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The Garden
An eerie, hypnotic, darkly beautiful novel about two elderly sisters living alone at the edge of the world and how their lives unravel when their sanctum is breached, for fans of Piranesi and The Testaments.
In a place and time unknown, two elderly sisters live in a walled garden, secluded from the outside world. Evelyn and Lily have only ever known each other. What was before the garden, they have forgotten; what lies beyond it, they do not know. Each day is spent in languid service to their home: tending the bees, planting the crops, and dutifully following the instructions of the almanac written by their mother.
So when a nameless boy is found hiding in the boarded house at the center of their isolated grounds, their once-solitary lives are irrevocably disrupted. Who is he? Where did he come from? And most importantly, what does he want?
As suspicions gather and allegiances falter, Evelyn and Lily are forced to confront the dark truths about themselves, the garden, and the world as they’ve known it.
In a place and time unknown, two elderly sisters live in a walled garden, secluded from the outside world. Evelyn and Lily have only ever known each other. What was before the garden, they have forgotten; what lies beyond it, they do not know. Each day is spent in languid service to their home: tending the bees, planting the crops, and dutifully following the instructions of the almanac written by their mother.
So when a nameless boy is found hiding in the boarded house at the center of their isolated grounds, their once-solitary lives are irrevocably disrupted. Who is he? Where did he come from? And most importantly, what does he want?
As suspicions gather and allegiances falter, Evelyn and Lily are forced to confront the dark truths about themselves, the garden, and the world as they’ve known it.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2025
216 people are currently reading
17256 people want to read
About the author
Nick Newman
20 books76 followersNick Newman is a lifelong nature lover from the UK, who spent the early part of his career working with racehorses. After enrolling in a training programme in 2014, he travelled to South Africa where he qualified as a Field Guide relishing the time he got to spend in the African bush. His life changed in unimaginable ways, after a once in a lifetime opportunity presented itself and he was afforded the opportunity to monitor black rhinos. This coincided with the period when the current rhino poaching crisis in South Africa was approaching tipping point. Finding himself in such a privileged position of helping to protect a critically endangered species, Nick today feels that he has a duty and responsibility to assist other conservationists in raising awareness of the rhinos’ plight, by sharing his stories from the frontline.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 596 reviews
June 5, 2025
I really liked this book!
It is a dystopian novel … in a time and place unknown..
Two elderly sisters live in just the kitchen and garden of their inherited estate..the walls to the rest of the house being boarded up by their mother before she died.
There had been a catastrophic climate episode and the sisters are scared of what lies outside the walled estate.
The garden provides their food, and keeps them safe from the world outside, which their mother said was evil.
This was a fast read for me… wondering what had happened before.. why the rest of the vast estate was boarded up, etc
Slowly things start revealing themselves.
A fairytale like quality.. little bit of horror
It is a dystopian novel … in a time and place unknown..
Two elderly sisters live in just the kitchen and garden of their inherited estate..the walls to the rest of the house being boarded up by their mother before she died.
There had been a catastrophic climate episode and the sisters are scared of what lies outside the walled estate.
The garden provides their food, and keeps them safe from the world outside, which their mother said was evil.
This was a fast read for me… wondering what had happened before.. why the rest of the vast estate was boarded up, etc
Slowly things start revealing themselves.
A fairytale like quality.. little bit of horror
April 8, 2025
Ok... THIS BOOK😭 what a rollercoaster of emotions it went from being a slow plot to making me cry. This was truly a trust the process type of read I don't think I'll ever forget it🥲❤️🩹 I don't usually go for books that are slow paced, PLEASE give it a go if you enjoy horror books with a slower pacing
Plot Summary
The Garden is a haunting story about two elderly sisters; Evelyn and Lily, who have spent years shut away from the world inside the walls of their crumbling family estate. They live by strict routines laid out by their late mother, tending to bees and maintaining the garden like it's sacred. Their quiet, eerie life is suddenly disrupted when a mysterious young boy appears in their home—his presence forcing the sisters to face long-buried truths and question everything they’ve built their lives around. It's atmospheric, unsettling, and quietly emotional.
One thing about the book that kept me invested is the way Evelyn and Lilly's personalities were written; they're SO close to each other yet SO different from one another. It's books like these that remind me why I love reading, this was a beautiful experience. Highly recommend!
Plot Summary
The Garden is a haunting story about two elderly sisters; Evelyn and Lily, who have spent years shut away from the world inside the walls of their crumbling family estate. They live by strict routines laid out by their late mother, tending to bees and maintaining the garden like it's sacred. Their quiet, eerie life is suddenly disrupted when a mysterious young boy appears in their home—his presence forcing the sisters to face long-buried truths and question everything they’ve built their lives around. It's atmospheric, unsettling, and quietly emotional.
One thing about the book that kept me invested is the way Evelyn and Lilly's personalities were written; they're SO close to each other yet SO different from one another. It's books like these that remind me why I love reading, this was a beautiful experience. Highly recommend!
December 28, 2024
4.5
I'm not normally a fan of dystopian fiction but the cover of this book had me hooked and I only skim read the synopsis so it was a but of a surprise when I began reading.
However I thoroughly enjoyed The Garden, which tells the story of Evelyn and Lily, elderly sisters who live within the confines of the kitchen and garden of a large, otherwise uninhabited house. As the story progresses we learn that some catastrophe has befallen their world. It is unclear the nature - manmade or natural - but it has brought huge storms to the land covering it in feet of dust on occasion.
Lily and Evelyn have lived in the same house their whole lives; their father has left and their mother has died leaving behind a garden that the girls tend to provide their food.
However one day a stranger arrives, which begins a series of events that will change their lives forever.
Nick Newman has written a wonderfully atmospheric novel that has you guessing all the way through as to the true nature of the womens' predicament. I could vividly picture their home and garden, and their fear of what lies beyond the walls is palpable.
A really interesting and entertaining read. Definitely recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Transworld Books for the advance review copy. Most appreciated.
I'm not normally a fan of dystopian fiction but the cover of this book had me hooked and I only skim read the synopsis so it was a but of a surprise when I began reading.
However I thoroughly enjoyed The Garden, which tells the story of Evelyn and Lily, elderly sisters who live within the confines of the kitchen and garden of a large, otherwise uninhabited house. As the story progresses we learn that some catastrophe has befallen their world. It is unclear the nature - manmade or natural - but it has brought huge storms to the land covering it in feet of dust on occasion.
