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What Members Thought
A heartbreakingly beautiful novel about mother daughter relationships, love, loss, and one man's dying wish. Anya is a mother who has always come across as cold and distant to her daughters, but when their father dies his last wish is for his wife to tell her children her dark Russian fairy tale all the way to it's completion. Sometimes fairy tales hold heartbreaking truths and hide dark pasts that haunt the teller with guilt for decades.
4.5 stars ...more
4.5 stars ...more
I wasn't really into it at first, kept putting it down, read several other books in between (including Stieg Larsson's amazing trilogy) but then I picked it back up and stayed with it and was rewarded with the unfolding of a really interesting story.
The premise is two sisters who are beloved of their Dad but their mother has been estranged emotionally from them their whole lives. Before he dies, he asks them to make an effort to get to know her and the book is basically the whole process of doi ...more
The premise is two sisters who are beloved of their Dad but their mother has been estranged emotionally from them their whole lives. Before he dies, he asks them to make an effort to get to know her and the book is basically the whole process of doi ...more
Winter Garden focuses on the Whitson family, mother Anya, and sisters Meredith and Nina, as they try to cope with the devastating loss of their beloved husband and father, Evan.
Meredith and Nina 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 travelled the world to become a famous photojournalist. When their father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their ...more
Meredith and Nina 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 travelled the world to become a famous photojournalist. When their father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their ...more
Sep 20, 2012
Caren ~ the misfit geek
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
womens-fiction
The beginning was a little slow. I almost feel that the side stories of the daughters was a distraction. I would have liked it more if the book would have concentrated more on the mother-daughters relationship. There was a lot of emphasis on Meredith's and Nina's relationships with the men in their lives and at the end these same relationships were merely a side note.
I was most pulled in by Anya's story. (view spoiler) ...more
I was most pulled in by Anya's story. (view spoiler) ...more
So many components were here for me: Russian history, family relationships, character named Anya (my daughter's name). However, something was missing and I can't figure it out. It took me until about 75% finished before I finally liked the story and then some plot elements were just too pat for me. Hannah did a wonderful job bringing me into Leningrad during WWII but, sadly, that was the only part that kept my attention. I will read more by this author, I normally enjoy her writing, just not thi
...more
Almost a three...but not quite there for me. I think I'm done with Kristin Hannah.
...more
The first part of the book was really slow (2**) but the second half of the book was interesting and redeemed the book for me.
Mar 15, 2013
Sandra
added it
Jan 13, 2015
Shilpa
marked it as to-read
Aug 28, 2021
Elsbeth
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
goodread-authors,
elly-s-choice
Oct 27, 2015
Ev
marked it as to-read
Dec 03, 2015
Jackie
marked it as read-next
Jul 21, 2016
Laila Jane
marked it as to-read
Aug 07, 2016
Carroll
marked it as to-read
Oct 02, 2017
Anne ✨ Finds Joy
added it
Jan 07, 2018
Chrystal
marked it as to-read
Aug 31, 2021
Michelle
marked it as to-read
