This is another one of those good, casual reads that you do actually need to devote a bit of focus to. Not really to follow the story itself, but more to keep track of the characters. The basic gist of The Forgotten Garden is that you're following three different characters, in three different times, down one storyline.

As fun, genuine, and engrossing as the book was there was nothing super remarkable about it. The characters, quite frankly, are typical and nothing special. The story, a bit different from what's currently out there, bordered on predictability - things meant to come as a surprise weren't very surprising. Morton's writing was actually really good at transporting you to the various locations we venture too. I felt she gave more life to the places and things rather than the people. There was also a certain fluidity that keeps the reader engaged.

I think The Forgotten Garden is a vacation book. Something to take along and read on your downtime to relax even further. It's fascinating that you will be transported even further away than you already are on your trip, to different times and places. A vacation within a vacation.