Lily and Evelyn have lived in the same house their whole lives; their father has left and their mother has died leaving behind a garden that the girls tend to provide their food.
However one day a stranger arrives, which begins a series of events that will change their lives forever.
Nick Newman has written a wonderfully atmospheric novel that has you guessing all the way through as to the true nature of the womens' predicament. I could vividly picture their home and garden, and their fear of what lies beyond the walls is palpable.
A really interesting and entertaining read. Definitely recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Transworld Books for the advance review copy. Most appreciated.
February 23, 2025
@putnambooks | #gifted Do you like beautifully bizarre books? If so, I’ve got a fantastic book for you: 🥀𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗡🌻 by Nick Newman. I didn’t know what to expect going into this one. I knew it was about two elderly sisters living in a secluded, walled off home surrounded by a large garden. I also knew that into their lives comes a teenage boy who both frightens and intrigues them. What I didn’t know is what a strange mash-up this story is. It’s definitely dystopian, slightly sci-fi, maybe a tad horror, quite literary, has mystery elements, and also a bit of a historical fiction vibe.
I realize that sounds like a crazy combination, but it worked 𝐒𝐎 well! From the very start I was fascinated by sisters Lily and Evelyn, who’d been living in the same country home for almost their entire lives, but why? They were still following their mother’s rules and directives decades after she’d died, but why? They feared the outside world, but why? The idea of a boy being on their property brought both terror and hope, but why? Rest assured everything was eventually revealed and the journey proved to be absolutely unforgettable.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯 is definitely one of the most original books I’ve ever read and I loved every moment of the reading experience. I don’t think this book will be for every reader, but for those who like something daring and a little out there, this is a book you 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 to read. Comparisons are difficult because this book is so unique, but it did remind me a bit of 𝘜𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 by Claire Fuller, another book I loved. When I initially finished 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯, I wasn’t quite sure where to rate it, but as time has gone on, I can’t get this story out of my head and that’s always a very good sign for me! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I realize that sounds like a crazy combination, but it worked 𝐒𝐎 well! From the very start I was fascinated by sisters Lily and Evelyn, who’d been living in the same country home for almost their entire lives, but why? They were still following their mother’s rules and directives decades after she’d died, but why? They feared the outside world, but why? The idea of a boy being on their property brought both terror and hope, but why? Rest assured everything was eventually revealed and the journey proved to be absolutely unforgettable.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯 is definitely one of the most original books I’ve ever read and I loved every moment of the reading experience. I don’t think this book will be for every reader, but for those who like something daring and a little out there, this is a book you 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 to read. Comparisons are difficult because this book is so unique, but it did remind me a bit of 𝘜𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 by Claire Fuller, another book I loved. When I initially finished 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯, I wasn’t quite sure where to rate it, but as time has gone on, I can’t get this story out of my head and that’s always a very good sign for me! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
September 22, 2024
I love what people are bringing to adult dystopia these days, and this story of two elderly sisters, living their moldering house and tending their garden, not knowing what, if anything, lies beyond the walls really appealed to me.
Evelyn and Lily are such different people, shaped by how they were each raised, and I found I understood them both, Eve for wanting to keep control of her surroundings and Lily for wanting to know what might lie beyond the walls.
While this was a little slow in the middle, the ending was devastatingly sad, and gave me, I felt, enough answers as the sister's lives are changed forever. I truly had to put the book down for a solid five minute crying session.
Evelyn and Lily are such different people, shaped by how they were each raised, and I found I understood them both, Eve for wanting to keep control of her surroundings and Lily for wanting to know what might lie beyond the walls.
While this was a little slow in the middle, the ending was devastatingly sad, and gave me, I felt, enough answers as the sister's lives are changed forever. I truly had to put the book down for a solid five minute crying session.
December 3, 2024
We don’t know where the garden is. We don’t know why the people live in the kitchen and not in the house. We don’t know why they never leave. In flashbacks, we learn about Evelyn and Lily’s childhood. We know the events must be a long time ago because they are old women now. We don’t understand their fear when they realise someone else is in the garden. Little by little, their lives open up to us and we can piece together what has happened. I was impatient to know the answers.
This is an original story that leads us along a very bizarre path of events and suppositions. I found it compelling, moving and intriguing. The realisation of what has happened to these two women isn’t a huge shock in the end and it doesn’t answer all of our questions, the answers to some of which we’re left to surmise ourselves. I’ll be thinking about some of them for a while yet.
I enjoyed reading this and recommend it to anyone looking for something a little different. With thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley for a review copy.
This is an original story that leads us along a very bizarre path of events and suppositions. I found it compelling, moving and intriguing. The realisation of what has happened to these two women isn’t a huge shock in the end and it doesn’t answer all of our questions, the answers to some of which we’re left to surmise ourselves. I’ll be thinking about some of them for a while yet.
I enjoyed reading this and recommend it to anyone looking for something a little different. With thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley for a review copy.
March 1, 2025
One word review: creepy.
Eight word review: creepy and kind of confusing but worth reading.
Two sisters, one who is developmentally immature but delightful, one who is serious and rigid but interesting. They are old and we don’t know the time, and a weird boy shows up and doesn’t talk. They figure out who he is and how he travels through space and time.
Eight word review: creepy and kind of confusing but worth reading.
Two sisters, one who is developmentally immature but delightful, one who is serious and rigid but interesting. They are old and we don’t know the time, and a weird boy shows up and doesn’t talk. They figure out who he is and how he travels through space and time.
December 8, 2024
A strange yet subtly claustrophobic, dystopian-esque read that, much like the garden itself, grew on me the further in I traversed.
With rich imagery and a uniquely compelling narrative that oscillates between the hazy, past memories and current lives of elderly sisters, Evelyn and Lily. I was completely fascinated by the eccentric nature of our protagonists and the secluded lives they’ve both led in this post apocalyptic setting. As well as the momentous change that happens when a strange boy finds his way into their walled-off sanctuary.
I also really enjoyed exploring their complex (slightly dysfunctional) sisterly dynamics, that briefly touches on their reasons for living soo off-grid. It felt very much like Grey Gardens and Flowers In The Attic had a dystopian, cottage-core horror love child — complete with an uncanny gothic undertone that kept me on edge of my seat.
Trust me, once you start reading this, you’ll probably not be able to put it down, because I certainly couldn’t! And that’s all down to Nick Newman’s skill in capturing the unfiltered rawness of human idiosyncrasies, his understanding of the affect isolation can have on someone’s sense of identity and (of course) his incredibly evocative prose.
