The Garden of Eve

by K.L. Going

Evie reluctantly moves with her widowed father to Beaumont, New York, where he has bought an apple orchard, dismissing rumors that the town is cursed and the trees haven't borne fruit in decades. Evie doesn't believe in things like curses and fairy tales anymore--if fairy tales were real, her mom would still be alive. But odd things happen in Beaumont. Evie meets a boy who claims to be dead and receives a mysterious seed as an eleventh-birthday gift. Once planted, the seed grows into a tree overnight, but only Evie and the dead boy can see it--or go where it leads.
    

The Garden of Eve mixes spine-tingling chills with a deeply resonating story that beautifully explores grief, healing, and growth.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fiction, Magic, Ghosts, Childrens

234 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2007

About the author

K.L. Going is the award winning author of numerous books for children and teens. Her first novel, Fat Kid Rules the World was named a Michael Printz Honor Book by the American Library Association, and was included on YALSA’s Best Books for Young Adults list and their list of Best Books for the Past Decade. Her books have been Booksense picks, Scholastic Book Club choices, Junior Library Guild selections, NY Public Library Best Books for the Teenage, and winners of state book awards. They’ve been featured by Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Children's Book Council as Best Books of the year. Her work has also been published in Korea, Italy, Japan, Germany, and the UK, and her novel Fat Kid Rules the World is soon to be an independent film!

K.L. began her career working at one of the oldest literary agencies in New York City. She used this inner knowledge of publishing to write Writing and Selling the Young Adult Novel -- a how-to book for aspiring writers, published by Writer's Digest. She has also written short stories for several anthologies and currently has multiple picture books under contract. She lives in Glen Spey, NY where she both writes and runs a business critiquing manuscripts. She’s also a mom to the world’s cutest little boy.

To visit KL on-line go to www.klgoing.com, www.facebook.com/klgoing, or at http://twitter.com/#!/KLGoing.

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 2 out of 5]

Garden variety message-drive fantasy for younger readers, of the sort in which the fantasy elements are merely tools or metaphors for conveying some Wisdom to Grow On about valuing your family (they love you! even if they don't show it and in fact totally neglect you!), living in the real world, not grieving excessively, and those sort of ideas that seem to inhabit Books Where the Mother Dies. Oh, and don't mess around with supernatural crap, it is bad. That attitude and inclusion of homeschooling -- not that the father seems to ever actually teach Eve anything -- made me wonder if Going were a Christian author, but I couldn't stand to look at her hideous site (http://klgoing.com) long enough to try to figure that out.

Basic story: When Eve (thus named for the sake of the titular "cleverness") is ten her warm, imaginative artist mother Tally dies. Her father becomes withdrawn and disinterested in anything but his gardening work. He buys a dead orchard from an old man in a small New York town and takes Eve away from Michigan and all her relatives to live in a shabby old house that everyone thinks is cursed. No one will talk to them except the storekeeper whose brother was the previous owner. Eve's dad says she will be homeschooled but actually works all day in the dead orchard while Eve lies in bed in a state of depression. He doesn't bother to unpack or buy groceries. Eve's only company is a boy in the graveyard who tells her he is a ghost only she can see. When Eve learns that the dead old owner of the property left her a seed his explorer father claimed was from the Garden of Eden and caused his sister Eve to disappear after her mother died 70 years ago, Eve and Alex (the ghost boy) become determined to plant the seed and have it take them to the garden of paradise. But will it really be a paradise, and should they stay there?

I won't spoil it for you, but these last questions are not treated with any degree of suspense. Despite the repeated mentions of curses, ghosts, unexplained disappearances, decaying houses, and dead trees, this is not a scary book. It pretty quickly becomes clear that we aren't even going for "ominous". The core of the story is Eve and her father coping with the loss of Tally and turning back to one another. The supernatural elements fit rather awkwardly. I think the book would have been better for being left to percolate in the author's mind for a couple months and then given a ruthless rewrite. I suspect that the cursed seeds and disappearing sister really belong in another story.

[Kat Heckenbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story from page one. Eve is the kind of character you connect to immediately. Her mom has died of cancer and her dad is moving them to a tiny little town to live in an old house and take care of a dead apple orchard. But Evie's mom always told her to believe in magic...

I read the entire book in one day. Nearly everything about it was just right. The characters are real, the way the subject matter was handled was perfect--it's emotional but not so bleak. There really is magic, and seeing Evie's transformation is heartwarming. There is exactly enough description to bring the setting and characters to life, and the writing is smooth and effortless to read.

So very glad I picked this one up!

