Lost Garden

by Mary Stanley

'A perceptive and poignant novel exploring the ramifications of loss and abandonment with compassion and a wry, perfectly pitched wit' The Big Issue in the North.A moving tale of survival and self-discoveryThe face Esme Waters presents to the world is not the face she sees in the mirror. Even her three daughters don't know the truth behind her careful smile. But a chance meeting with a fascinating psychiatrist opens the first crack in Esme's mind. While her own children are falling in love, learning about loyalty and rebelling against the rules, Esme discovers that sometimes the walls you build for protection need to come tumbling down...

Genres: Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published June 5, 2006

Reviews

[Chris Stanley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I cannot finish this without losing the will to live!
Mine is the "audible" version, narrated by the author herself. After 2 hours of a 15 hour recording, I couldn't stand the dullness any longer.

[Leanne Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow and occasionally repetitive, this book nevertheless does what it sets out to do - namely, weave a far-reaching web of events which it then draws together in a most satisfying way. It deals insightfully with big issues such as childhood rape, suicide and reconciliation, and opens up the question of how random circumstances connect as they do. The language is careful and precise, the characterisation convincing and the plot impressive. It is only unfortunate that the pace slows in the middle, causing some readers to apparently lose patience. To my mind, the story does justice to the ideas of the great poets it quotes.

[Henry Jefferies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very moving and powerful towards the last third of the book. A lot of the middle portion of the book was dull, and the central character was not terribly engaging - for reasons that are only made clear towards the end of the novel. Yet the core concept of the book was sound, and as the story gained momentum it gained a stronger and stronger hold on the imagination. The quality of the writing gained lustre, and the portrayal of the wrought emotions was very convincing. At the same time, I was reminded very much of the horror and savagery of the murder of Ana Kriegel, a 14 years old girl near Dublin last year. How appalling that evil in real life can be more shocking than any written words could ever convey ...

[Brigid Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esme Waters has a chance meeting with psychiatrist Jacob in a Parisien cafe, and she begins to share her past...
She has spent her life running away from relationships, until Jacob helps her uncover the reasons behind her fears of intimacy, together with her fascination with spiders and cracks in the ceiling.
Esme's three daughters Lily, Rose and Jasmine are all undergoing major life changes, and seek out their mother's support in different ways.
There are some very uplifting incidents peppered throughout this poignant novel, that explores some very dark themes.

[Charlotte Wrigley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Pam Donato · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story of a woman running from the horrors in her past and learning to accept them. Explores the psychology of dealing with life shattering events and how it can far reaching and long lasting effects.

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was all right. Not one of my favorites, but I had to see it through to the end.