I do have to say, it was a bit of a slow start but did pick up at around the 50 page mark — which is when I got completely hooked!
It’s definitely the kind of book you have to read to truly appreciate (though I do suggest checking trigger warnings beforehand.)
And, if you’re a literary lover, I highly recommend you consider adding this to your TBR, as I suspect it’s gonna be on quite a few award shortlists next year.
Also, a huge thank you to Milly at Transworld/Doubleday for the proof.
With rich imagery and a uniquely compelling narrative that oscillates between the hazy, past memories and current lives of elderly sisters, Evelyn and Lily. I was completely fascinated by the eccentric nature of our protagonists and the secluded lives they’ve both led in this post apocalyptic setting. As well as the momentous change that happens when a strange boy finds his way into their walled-off sanctuary.
I also really enjoyed exploring their complex (slightly dysfunctional) sisterly dynamics, that briefly touches on their reasons for living soo off-grid. It felt very much like Grey Gardens and Flowers In The Attic had a dystopian, cottage-core horror love child — complete with an uncanny gothic undertone that kept me on edge of my seat.
Trust me, once you start reading this, you’ll probably not be able to put it down, because I certainly couldn’t! And that’s all down to Nick Newman’s skill in capturing the unfiltered rawness of human idiosyncrasies, his understanding of the affect isolation can have on someone’s sense of identity and (of course) his incredibly evocative prose.
I do have to say, it was a bit of a slow start but did pick up at around the 50 page mark — which is when I got completely hooked!
It’s definitely the kind of book you have to read to truly appreciate (though I do suggest checking trigger warnings beforehand.)
And, if you’re a literary lover, I highly recommend you consider adding this to your TBR, as I suspect it’s gonna be on quite a few award shortlists next year.
Also, a huge thank you to Milly at Transworld/Doubleday for the proof.
December 23, 2024
Let me start by saying: I have no clue whatsoever how to review this one and how to do it justice, my sincerest apologies for the mess this review will undoubtedly become!
I would describe The Garden as a drama veering into psychological horror, with a certain gothic undertone and a dystopian as well dark and eerie fairy-tale kind of vibe. It tells the story of two sisters and their somewhat dysfunctional relationship and how they’ve grown old together, cut off from the rest of the world.
We don’t know where or when they are, and we never fully discover what happened to the rest of the world. If you’re the sort of reader who wants full disclosure and clarity by the end of the story, you might have issues with The Garden, although I have to say, I’m usually that type of reader and here it didn’t bother me at all. For some reason, it works here, it adds to that almost dreamlike quality of the story.
The Garden is a slow-burner. Again, not something I always appreciate, but this is the kind of story that begs not to be rushed. The sisters’ tale is very compelling, I was drawn in from the very first chapter and I couldn’t stop reading. Little by little, (some of) the truth is revealed and I felt quite overwhelmed by a feeling of sadness for these sisters and what they’ve been through.
I started out giving The Garden four stars, but the more I think about it, the more I appreciate this haunting story and the feelings it left me with and I’ve rounded it up to five. I don’t think it will be for everyone but it most certainly was for me and I would happily recommend it to readers who enjoy dark stories that are a mix of genres and bring just that little bit more to the table.
Massive thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for the DRC. All opinions are my own.
I would describe The Garden as a drama veering into psychological horror, with a certain gothic undertone and a dystopian as well dark and eerie fairy-tale kind of vibe. It tells the story of two sisters and their somewhat dysfunctional relationship and how they’ve grown old together, cut off from the rest of the world.
We don’t know where or when they are, and we never fully discover what happened to the rest of the world. If you’re the sort of reader who wants full disclosure and clarity by the end of the story, you might have issues with The Garden, although I have to say, I’m usually that type of reader and here it didn’t bother me at all. For some reason, it works here, it adds to that almost dreamlike quality of the story.
The Garden is a slow-burner. Again, not something I always appreciate, but this is the kind of story that begs not to be rushed. The sisters’ tale is very compelling, I was drawn in from the very first chapter and I couldn’t stop reading. Little by little, (some of) the truth is revealed and I felt quite overwhelmed by a feeling of sadness for these sisters and what they’ve been through.
I started out giving The Garden four stars, but the more I think about it, the more I appreciate this haunting story and the feelings it left me with and I’ve rounded it up to five. I don’t think it will be for everyone but it most certainly was for me and I would happily recommend it to readers who enjoy dark stories that are a mix of genres and bring just that little bit more to the table.
Massive thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for the DRC. All opinions are my own.
July 15, 2025
This book made me feel a little disoriented with no specific time or place mentioned. Apparently there has been a devastating climate change event that has altered the world in which we know and there we meet Evelyn and Lily, two elderly sisters, confined to their walled garden. With flashbacks giving us a peek into what has led the sisters to this point, you definitely get a sense of something being off kilter. Reminded me of "We Have Always Lived in The Castle" by Shirley Jackson. The author does a fantastic job using mystery, a sense of isolation and dread, while turning this into a compelling story. A book recommended for readers of speculative fiction.
March 11, 2025
I thought this would be something like Piranesi where it seems meandering and prone to purple prose, but ultimately delivers on its mysteries and characters.
Instead I rather find that I'm not the suited audience for this and I regret my time with it. I thought often of DNFing, but it's so short that I wanted to give it a chance to pull things around.
Don't be fooled by the tags like I was! It's not horror/fantasy/dystopia/scifi-- it's litfic through and through. It dabbles in a touch of dystopia and I guess a little horror plotline? But it's definitely Literary first and foremost.
This is a story of two elderly sisters who, while bonded and love each other, also somewhat find each other stupid and intolerable. There's a boy who is older than the word "boy" would imply, but with no definite age given. Likely an older teenager, but who knows. And there's a world that has suffered through climate change and rather collapsed into some amount of dystopia.
The main characters are mentally and emotionally stunted as they were children when everything came about, isolated from other humans and from any recorded media, and had only their mother who never ceased to treat them with gloves on. There's an undercurrent of violence and control that feels unpleasant and made me emotionally tense throughout, but never came to a catharsis or pay off.
At the end of the day, the book is so concerned with remaining vague that I'm not sure what it's trying to say or if it accomplishes it. Hurt people hurt people? People will selfishly defend their interests at all costs? Living to survive is a meaningless existence?
I truly don't know. But I personally didn't enjoy it or take anything away from it. ymmv
Instead I rather find that I'm not the suited audience for this and I regret my time with it. I thought often of DNFing, but it's so short that I wanted to give it a chance to pull things around.