My Website
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My YA fantasy series:
book 1

book 2

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The message this book sends is pretty interesting but the book was a bit disappointing.
The characters weren't very developed, the story felt flat and too predictible.
It might be considered a good read by younger readers but not by me.

[Courtney Rodkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Garden of Eve Review
K.L. Going

This is the second time that I have read The Garden of Eve. I really enjoyed this book because it is interesting, and magical, and the author, K.L. Going, keeps you wanting to read more. The Garden of Eve is 234 pages long and I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys an adventure with a little bit of mystery and magic.
Evie’s mother has died, her father is always working in his garden, and now he is moving them to the middle of no-where New York because he wants to revive a dead garden. Evie has always believed in magic, but since her mother died, she just can’t believe in it anymore. She keeps wishing, and reading the fairy tales that her and her mother, Tallie, used to, but her belief in magic isn’t bringing her back. When they get to Beaumont, Evie is disappointed and terrified that they are going to be living in a run-down old house, a dead orchard, and… a cemetery.
One day, when Evie sees a young boy in the cemetery, her whole world changes. They go on adventures together, and get in lots of trouble. When they are stuck in a whole other world, Evie has to use all of the common sense she got from her father, and all of the magic, and curiosity she got from her mother to save themselves… and the trees.

[John Cowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not one to write long flowery, or deeply in depth book reviews. My desire is simply to say if I liked it or not, and why.

The Garden Of Eve is a beautiful little book that explores life, love, loss, and the power of love to overcome death and disbelief. True the book was written for a middle school audience, but it was mature and quick enough to keep my attention.

It started off a bit slow, and seemed somewhat aimless at first, and even though I was worried I might end up not liking it, something about the writing, and the little girl, Evie, kept me going. The story quickly picked up pace, and direction, and before I knew it I was lost in Evie's garden.

Please don't let the 8-12 age label scare you off. Just like The Giver Trilogy, Narnia, Harry Potter, Leven Thumps, and many other books at this age level there is plenty of heart, emotion, and just plain good story telling for kids of all ages; even for this 32 year old kid!

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poignant story that follows a girl's journey as she struggles to accept loss. Evie is full of anger when her father uproots her and moves to an apple orchard far away from all the things she loves--including her mother's final resting place. But a strange history, and rumors of a curse, surround the orchard and the girl with her same name that dissapeared decades ago.

Soon she meets a friend, a boy who died the week before they moved in, and together search for a way to bring their loved ones back and lift the curse from off the land.

Every action has a price, and to bring life to one world, it withers in the other.

I found this to be a very well written book that portrays greif, hope and acceptance in a very real and moving way.

I'd reccomend this book to anyone YA reader age and up. K.L. Going did a fine job.

[jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

evie doesn't believe in magic anymore.
after all, if magic were real, her mom would still be alive.
but when evie moves to beaumont, new york, where her father has brought a withered apple orchard that the townspeople whisper is cursed, she learns about a lost girl, receives a mysterious seed, and meets a boy who claims to be dead. before long, evie finds herself in the middle of a fairy tale. and this one is real.

what an enchanting little story!
it reminds us of how nothing ever dies. only changes. a subtle fairy tale for both children & adults who crave for magic. or maybe just a good book with valuable lessons.

[I Trump · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous writing. I'm just blown away. This is one of those books that writers who aspire to be published read and wish they could write. I will think about this book for a long time.

Eve's mother, the one who believes in magic, has died. Eve is left with her practical, grieving father. You feel the profound loss for Eve. Her father can't take staying home where he remembers his wife, so he brings them to an orchard where the trees won't grow and the town is gray. Through meeting an old woman and possible ghost boy, and learning the secrets of the town curse, Eve begins to believe again.

Beautiful story about letting go.

[Sherri Rudnick · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book. This had such a wonderful message and far surpassed my expectations. I'm really glad that I decided to complete it.

[Angelina Corniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book The Garden of Eve by K.L Going is about a girl named Eve who was a very imaginative young girl with all the magical fairy tales that her mother used to tell her when she was young. But, a tragic moment happened in Eve's life with the death of her mother, has made her stop believing all that fantasy of magic and on her eleventh birthday gets a seed as a gift. After still dealing with that heart breaking moment, she moved with her father to New York were it seems that the town so moved to is very mysterious and creepy. During her stay there, she meets a boy who happened to be died but she can only see him and they go through many challenges and experiences through out this book. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 because it was like one of those books that grabs your attention and you never wanna stop reading so i highly recommend this book.

