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The Forgotten Garden
by Kate Morton
by Kate Morton
Kat Kennedy's review
bookshelves: contemporary-fiction, kat-s-book-reviews
Jul 10, 10
bookshelves: contemporary-fiction, kat-s-book-reviews
Read from July 04 to August 07, 2010
*Kat looks at The Forgotten Garden*
*Kat looks at the beckoning stack of other books to read*
*Kat looks back at the first 33 pages of The Forgotten Garden*
*Kat groans*
So basically there's this woman. Let's call her Stupidhead because I couldn't care enough to remember her name. She finds out on her 21st birthday party that her loving, adoring family is not her biological family. They found her as a very small child and cared enough to take her in and give her a wonderful home full of people who loved and adored her.
So she breaks up with her perfect fiancee, marries an asshole, has a child, is a terrible mother, distances herself from everyone who ever loved her, screws up her child's life so that her child screws up HER daughters life...
Then I didn't read on. I didn't read on because this book is based on an idiot, and I have a short fuse when it comes to idiots. Let's just say that I don't suffer them lightly.
I'm sure that this book, if I read further, might turn out to be a fantastic and beautifully touching story with a great mystery that it's currently hinting at like a half-dressed male stripper with sad eyes and a g-string whose elastic is so flexible it no longer snaps. However, right now it's just a jumpy, painfully boring mess. I know it's probably realistic, after all there's plenty of idiots in the world. However, since I have so many life sized idiots on-call whenever I need them, I don't feel I have to read a book about them.
Life is too short.
*Kat looks at the beckoning stack of other books to read*
*Kat looks back at the first 33 pages of The Forgotten Garden*
*Kat groans*
So basically there's this woman. Let's call her Stupidhead because I couldn't care enough to remember her name. She finds out on her 21st birthday party that her loving, adoring family is not her biological family. They found her as a very small child and cared enough to take her in and give her a wonderful home full of people who loved and adored her.
So she breaks up with her perfect fiancee, marries an asshole, has a child, is a terrible mother, distances herself from everyone who ever loved her, screws up her child's life so that her child screws up HER daughters life...
Then I didn't read on. I didn't read on because this book is based on an idiot, and I have a short fuse when it comes to idiots. Let's just say that I don't suffer them lightly.
I'm sure that this book, if I read further, might turn out to be a fantastic and beautifully touching story with a great mystery that it's currently hinting at like a half-dressed male stripper with sad eyes and a g-string whose elastic is so flexible it no longer snaps. However, right now it's just a jumpy, painfully boring mess. I know it's probably realistic, after all there's plenty of idiots in the world. However, since I have so many life sized idiots on-call whenever I need them, I don't feel I have to read a book about them.
Life is too short.
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Comments (showing 1-50 of 194) (194 new)
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Tatiana
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Jul 08, 2010 06:15am
Your reviews are my major source of entertainment, do you know that?:)
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That's how I feel about idiots, too; why turn to fiction when there are so many real ones?I had this on my list because I thought there was a fantasy element, is that just a tease?
Thanks guys! Glad you enjoyed my non-review review!Miriam - I have no clue. As I said, I made it 33 pages in and decided I clearly had better things to read. Maybe I should have given it more of a chance but it just didn't grip me and I couldn't help myself but hate pretty much every character in the book except for the parents who took the girl in.
AWESOME review, Kat! I believe this is the first review of yours I've read & I'm LMAO. I love it. The review, I mean. This novel sounds like a hot ass mess. Thank you so much for sharing!
A definite source of entertainment! I totally look forward to yours for the laughs I am sure they will bring!
Stupidhead - made me laugh.I actually quite liked the book although I pretty much figured everything out in the first few pages. I'm psychic that way, I suppose. But I did find it annoying that she would turn what was a lovely life with a lovely family into such a miserable quest for the truth. *Spoiler* - I think she was much better off where she ended up anyway. So maybe knowing that might make you take another stab at the book?
Reading it with a beer in hand, on a dock, a guilty pleasure.
I don't know why it said I liked this review when I didn't. I LIKED this book and would read it again.
It should now say "unlike" in a very pale gray; just click it again and it will take your vote away.
Hiliarious! Your reveiew summed up my feelings as far as I've read. I'm 100 pages into the book, and trust me by this point you would not have liked the parents either. I'm contemplating putting it down, but I'm supposed to meet with my book club to discuss it. I came to look at reviews hoping to find out if this book gets any better.