Don't be fooled by the tags like I was! It's not horror/fantasy/dystopia/scifi-- it's litfic through and through. It dabbles in a touch of dystopia and I guess a little horror plotline? But it's definitely Literary first and foremost.
This is a story of two elderly sisters who, while bonded and love each other, also somewhat find each other stupid and intolerable. There's a boy who is older than the word "boy" would imply, but with no definite age given. Likely an older teenager, but who knows. And there's a world that has suffered through climate change and rather collapsed into some amount of dystopia.
The main characters are mentally and emotionally stunted as they were children when everything came about, isolated from other humans and from any recorded media, and had only their mother who never ceased to treat them with gloves on. There's an undercurrent of violence and control that feels unpleasant and made me emotionally tense throughout, but never came to a catharsis or pay off.
At the end of the day, the book is so concerned with remaining vague that I'm not sure what it's trying to say or if it accomplishes it. Hurt people hurt people? People will selfishly defend their interests at all costs? Living to survive is a meaningless existence?
I truly don't know. But I personally didn't enjoy it or take anything away from it. ymmv
February 17, 2025
The Garden was weird and interesting until it wasn't.
In an unnamed near future, Evelyn and Lily, two elderly sisters, live in a walled garden and sleep in the kitchen — just about the only part of the main house that isn't closed off. Isolated from the outside world, their lives head off in a new trajectory, forcing truths and untruths to the surface for examination and contemplation, when a boy is found trespassing on their property.
What started out with a delightfully slip-sliding familiarity (at first it felt part We Have Always Lived in the Castle and part Grey Gardens), slowly descended into only actually playing around with weirdness — teasing with flashbacks that proved unnecessary, never fully serving or bolstering the main story's progress. Either this endeavor should've been shorter or more (not longer, per se), because this felt either overcooked or under-seasoned.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.
In an unnamed near future, Evelyn and Lily, two elderly sisters, live in a walled garden and sleep in the kitchen — just about the only part of the main house that isn't closed off. Isolated from the outside world, their lives head off in a new trajectory, forcing truths and untruths to the surface for examination and contemplation, when a boy is found trespassing on their property.
What started out with a delightfully slip-sliding familiarity (at first it felt part We Have Always Lived in the Castle and part Grey Gardens), slowly descended into only actually playing around with weirdness — teasing with flashbacks that proved unnecessary, never fully serving or bolstering the main story's progress. Either this endeavor should've been shorter or more (not longer, per se), because this felt either overcooked or under-seasoned.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.
February 8, 2025
I’m gonna be completely honest here… I have no idea what the point of this book was. 🫣 Don’t get me wrong, the writing style was great and I was pretty hooked to the story for the most part. But I kept waiting for things to be explained or just become more clear but nothing was… like at all. And it wasn’t left like it could have a sequel. Unless there was a book for the same timeline as the boy and his journey. I would like that. I’m still giving it 3 stars because I was pretty hooked and wanted to keep reading to hopefully figure it all out.
I found myself intrigued by the story of these two sisters, Evelyn and Lily. But also questioning everything. Are they actually elderly sisters or are they overworked or is their diet (that we discover in the end) deteriorating them prematurely? Are they actually sisters? Their dynamic was questionable and I felt that they didn’t actually like each other very much. Then comes a boy when they thought nothing existed beyond their garden and the wall that surrounded it.
I wanted to learn more from the boy about what was outside of the wall. What happened in the world? Did something actually happen or was their mom just completely nuts? Who were these people that kept trying to break in and what was wrong with them?
And we literally got NO answers. At all. So yea… that’s very frustrating. I get if we have to infer some stuff ourselves in books but to literally get zero answers was annoying. 🤷🏼♀️
Release date: February 18, 2025
I found myself intrigued by the story of these two sisters, Evelyn and Lily. But also questioning everything. Are they actually elderly sisters or are they overworked or is their diet (that we discover in the end) deteriorating them prematurely? Are they actually sisters? Their dynamic was questionable and I felt that they didn’t actually like each other very much. Then comes a boy when they thought nothing existed beyond their garden and the wall that surrounded it.
I wanted to learn more from the boy about what was outside of the wall. What happened in the world? Did something actually happen or was their mom just completely nuts? Who were these people that kept trying to break in and what was wrong with them?
And we literally got NO answers. At all. So yea… that’s very frustrating. I get if we have to infer some stuff ourselves in books but to literally get zero answers was annoying. 🤷🏼♀️
Release date: February 18, 2025
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2025
I enjoyed this dystopia, about two old women living in their secluded house in fear of what lies beyond the wall, well enough, but it took far too long to get going for me.
The most interesting part was the author's slight subversion of the dystopian trope of 'normal' protagonists trying to avoid whatever craziness is now at large in the world (in books such as McCarthy's 'The Road'). As The Garden progresses, we are forced to consider whether the protagonists might stranger than whatever is outside their garden.
An interesting book but never quite caught fire for me.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC in return for an honest review.
The most interesting part was the author's slight subversion of the dystopian trope of 'normal' protagonists trying to avoid whatever craziness is now at large in the world (in books such as McCarthy's 'The Road'). As The Garden progresses, we are forced to consider whether the protagonists might stranger than whatever is outside their garden.
An interesting book but never quite caught fire for me.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC in return for an honest review.
February 20, 2025
3.5 stars - thank you Putnam book for a copy of this book!
This is a slower yet enchanting and mysterious story, full of wonder and the interesting dynamics between two sisters who have had to rely on only each other for so long, with little changes to their day to day life up until this point.
I found the writing to be whimsical and the sisters’ to each have their own unique personalities that kept the story engaging.
Overall, I thought this was a nice read and something I’d recommend to anyone who doesn’t mind a slower more unassuming speculative horror book.
Video review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2f2qS2X/
This is a slower yet enchanting and mysterious story, full of wonder and the interesting dynamics between two sisters who have had to rely on only each other for so long, with little changes to their day to day life up until this point.
I found the writing to be whimsical and the sisters’ to each have their own unique personalities that kept the story engaging.
Overall, I thought this was a nice read and something I’d recommend to anyone who doesn’t mind a slower more unassuming speculative horror book.