[lil · Rating 4 out of 5]

*slaps book* this bad boy can fit so much childhood trauma in it

[Leselurch · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Worum geht's?*
Vor 10 Monaten ist Evies Mutter an Krebs gestorben. Da es ihr Vater nicht länger an einem Ort aushält, an dem ihn alles an seine verstorbene Frau erinnert, packt er kurzerhand seine sieben Sachen und reist ab. Evie muss zwangsläufig mit auf die verfluchte Apfelplantage ziehen, die ihr Vater als ihr neues Zuhause ausgesucht hat, und ist damit alles andere als glücklich. Sie vermisst ihre Mutter, die Elfen und Einhörner zum Leben erwecken konnte und an die Magie geglaubt hat. Mit ihrer Mutter ist all der Zauber aus der Welt für Evie verschwunden. Aber auf der düsteren Apfelplantage wartet ein magisches Abenteuer auf sie, das ihren Glauben wieder aufleben lässt: Gemeinsam mit Alex, einem Geisterjungen, macht sich Evie auf die Suche nach dem Geheimnis hinter dem kleinen Saatkorn, das der Vorbesitzer der Plantage für sie hinterlassen hat.

*Meine Meinung:*
„Evies Garten“ ist ein Kinderbuch, aber keines von der zuckersüßen Art. K. L. Going behandelt in ihrer Geschichte ein schwieriges Thema, das Jung und Alt tief berührt: den Verlust eines geliebten Menschen. In Evies Fall ist es ihre Mutter, die vor 10 Monaten an Krebs gestorben ist. Sie hat Evie mit ihrem Vater zurückgelassen, der mit dem Tod seiner geliebten Frau selbst nicht zurechtkommt und versucht, durch die Flucht aus dem bekannten Leben wieder zur Normalität zurückzufinden. Evie muss zwangsläufig mit umziehen, steht ihrem Vater aber nicht sonderlich nahe. Und nun steht sie da, einsam auf einer verfluchten Apfelplantage, umringt von einem Friedhof, ganz allein mit ihrer Trauer. Nur der bleiche Junge, der von sich behauptet, ein Geist zu sein, kann sie ablenken.

Die Geschichte liest sich sehr schnell, was nicht nur an den knapp 200 Seiten und den kurzen Kapiteln liegt. K. L. Going legt ab der ersten Seite ein zügiges Erzähltempo an den Tag. Sie hält sich nicht lange mit ausschweifenden Beschreibungen auf und lässt lieber der Handlung ihren Lauf. Trotzdem sorgt die Autorin in „Evies Garten“ für ein tolles Kopfkino-Erlebnis. Jede einzelne Szene schleicht sich während des Lesens in den Kopf, sodass man die Geschichte auf besonders bildhafte Weise genießen kann.

„Evies Garten“ entwickelt sich recht schnell in eine Richtung, die ich von dem Buch zu Beginn nicht erwartet hätte. Die Magie, an die Evies Mutter geglaubt hat, die aber seit ihrem Tod aus dem Leben ihrer Tochter verschwunden ist, nimmt einen großen Part der Geschichte ein. Auf die rundum sympathischen und gelungenen Charaktere – allen voran natürlich Protagonistin Evie, die mich mit ihrem klugen und vernünftigen Köpfchen begeistert hat – wartet ein magisches Abenteuer, bei dem es mehr Geheimnisse aufzudecken gibt als zunächst erwartet.

Trauerbewältigung und der Umgang mit dem Verlust eines geliebten Menschen spielen in „Evies Garten“ eine entscheidende Rolle. Die Autorin hat diese Themen in ihrer Geschichte auf eine einfühlsame und magische Art und Weise behandelt, die durchaus zu berühren weiß, ohne dabei eine bedrückende Stimmung aufkommen zu lassen. So gut mir K. L. Goings Umsetzung auch gefallen hat, gänzlich zufrieden bin ich mit ihr nicht. An einigen Stellen hätte ich mir gewünscht, dass die Autorin stärker auf die Ernsthaftigkeit der Themen eingeht und ihre fantastischen Elemente dabei zurückhält.

K. L. Going hat einen wundervollen Schreibstil, mit dem sie mich sofort für sich gewinnen konnte. Sie schreibt sehr leicht und flüssig, wie es sich für ein Kinderbuch gehört, ohne sich in zu komplexe Satzstrukturen zu verstricken. Trotzdem schafft sie es, mit ihren Worten eine zauberhafte Atmosphäre entstehen zu lassen, die einen an die Magie der Geschichte glauben lässt. „Evies Garten“ liest sich wie ein bezauberndes Märchen, dessen Moral K. L. Going ihren Lesern direkt ins Herz schreibt.

