Nine Coaches Waiting, et al by Mary Stewart

Mary Stewart's early books, mostly written in mid-twentieth century, are now a slice of the culture. Women rarely wear 'trousers',  people are repeatedly lighting cigarettes for someone else and even television seems rare. I love the trips back in time with the ordinary, but brave, young women who are thrust into extraordinary circumstances. I even like the tidy, but satisfying, endings.

Nine Couches Waiting is the first Mary Stewart book I ever read. I must have been in my early teens and enjoyed it so much I hunted down all the rest of her books soon after. This one is almost a Gothic. There is Linda Martin, the English governess, a French Chateau, Phillipe, her charge who seems to be in great danger and the handsome uncle of the child who drives fast and may not be trustworthy, even though Linda has fallen in love with him. The stuff my romantic youth craved!

I read my Stewart collection again every few years. The Moon Spinner, This Rough Magic, The Ivy Tree, and the rest. I feel these early books were her best.

http://www.amazon.com/Mary-Stewart/e/B000AP6YNC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

The Butterfly Cabinet by Bernie McGill

This is a sad story. There is somewhat of a mystery but not the every day 'who dunnit'. It is unusual because the story unfolds in 1968 as it is told by the old Nanny Maddie. The chapters alternate to the diary of the mother who writes in prison where she has been incarcerated for killing her four year old daughter in the 1800's. Based on a true event in late 19th century Ireland, this is dark and haunting. The mother never realizes her wrong and there will be heartbreak never forgotten for Maddie.

Well written and gripping, I did enjoy the piecing together of the facts to get at the truth, though the end leaves a bit of a mystery that many may have missed - a sticky spoon.

http://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Cabinet-Novel-Bernie-McGill/dp/1451611595/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1316219691&sr=1-1

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

I know it does not sound as if it would be, BUT this is a wonderful book.

Back when I first saw this title I was hesitant, almost bought it, didn't, almost bought it again, and then a friend came to me saying, "I know this does not seem like the type of book we usually read, but I loved it!"  I took it from her and devoured it in two nights. A week or so later my cousin called. She said, "I just read this wonderful book! I know the title sounds like something you might not be interested in but . . ." Yes, it was 'Memoirs of a Geisha'.

This is the story of a fisherman's daughter and her long journey to becoming a Geisha. It is also the story of Japan, before, during and after WWII. There is suspense, romance and heartbreak.

Don't hesitate. Read it. This is a great story, well written and historically informative. I am so happy I read Memoirs of a Geisha. It is now on the list of my all time favorite reads.

This is the only book written by the author that I could find. Disappointed . . .

The Forgotten Garden

     No, I am not stuck in a garden rut.  The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton is just another wonderful read with the word garden in it's title.

     This is Cassandra's story, but it is also the story of her Grandmother Nell.  Nell took Cassandra in as a child, giving her a true home and security that her mother never had.  When Nell passes away, Cassandra discovers that her grandmother had been found as a small child, alone on the wharf in Queensland, Australia clutching a book, not knowing who she was.  She was lovingly raised by a dock worker and his wife.  The granddaughter also finds that her grandmother had never stopped looking for her real parents.  After Nell's death, Cassandra continues the search.

     What we find in this book is the stories of three women and those stories connect, even to the end, in a forgotten garden in a Cornish village in England.  We learn all we need to know from three perspectives, in three time periods, carefully interwoven information, past and present.  Oh yes, and we also get a fairytale!  The mystery is not easily solved and kept me riveted to the end.

     Kate Morton's books, The House at Riverton and The Distant Hours, were equally as satisfying.

The Winter Garden

            Kristen Hannah never fails to make me cry, at least once, while reading one of her books.  As I read The Winter Garden, I actually sobbed!
 

This book retells the life of a Russian-born woman who suffered unbearable hardship in Stalinist Leningrad.  Meredith, her eldest daughter, must try to fulfill her fathers dying wish that she take care of her mother, not something she wants to do. In flash backs we find out, as do Meredith and Nina, why their mother has always behaved distant and cold to them.  We also see how this has shaped the daughters and affected their lives.
 

            I learned much about Russian history from this book, thanks to Hannah’s careful research. And, as always, each and every character came to life on the pages.

    A tearjerker, but I loved it.