Video review: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2f2qS2X/
April 20, 2025
Very slow-paced literary fiction with a post-apocalyptic theme. It was a bit longer than it needed to be, showing the sisters' everyday routine for quite a few pages. The last 50 pages were the most interesting, but that didn't make me rate the book any higher. Goodreads also classifies this book as horror, but I would not. (There is a reveal towards the end that I guess is the reason for calling it horror, but to me it just fits in with the post-apocalyptic theme.) Read it more as a character study of two long-isolated siblings, but don't expect much in the sci-fi plot. The idea for the book was better than its execution, in my opinion.
March 7, 2025
Ugh… this book has no ending! Not sure what the point was other than reading about strange sisters afraid to leave their home and sleep in the kitchen.
September 25, 2025
Evelyn and Lily are elderly sisters living together in what remains of their family estate, now mostly a secured kitchen and expansive walled off garden, in a time and place unknown. They are secluded from the outside world and have been since they were barely a decade old when an unnamed catastrophe befell the world.
For a while they had their parents, then their mother, and then, upon her death, just each other.
They spend their days following the guide for survival their mother meticulously wrote for them as an almanac - they tend vegetables, take care of bees and chickens, and maintain safety from the monsters lurking outside the wall.
But are their really monsters or have the decades left the sisters with confused memories of the past?
All of this comes to a head when one day they find a boy in the garden. More than 10 but less than 20 years old they guess, he disrupts everything. He is nameless - they call him boy or beast of burden - and shy to speak, but he wants something.
Practical, work minded Evelyn is intrigued by him, by his youth; prone to childish things and protected by her sister, Lily wants him gone.
As the women struggle with what to do, wondering what he wants and if he’s trustworthy, alliances falter and bonds are tested.
This book is a little bit Grey Gardens, a little bit Lord of the Flies, with a sprinkle of The Road?
What did I just read?
Whatever it was, I could NOT put it down.
Told in past and present by Evelyn, the story of how the girls came to be where they are is slowly doled out, though maddeningly incomplete. We learn of the family pre-dystopia and the secrets and troubles that will haunt the girls as adults but no specifics as to what has caused any of this.
Is it a cautionary tale? A fairy tale? A gothic novel? It reads like a fever dream, these weird sisters, isolated from a world even the reader is unsure of, with unexpected twists and a lingering sense of dread.
It’s both dreamy and spooky, claustrophobic and spacious, a story about what we do to protect ourselves, our beliefs, and the people we love, how trust and survival are a delicate dance.
I might not have picked this up so gigantic thanks to @putnam for the ARC, this came out February 18, 2025. Not only is the cover gorgeous, the story is gripping and fascinating.
Highly recommend!
For a while they had their parents, then their mother, and then, upon her death, just each other.
They spend their days following the guide for survival their mother meticulously wrote for them as an almanac - they tend vegetables, take care of bees and chickens, and maintain safety from the monsters lurking outside the wall.
But are their really monsters or have the decades left the sisters with confused memories of the past?
All of this comes to a head when one day they find a boy in the garden. More than 10 but less than 20 years old they guess, he disrupts everything. He is nameless - they call him boy or beast of burden - and shy to speak, but he wants something.
Practical, work minded Evelyn is intrigued by him, by his youth; prone to childish things and protected by her sister, Lily wants him gone.
As the women struggle with what to do, wondering what he wants and if he’s trustworthy, alliances falter and bonds are tested.
This book is a little bit Grey Gardens, a little bit Lord of the Flies, with a sprinkle of The Road?
What did I just read?
Whatever it was, I could NOT put it down.
Told in past and present by Evelyn, the story of how the girls came to be where they are is slowly doled out, though maddeningly incomplete. We learn of the family pre-dystopia and the secrets and troubles that will haunt the girls as adults but no specifics as to what has caused any of this.
Is it a cautionary tale? A fairy tale? A gothic novel? It reads like a fever dream, these weird sisters, isolated from a world even the reader is unsure of, with unexpected twists and a lingering sense of dread.
It’s both dreamy and spooky, claustrophobic and spacious, a story about what we do to protect ourselves, our beliefs, and the people we love, how trust and survival are a delicate dance.
I might not have picked this up so gigantic thanks to @putnam for the ARC, this came out February 18, 2025. Not only is the cover gorgeous, the story is gripping and fascinating.
Highly recommend!
March 20, 2025
Two elderly and frail sisters living in isolation together immediately conjures up images of Shirley Jackson's writing, and indeed, disturbing they are, though this is set at an unspecified time in the future in an unnamed place. Further to the comparison with We Have Always Lived In The Castle the sisters live in a tumbledown house though it is only the kitchen which is described in any detail, leading one to think that the rest of the rooms are closed off.
Its a slow-burn / gradual reveal type of story. The house is surrounded by a stone wall beyond which, the sisters believe, is an unpopulated wilderness after some, barely mentioned, devastating world event. They subsist due to their garden, beehives, a spring-fed pond, and cured meat in the ice-house. It does all seem very suspicious, though Newman's writing cannot match the sinister pen of the likes of Jackson. Newman previously has been a children's fantasy writer.
They discover a boy huddled in rags, of indeterminate age, hiding behind the beehives. When captured and questioned he says he has escaped 'the others' on the opposite side of the wall. The sisters have different approaches to the boy, one is trusting and wants to make him work, the other just wants to kill him.
It was around this stage, perhaps a third of the way through, that I began not to suspect the narrative; a boy of indeterminate age, amywhere between 10 and 20? the mental capacity of the sisters must certainly be doubted, as well and the nature of the relationship with so much time spent together alone.
The plot has plenty of potential, though steers away the darkest places into which I was hoping it would go. I can't help be reminded that Newman was, perhaps still is, a writer for children. There is plenty to enjoy here though, not least two elderly protagonists that the reader can't quite get a handle on.
Its a slow-burn / gradual reveal type of story. The house is surrounded by a stone wall beyond which, the sisters believe, is an unpopulated wilderness after some, barely mentioned, devastating world event. They subsist due to their garden, beehives, a spring-fed pond, and cured meat in the ice-house. It does all seem very suspicious, though Newman's writing cannot match the sinister pen of the likes of Jackson. Newman previously has been a children's fantasy writer.
They discover a boy huddled in rags, of indeterminate age, hiding behind the beehives. When captured and questioned he says he has escaped 'the others' on the opposite side of the wall. The sisters have different approaches to the boy, one is trusting and wants to make him work, the other just wants to kill him.
It was around this stage, perhaps a third of the way through, that I began not to suspect the narrative; a boy of indeterminate age, amywhere between 10 and 20? the mental capacity of the sisters must certainly be doubted, as well and the nature of the relationship with so much time spent together alone.
