaking up his antiques. ...more
There were several times in the story where the author, I think, just forgot that he was writing about an English student and the Italians he meets in 1958. A man confronts drunk, armed German soldiers because they are breaking up his antiques. ...more
The Savage Garden, the second novel by British author Mark Mills, is a literary mystery in the tradition of juxtaposing historical and contemporary events. Set in the post-World War II era, it focuses on Cambridge student Adam Strickland who is in search of a subject for his art history thesis. His mentor suggests that he research an Italian garden found on the estate of Signora Francesca Docci. The garden was built by the villa's first owner, Federico Docci, and has been recognized as a tri...more
This was another great recommendation from Shannon. There were so many things to like about this novel: the setting in Tuscany, the art/literature/mythological history, the multiple intrigues - all in all, a great read that was both entertaining and even a bit educational as well. The ending had a bit of a surprise twist; those are the kind that I like best!
It was a short book, and that contributes to my only critique, which is that the characters, setting and events could have been give...more
It was a short book, and that contributes to my only critique, which is that the characters, setting and events could have been give...more
The majority of the plot is a mysterious garden in Tuscany which a young English student is sent over to investigate for a potential thesis at university. It almost reads a bit like a mini mystery of symbols like a David Langdon adventure of Dan Brown style. Yet it is interrupted occasionally by the history of world war two and the influence of warfare and german soldiers on the family and household of Villa Docci. Simmering beneath the mystery of the garden is the mystery of the top floor of th...more
I agree with many of the other reviews: slow paced, but the atmosphere and the story's setting in beautiful Tuscany, a place I have visited, created by Mark Mills more than makes up for the pacing. It is also extremely erudite: a cultured and well-written story. Well done Mr. Mills. I enjoyed it.
ADDENDUM: Coming across this book again in sorting out a few bookshelves (in real life), I re-read it. The reason being that it turned out the author had successfully evoked images in mind wh...more
ADDENDUM: Coming across this book again in sorting out a few bookshelves (in real life), I re-read it. The reason being that it turned out the author had successfully evoked images in mind wh...more
Note to self: you didn't like this book. It is tedious for several reasons. Firstly, I'm not in to Greek or Roman mythology and sadly this is central to the story. Secondly, it's set in 1958 but you keep forgetting because this isn't tied in to the tale enough. Thirdly, what are the three sex scenes about? They seem to be written in a different voice by a different author. Fourthly, the writer is really mean about giving the reader clues to help you piece together the crime (or maybe I missed th...more
A relatively strong read, The Savage Garden follows the story of Andrew, a lackluster English art student who travels to Italy to discover his true talents any maybe solve a murder.
The beginning of the novel is slow and somewhat disjointed. In the first twenty-five pages and author shunts us from scene to scene to scene, in what appears to be more of an outline than an actual finished product. (There are also some editing snafus that leave the dialogue somewhat confusing throughout.)...more
The beginning of the novel is slow and somewhat disjointed. In the first twenty-five pages and author shunts us from scene to scene to scene, in what appears to be more of an outline than an actual finished product. (There are also some editing snafus that leave the dialogue somewhat confusing throughout.)...more
This novel centers around the story of a somewhat irresponsible student of art history at Cambridge University, Andrew, who is asked to write a thesis about the Villa Docci's famous gardens. The gardens were said to have been built by the villa's original owner in memory of his beautiful wife. As he is conducting his research, Andrew becomes taken with the garden's many statues that tell stories from various scenes of Greek mythology. One part of the garden in particular attracts Andrew's attent...more
After being introduced to Mark Mills through his first novel, Amagansett, I was thrilled to see that his next novel centered in one of my other favorite places on earth Florence and Tuscany. Can this guy please keep writing stories that take place in my most favorite places?! Leland would be par for the course! Yet another mystery novel this one spans 400+ years and involves a college student from Cambridge's summer spend at a Tuscan villa. He is saddled with uncovering the mystery behind the vi...more
In 1958, Cambridge architecture student Adam Strickland is studying a Tuscan Renaissance garden for his thesis. He becomes equally intrigued by the death not so long ago of the villa owner’s oldest son at the hands of the German occupiers at the end of WWII. As a murder mystery this is a three star book, but I loved it because it is the story of a hermeneutic study. It shows the painstaking data collection, the struggle to put the pieces together, and the flashes of insight as Adam works at i...more
Adam Strickland, a student at Cambridge University, is asked by his professor to go to the Docci Garden south of Florence Italy to write a paper about a garden which was dedicated to the memory of the young wife of a 15th century nobleman. Adam becomes very involved with the family descendants, including Signora Docci, an old woman who is the current resident of the villa and her granddaughter, Antonella, with whom Adam falls in love. Adam discovers some curious things about the garden - a par...more
I did enjoy this book but I never felt it was going anywhere specifically and indeed still feel it didn't when I finished it. The descriptions of the garden were beautiful however and made it easy to paint a picture of the garden. The characters were quite good although at times rather bland and somewhat predictable.