OMG! Now I don't feel so guilty about trying to like this book. I'm pressing on but may not last. Loved your "idiots on call" comment and now I'm going back to read all of your reviews as this was the first of yours I happened to find.
Patricia, I would seriously recommend that you wade through my reviews with extreme caution. Some are filled with expletives and very, very vulgar images. Don't say I didn't warn you!Ariel, you saucy minx! How have you been?
I'm great!! I'm reading an absolutely fantastic novel right now: The Instructions. So far I would highly recommend. My big news is that I got a puppy last weekend and took a vacation from work this week to spend time with him. It's been a blast.
Ariel wrote: "Have fun Patricia.... Kat's reviews are the best."Kat wrote: "Patricia, I would seriously recommend that you wade through my reviews with extreme caution. Some are filled with expletives and very, very vulgar images. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Ariel, you ..."
Ariel wrote: "Have fun Patricia.... Kat's reviews are the best."
Ok Kat - I consider myself warned! I'll wear my flak jacket and other appropriate protective gear when I approach your reviews. The most important thing is you are very funny and usually bang on with your comments.
Ariel - thanks for the comment. I'm looking forward to reading more.
Ariel wrote: "I'm great!! I'm reading an absolutely fantastic novel right now: The Instructions. So far I would highly recommend. My big news is that I got a puppy last weekend and took a vacation..."What breed of puppy did you get? You must be fast in love by now!
Oh he's so beautiful, Ariel! What a gorgeous little guy!How are you two going on your holiday? I think I'll add The Instructions to my TBR pile! It looks good.
Thank you! He also happens to be very well behaved and incredibly sweet. Today my parents are coming over with their dog, Henry, so Tommy and his Uncle Henry can meet for the first time and hopefully begin a long and meaningful friendship.
So glad you are going to read The Instructions.... I'm feeling a tad obsessed with it and I'm only around page 200. Thrilled that there is so much more to go.
So glad you are going to read The Instructions.... I'm feeling a tad obsessed with it and I'm only around page 200. Thrilled that there is so much more to go.
I have little patience, too, for seemingly self-destructive people, although sometimes I consciously work toward accepting such people as they are. That can be done if they show some redeeming qualities...but it sounds like you found none in 'stupidhead's' case. I have to say, tho, your review made me actually laugh out loud, not just lol, which I say sometimes when something is just even mildly amusing...
Thank you for writing what I was thinking-but-couldn't get-it-in-focus. Now I know why. The book was full of stupidheads!
Yeah, I just put this one back on the shelf in the store. I cannot tolerate women leaving near perfect men for horrible ones and ruining their daughters' lives in the process. Thanks for saving me the time and aggravation, lol.
i agree to the fact that each person has his own opinion.To call "stupidhead" a fiction person in a book, says prety much of the person who tries to read it!!!!!!
Has anyone tryed to write a book? Can u possibly imagine what goes on in an authors mind????????
I read the book and i found it very good, easy to read and a little sad.
The author surely knows how to keep the readers interest....beyond the first 33 pages.....!!!!!!
I have a very interesting, logical argument to your post. However, since you are both a moron and a troll, I feel the only response you deserve is the following:
Have a nice day!
Kat wrote: "I have a very interesting, logical argument to your post."Oh, I just knew as soon as the words popped up on my feed there was going to be a virulent pic following.
You haven't been watching my posts :D!!!!Sam is known as the Queen of Violence and Mayhem. Her nickname for me is Ms/Mr Haemophobe.
(sigh)
Sorry! I've kind of been busy reading this awesome novel about mermaids so I can give my opinion to the author.
About mermaids?!?!?!? Oh no, not another one! You'd think people would have had enough of all this fishy business.
Kat wrote: "Sorry! I've kind of been busy reading this awesome novel about mermaids so I can give my opinion to the author."Ooh, that's intriguing. Is it a YA novel? (I understand editor-author confidentiality, though, if you can't tell us.)
Yes, it is YA. It's for one of my clients. When it gets published I'll let you know so you can read it!
Love the review.LOVE the retort to the spelling-challenged. (and the picture)
And kind of excited about the possibility of mermaids becoming the next "it" thing in YA.
I agree with you (sort of). I was extremely bored and frustrated at first too. But the book gets SO GOOD (!!!) afterwards. It's honestly my favourite story now, I can't get enough of it. The things that happen in the first 33 pages will barely be remembered by the end. Please don't judge the book based on the small amount you read. If you don't want to read the rest of it, please don't influence other people not to read it because they'll miss out on an AMAZING STORY. Thanks and I liked your review, it was quite funny.