The plot has plenty of potential, though steers away the darkest places into which I was hoping it would go. I can't help be reminded that Newman was, perhaps still is, a writer for children. There is plenty to enjoy here though, not least two elderly protagonists that the reader can't quite get a handle on.
September 20, 2024
A uniquely suffocating story of the apocalypse, where two elderly sisters have subsisted for decades on habit and fearful memories of their mother. When a boy arrives out of the emptiness of the world, their bonds begin to fracture. Will this destroy their garden home? And if it does, are they losing a sanctuary or fleeing a prison?
I particularly loved how perceptions of the characters -- and it's such a small cast, essentially being two sisters, their deceased parents, and a boy that is more catalyst than person -- shift and change as the story progresses. Some data comes from flashbacks, but others arise as breaking from stasis allows more thoughts and more words from each sister.
I particularly loved how perceptions of the characters -- and it's such a small cast, essentially being two sisters, their deceased parents, and a boy that is more catalyst than person -- shift and change as the story progresses. Some data comes from flashbacks, but others arise as breaking from stasis allows more thoughts and more words from each sister.
March 23, 2025
I flew through this book and couldn’t really put it down but it was so so strange. What a story of survival and fear and love and sisterhood. I love a dystopian story but this one was very narrow in scope and very mysterious. It was beautifully written and definitely worth reading but I’m not sure I really know what to make of it.
May 25, 2025
This garden wilted significantly over time.
I will admit, despite my loathing, that I found Nick Newman‘s adult debut riveting. Although the build was slow, it was never bland, as it was seasoned with enough suspense to keep my curiosity piqued. Newman‘s descriptions were gorgeously conveyed, and the foreshadowing kept my expectations high. I loved the eerie vibe within one sister being tainted by the knowledge of what the world beyond the wall was capable of while the other’s growth was stunted by the lack of experience she’d had with that world.
I thought The Garden’s overall essence was well crafted, too. The author was quite vague, leaving the reader with the same sense of confusion and wonder the sisters likely felt. This isn’t the kind of story that answers your questions, but I never expected it to be. I am generally a fan of ambiguous reads, and The Garden’s tone, from the start, indicated that closure was not the end goal. I had hoped, however, for something thought provoking and impactful.
Well, it made an impact, but in the worst possible way, and that is why I must spoil the story in this review. I cannot possibly explain how distasteful I found it without exposing its obscured misogyny.
What I cannot understand is why no one else has complained about this yet. I looked at the negative reviews when I had about a hundred pages left, and found that no one seemed to take issue with the novel’s clear implication.
What readers eventually learn from the narrative is that the elderly sisters had their minds poisoned by their unstable mother. She convinced them that men were dangerous, and that the environment beyond their garden walls was unlivable. She lied to them about their father’s abandonment, and instead locked him in a part of the house the sisters were no longer allowed to go into. He inevitably died there. There was the threat of possible monsters within this home that they let decay. Additionally, frightening men who tried to get into their garden were killed and then consumed. (Cue Hall and Oates “Maneater” here.)
That’s the horror of this novel - that the mother took so much experience away from the sisters through her desire to protect them from her tainted perception of danger. The text does, at least, depict that some men are potentially bad but, as the boy in this story symbolizes, it’s not all men! In fact, sometimes (also illustrated through the boy) a man’s violence may simply be the result of an accident, and it may even be the fault of the woman.
How come more people aren’t calling out The Garden’s problematic content? I know this is a relatively new release. Perhaps it simply hasn’t gotten enough exposure. But I’m still surprised that I’m not the echo of many other previous readers’ screams. This is such a troubling story, and not for the reasons the author intended.
I will admit, despite my loathing, that I found Nick Newman‘s adult debut riveting. Although the build was slow, it was never bland, as it was seasoned with enough suspense to keep my curiosity piqued. Newman‘s descriptions were gorgeously conveyed, and the foreshadowing kept my expectations high. I loved the eerie vibe within one sister being tainted by the knowledge of what the world beyond the wall was capable of while the other’s growth was stunted by the lack of experience she’d had with that world.
I thought The Garden’s overall essence was well crafted, too. The author was quite vague, leaving the reader with the same sense of confusion and wonder the sisters likely felt. This isn’t the kind of story that answers your questions, but I never expected it to be. I am generally a fan of ambiguous reads, and The Garden’s tone, from the start, indicated that closure was not the end goal. I had hoped, however, for something thought provoking and impactful.
Well, it made an impact, but in the worst possible way, and that is why I must spoil the story in this review. I cannot possibly explain how distasteful I found it without exposing its obscured misogyny.
What I cannot understand is why no one else has complained about this yet. I looked at the negative reviews when I had about a hundred pages left, and found that no one seemed to take issue with the novel’s clear implication.
What readers eventually learn from the narrative is that the elderly sisters had their minds poisoned by their unstable mother. She convinced them that men were dangerous, and that the environment beyond their garden walls was unlivable. She lied to them about their father’s abandonment, and instead locked him in a part of the house the sisters were no longer allowed to go into. He inevitably died there. There was the threat of possible monsters within this home that they let decay. Additionally, frightening men who tried to get into their garden were killed and then consumed. (Cue Hall and Oates “Maneater” here.)
That’s the horror of this novel - that the mother took so much experience away from the sisters through her desire to protect them from her tainted perception of danger. The text does, at least, depict that some men are potentially bad but, as the boy in this story symbolizes, it’s not all men! In fact, sometimes (also illustrated through the boy) a man’s violence may simply be the result of an accident, and it may even be the fault of the woman.
How come more people aren’t calling out The Garden’s problematic content? I know this is a relatively new release. Perhaps it simply hasn’t gotten enough exposure. But I’m still surprised that I’m not the echo of many other previous readers’ screams. This is such a troubling story, and not for the reasons the author intended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2025
This was reallllllly boring.
----------------------------------
I feel like I should expand a little bit on my initial review.
I went into this book with zero expectations, not even knowing the genre of the book, so I was ready to let it take me where it wanted. It took me nowhere. I sat in that garden, day after day, reading these two women of vaguely old age bicker about responsibilities and their life in this dystopian world.
The book is meant to be insular, so we aren't told much of what happened to the world. This, I suppose, is supposed to make the reader feel more on edge/curious/whatever, but since I was reading The Lamb by Lucy Rose at the same time (which did this much better), I felt only boredom. Instead of mysterious, it came off as lazy because it would allude to different things outside the garden, but never explore further. I prefer isolated stories to either exist entirely on their own or have a compelling reason to keep the reader thinking about the larger world. This did neither.