I did enjoy this however particularly for interactions between Adam and his brother Harry and the gardens mystery as that was unravelled. The more modern murder was well...more
I did enjoy this however particularly for interactions between Adam and his brother Harry and the gardens mystery as that was unravelled. The more modern murder was well...more
A darkly provocative mystery set in the Tuscan hills; clue by clue the mystery of the ancient garden is revealed; and a more recent murder. Fun! Fun! Fun!
A mysterious death in 1548. Another in 1945, in the waning days of WWII in Europe. Both involve the Docci family and revolve around their Tuscan villa and its famous garden. This is a highly literate novel and a two-fer on the mystery front. The majority of the story takes place in 1958, and the more recent death takes primacy as a young Cambridge scholar looks into matters. Both plot lines and their resolutions are extremely interesting. Add a whole host of fascinating characters, a superb narr...more
I was surprised at how well I liked this. When I first picked it up, I expected the usual 'soft' mystery (the sort in which only mystery is why someone doesn't scream, "It's the butler what did it" or somesuch), but there was actual detective work done. I enjoyed the invocation of Dante and the descriptions of Italy (I agree—I'm not sure one can quite have one without the other, any more than one can have England without Shakespeare). It's not a demanding read, necessarily, but Mills ...more
In 1958, art student Adam travels to Italy to research his thesis, the subject of which is the Renaissance garden of a Tuscan villa. He becomes embroiled in solving two murders, 400 years apart. This is quite a slow moving novel in which not a huge amount really happens. However there's enough to keep the reader intrigued. The main reason i enjoyed it was due to the description of the garden and the wonderfully mysterious, eerie, slightly sinister and yet bewitching atmosphere that the writer im...more
I found this book a tad disappointing. It was interesting at first, as the mystery surrounding the garden was slowly uncovered, but Mills then filled the plot with history lessons and shoe-horned great chunks of encyclopedic-style paragraphs into the mix. Perhaps this was to stretch the novel that little bit further, or to show how really, really intelligent he is. Ouch!
The double nature of characters and mirroring of their lives was formulaic and, if I'm brutally honest, far too cliched f...more
The double nature of characters and mirroring of their lives was formulaic and, if I'm brutally honest, far too cliched f...more
I enjoyed the story, although it didn't really pose many questions or give away much information with which to solve the 'mystery' so it didn't particularly feel like a whodunnit.
The drawing and descriptions of the house and garden were very effective in conjuring up the Villa and grounds.
I especially liked the relationship between the two brothers, Harry and Adam and wonder if they might feature in another novel?
However, the reason for only 3 stars is that it is meant to be ...more
The drawing and descriptions of the house and garden were very effective in conjuring up the Villa and grounds.
I especially liked the relationship between the two brothers, Harry and Adam and wonder if they might feature in another novel?
However, the reason for only 3 stars is that it is meant to be ...more
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Mark Mills is a British writer of screenplays and novels. His first screenplay was BAFTA nominated short film One Night Stand starring Jemma Redgrave and James Purefoy in 1993; this won Mills a 'Best Screenplay' award at the Angers European First Film Festival i...more
More about Mark Mills...
Mark Mills is a British writer of screenplays and novels. His first screenplay was BAFTA nominated short film One Night Stand starring Jemma Redgrave and James Purefoy in 1993; this won Mills a 'Best Screenplay' award at the Angers European First Film Festival i...more
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“It's the job of old people to disapprove of everything young people do. . .If we don't disapprove, then the young have nothing to fight against and the world will never change. It cannot move on.”
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“Things can make sense at the time, but as you get older those consolations no longer help you sleep. It's the only thing I've learned. We all think we know the answer, and we're all wrong. Shit, I'm not sure we even know what the question is.”
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