There were two points at which the book could've turned things around, one when the boy is discovered and the second when the boy discovers something about the women. Both were boring and led nowhere. The boy only served to pit the sisters against each other and slowly unravel their lives in the least interesting way possible. The second reveal served no purpose whatsoever. The book would be the same with or without that information. It was also like a "no duh" moment.
So, after finishing this book and looking at the Goodreads page, imagine my shock when I found out that this wasn't literary fiction the way it ended up feeling like but actually horror. I hope that genre tag changes because the only horrifying thing about this book is its culmination in nothingness. Google says its a post-apocalyptic, suspense, gothic fiction. I say it doesn't matter because it's not worth reading.
----------------------------------
I feel like I should expand a little bit on my initial review.
I went into this book with zero expectations, not even knowing the genre of the book, so I was ready to let it take me where it wanted. It took me nowhere. I sat in that garden, day after day, reading these two women of vaguely old age bicker about responsibilities and their life in this dystopian world.
The book is meant to be insular, so we aren't told much of what happened to the world. This, I suppose, is supposed to make the reader feel more on edge/curious/whatever, but since I was reading The Lamb by Lucy Rose at the same time (which did this much better), I felt only boredom. Instead of mysterious, it came off as lazy because it would allude to different things outside the garden, but never explore further. I prefer isolated stories to either exist entirely on their own or have a compelling reason to keep the reader thinking about the larger world. This did neither.
There were two points at which the book could've turned things around, one when the boy is discovered and the second when the boy discovers something about the women. Both were boring and led nowhere. The boy only served to pit the sisters against each other and slowly unravel their lives in the least interesting way possible. The second reveal served no purpose whatsoever. The book would be the same with or without that information. It was also like a "no duh" moment.
So, after finishing this book and looking at the Goodreads page, imagine my shock when I found out that this wasn't literary fiction the way it ended up feeling like but actually horror. I hope that genre tag changes because the only horrifying thing about this book is its culmination in nothingness. Google says its a post-apocalyptic, suspense, gothic fiction. I say it doesn't matter because it's not worth reading.
February 7, 2025
I enjoy trying new authors. The book wasn't anything like I expected it to be.
I guess I was expecting something along the lines of The Secret Garden but not even close.
I expected two charming elderly sisters living together as neither had married and they've never ventured outside of their garden walls. Instead, the sisters fight constantly. Taking place mostly in modern times, of what year it is we have no idea. We also have a lot of flip flopping back and forth from this modern time to whenever the mother was alive. The mother put a lot of restrictions on the sisters, they couldn't do many things and even in their elderly age she still has control over them with their thoughts. The sisters spend their days taking care of bee hives, farming, cleaning and raising chickens. These are elderly women who have no help and no contact with the outside world. No mention of anything modern like tv's or phones. All of the sudden a ragged boy shows up and totally disrupts their world, one sister likes him the other doesn't.
Part of the huge house is boarded up from the time the mother was living, and it still is. The mother had a huge influence on them and still does.
The whole book has a strange and unsettling vibe to it. I have many questions that were not answered in the book and I'm sure there won't be a sequel to answer them.
I was given a complimentary copy of the book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
I guess I was expecting something along the lines of The Secret Garden but not even close.
I expected two charming elderly sisters living together as neither had married and they've never ventured outside of their garden walls. Instead, the sisters fight constantly. Taking place mostly in modern times, of what year it is we have no idea. We also have a lot of flip flopping back and forth from this modern time to whenever the mother was alive. The mother put a lot of restrictions on the sisters, they couldn't do many things and even in their elderly age she still has control over them with their thoughts. The sisters spend their days taking care of bee hives, farming, cleaning and raising chickens. These are elderly women who have no help and no contact with the outside world. No mention of anything modern like tv's or phones. All of the sudden a ragged boy shows up and totally disrupts their world, one sister likes him the other doesn't.
Part of the huge house is boarded up from the time the mother was living, and it still is. The mother had a huge influence on them and still does.
The whole book has a strange and unsettling vibe to it. I have many questions that were not answered in the book and I'm sure there won't be a sequel to answer them.
I was given a complimentary copy of the book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
April 25, 2025
2.5 stars
A bit dissapointed with this survival / dystopia, but thanks to listening to the audiobook while doing other tasks I managed to get to the end.
A bit dissapointed with this survival / dystopia, but thanks to listening to the audiobook while doing other tasks I managed to get to the end.
February 22, 2025
Two elderly sisters live within the confines of a walled garden, having forgotten what their lives were like before the garden, and not remembering what exists outside the walls. They tend the garden and the bees, keeping to their routines that have been written down in their mother's very-used almanac. Practical Evelyn seems to run the daily chores, but something seems a little off and childlike about Lily, who spends her time dressing up in her mother's decaying outfits and practicing dance in the gazebo. When the sisters discover signs that someone may have broken into their sanctuary, their lives and relationship to one another slowly changes. Slowly, the sisters begin to remember the past in snippets, as the outside world eventually comes crashing in to the garden.
Overall this book kept me engrossed, as I wanted to learn more about the mysterious circumstances of Evelyn and Lily. And of course, once the boy is discovered and their isolation and safety are threatened, I was on tenterhooks waiting to see what would be revealed. There were one or two elements that I was not expecting. My only gripe is that the ending seemed a little rushed after the languid opening and middle parts of the book. I suppose it makes sense that the beginning of the book was slowly revealed, just as Evelyn's memories were cloudy and hazy. Be that as it may, the ending was satisfactory, and made me want to go back and finish my read of Jo Walton's My Real Children.
My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an opportunity to read this book!
Overall this book kept me engrossed, as I wanted to learn more about the mysterious circumstances of Evelyn and Lily. And of course, once the boy is discovered and their isolation and safety are threatened, I was on tenterhooks waiting to see what would be revealed. There were one or two elements that I was not expecting. My only gripe is that the ending seemed a little rushed after the languid opening and middle parts of the book. I suppose it makes sense that the beginning of the book was slowly revealed, just as Evelyn's memories were cloudy and hazy. Be that as it may, the ending was satisfactory, and made me want to go back and finish my read of Jo Walton's My Real Children.
My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an opportunity to read this book!
March 20, 2025
Thanks to publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a review.
I really enjoyed this! I first saw it advertised as "an adult fairy tale" and while I certainly wouldn't call it that, it did have an airy, dreamy quality to it that I enjoyed.
The narration was really well done, and did a great job of communicating the odd mentalities of the main characters and how they developed in an extremely unique situation. I also enjoyed the flashbacks, and felt they did a great job of communicating just enough information each time to keep you guessing and theorizing. There were a few twists that I guessed at but was still surprised by!
All in all, it wasn't what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed the experience!
I really enjoyed this! I first saw it advertised as "an adult fairy tale" and while I certainly wouldn't call it that, it did have an airy, dreamy quality to it that I enjoyed.
The narration was really well done, and did a great job of communicating the odd mentalities of the main characters and how they developed in an extremely unique situation. I also enjoyed the flashbacks, and felt they did a great job of communicating just enough information each time to keep you guessing and theorizing. There were a few twists that I guessed at but was still surprised by!
All in all, it wasn't what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed the experience!
February 16, 2025
Oh man! This book!
I downloaded The Garden when I saw it was available on netgalley after reading the jacket copy. I think by now you know that I'm a sucker for post apocalyptic, dystopian novels and the isolation angle is always a fun one!
Here we have two elderly sisters who rely on each other for their daily survival. Evelyn steadfastly follows Mama's almanac, a book which guides the girls through each season and how to tend to their garden to ensure they have enough food to live off of. Lily, the younger of the two, is more whimsical, preferring to practice her dance routines or paint out in the gazebo, and cooks what Evelyn forages.
The house they live in is the very same one they grew up in, and was initially put to use as a group commune when things in the outside world first started going bad. Though, as things worsened, everyone packed up and headed out, leaving the sisters alone with Mama and Papa. Papa also eventually disappeared and that left the three. Mama, now crazed and in an effort to protect the girls, sealed the kitchen off from the rest of the house, claiming the rooms were all poisoned and filled with dangerous "man" things, and forbid them from exploring beyond the garden because there was nothing left outside their little haven but a barren wasteland.
After Mama's passing, the girls did the only thing they knew to do, which was maintain her strict rules to ensure their own safety. That is, until they discover a young boy who has broken through their garden wall claiming he is running from "others" and, you guessed it, this encounter shatters their entire world, flipping everything they were taught to believe right onto its head.
The Garden is wonderfully reminiscent of other post apocalyptic and isolation novels I've read (books like The Road, California, Whether Violent or Natural, The Water Cure, What Mother Won't Tell Me, These Silent Woods, all come to mind) where the characters appear to unravel almost as beautifully as their outside worlds do and where creative parenting plays a large role in just how fucked up the kids have become.
It's a deliciously slow burn with a couple of sick little twists thrown in towards the latter part of the book and it's an understatement to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I downloaded The Garden when I saw it was available on netgalley after reading the jacket copy. I think by now you know that I'm a sucker for post apocalyptic, dystopian novels and the isolation angle is always a fun one!
Here we have two elderly sisters who rely on each other for their daily survival. Evelyn steadfastly follows Mama's almanac, a book which guides the girls through each season and how to tend to their garden to ensure they have enough food to live off of. Lily, the younger of the two, is more whimsical, preferring to practice her dance routines or paint out in the gazebo, and cooks what Evelyn forages.
The house they live in is the very same one they grew up in, and was initially put to use as a group commune when things in the outside world first started going bad. Though, as things worsened, everyone packed up and headed out, leaving the sisters alone with Mama and Papa. Papa also eventually disappeared and that left the three. Mama, now crazed and in an effort to protect the girls, sealed the kitchen off from the rest of the house, claiming the rooms were all poisoned and filled with dangerous "man" things, and forbid them from exploring beyond the garden because there was nothing left outside their little haven but a barren wasteland.
After Mama's passing, the girls did the only thing they knew to do, which was maintain her strict rules to ensure their own safety. That is, until they discover a young boy who has broken through their garden wall claiming he is running from "others" and, you guessed it, this encounter shatters their entire world, flipping everything they were taught to believe right onto its head.
The Garden is wonderfully reminiscent of other post apocalyptic and isolation novels I've read (books like The Road, California, Whether Violent or Natural, The Water Cure, What Mother Won't Tell Me, These Silent Woods, all come to mind) where the characters appear to unravel almost as beautifully as their outside worlds do and where creative parenting plays a large role in just how fucked up the kids have become.
It's a deliciously slow burn with a couple of sick little twists thrown in towards the latter part of the book and it's an understatement to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it!
April 18, 2025
THE GARDEN
By Nick Newman
Nicolette McKenzie does a marvelous job of reading this unique slow-burn story. We meet two elderly sisters, Evelyn and Lily, living in their sanctum of a walled garden that is secluded from the outside world. They barely remember their childhoods and the garden is all they know and live for. They do not know what lies beyond the walls of the garden. After finding a boy hiding, these two childlike sisters must confront dark truths, the garden, and the world as they’ve known it.
This is speculative fiction that reads like a fable. At times I thought it was a dream because it’s in a place and time unknown. I thought the characters of the two sisters were well written, and the setting of the garden was ethereal and Eden-like. This definitely is a book that would be great to discuss with others for their take on it.
By Nick Newman
Nicolette McKenzie does a marvelous job of reading this unique slow-burn story. We meet two elderly sisters, Evelyn and Lily, living in their sanctum of a walled garden that is secluded from the outside world. They barely remember their childhoods and the garden is all they know and live for. They do not know what lies beyond the walls of the garden. After finding a boy hiding, these two childlike sisters must confront dark truths, the garden, and the world as they’ve known it.
This is speculative fiction that reads like a fable. At times I thought it was a dream because it’s in a place and time unknown. I thought the characters of the two sisters were well written, and the setting of the garden was ethereal and Eden-like. This definitely is a book that would be great to discuss with others for their take on it.
September 14, 2024
The Garden started strongly. I found the premise interesting and the world building elements were well handled, so we got a continually building understanding of the sisters and their situation. Nonetheless, I did still have a few questions that were not answered, which made the ending a tad unsatisfactory for me. After such a slow buildup things seemed to conclude a little too abruptly. Regardless, the book had plenty of atmosphere and the pacing was generally well handled, which kept me wanting to read on. The two sisters both came across well as fully developed characters, but the boy who enters the garden felt a little less well defined, and many of my lingering questions at the end related to him and his motivation. Overall, though, it was a pleasing and original tale, so I am giving it four stars.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC vie NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC vie NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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