Das biblische Paradies, die Geschichte von Adam und Eva, die Versuchung durch den Apfel – all diese religiösen Bilder sind ein Teil von „Evies Garten“. Die Geschichte um Evie weist in vielen Punkten Parallelen zu der Schöpfungsgeschichte auf. Trotzdem ist „Evies Garten“ kein Buch, das einem die christliche Religion oder die Liebe zu Gott nahezulegen versucht. Evie lernt, wie wichtig es ist, seinen Glauben nicht zu verlieren, aber dabei wird keine spezielle Religion erwähnt. Es geht vielmehr um den Glauben an sich selbst, den Glauben an sein Herz, den Glauben an die Liebe.

*Fazit:*
„Evies Garten“ von K. L. Going ist eine zauberhafte und wunderschöne Geschichte über das Leben und den Tod, die mich mit ihrer eigenen Magie in ihren Bann ziehen konnte. Ich habe mich mit jeder Seite mehr in dieses Buch verliebt, vor allem in Goings Schreibstil, der für eine ganz besondere, magische Atmosphäre gesorgt hat. Aber auch die Charaktere und die Handlung haben mich mit ihrer Einzigartigkeit verzaubert. „Evies Garten“ ist ein tolles Buch, das es schafft, ein schwieriges Thema auf einfühlsame Art zu behandeln, ohne dabei eine bedrückende Stimmung aufkommen zu lassen. Für „Evies Garten“ vergebe ich 4 Lurche.

[aubrey]

I remember reading this, but I have no clue what it’s about tbh. Im pretty sure someone in her family dies, maybe her mom or dad. I think it might of been her dad, but then I thought she was also living with him. Idk. I’m not going to rate it lol.

[Jaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a young adult book dealing with grief. The magical elements were interesting and I loved the ties to the Garden of Eden. The under-rated character in the book, in my opinion, was Maggie. I would have loved to see more done with her character. Eve was a likeable character who found strength in herself that she didn't know she had. Overall, a good book, but a slow start. Not sure my kiddos would stick with it to the end.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a girl whose Mother has died. She seems kind of bitter about her father not being like her mom for much of the book. Anyway, she and her father move into a new place with an orchard full of dead-seeming trees. People say the orchard is cursed. Her father sets out to cultivate it, and bring the trees back to health. She meets a kid who says he's a ghost. He matches the description of a boy who recently died.

That's about as much as I can say without spoiling it. Anyway, I enjoyed the book. It was pretty different from most books I've been reading lately, although I admit I've seen similar stuff before (just not for a long time, and not in the same way). The book has character, though. I liked the cover art. I actually liked the title quite a bit, too. It's close enough to the garden of Eden that it seems natural, and of course, Eve was in the said garden—so it adds to the effect.

The narration was good, although I'm not a huge fan of narrators making their voices drastically different when they do dialog for kids—other than sort of that, it was great.

[☀️Carden☀️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite thing I can do with this book is to reshape it and expand on all those details that are there but could use some more “detail”. And in the end, even when I do reshape it can just go back to making sense without making the plot sound complicated.

Alternate cover : The girl on the cover, who is planting that seed, could be looking up at the tree while there is a closeup of her. Snow and flowers mix together and swirl all around her while she looks up and holds an umbrella. Both breathtaking and interesting. 🤩🤩🤩


This book is one of my favorites for being creepy and thrilling at the same time. I found it back when I was in middle school and was intrigued by the world building and unique plot. I don’t regret finding this brilliant gem. As my favourite book, I will say that this has enchanted me and made me feel giddy and warm. Refreshing and vibrant.

The crazy thing is that this book has everything: good dialogue full of witty banter, action that keeps you on the edge, good character development, some romance, and interesting twists and turns full of magic and moments.

One of the ever growing things I wished was incorporated into this book was a romance between the main character and the ghost that she meets. If not a romance, maybe a few moments that implied romance. You could see that this book has it all, and the silly thing is, it doesn’t need room for improvement. It can have more room for even more amazing scenes.

The plot was sold for me and I laughed and rooted for the main character to keep on accomplishing what she needed to find out for the mystery that was rooted in place. Literally.

”Alex, get down,” Evie chided, but inch by inch he straightened his legs. “You’re going to fall again and I’m not going to help you this time.” Slowly he stood up. “I don’t think you should...” Evie stopped and watched as he balanced perfectly, arms wide, see straight ahead. Then he grinned down at her. “See?” he said. “I knew I could do it. “ But as soon as head said it, he toppled into a heap on the ground. “Are you all right?” Evie asked. “You can’t get hurt when your dead. Evie made a scoffing noise...”

And even more moments like this... I swear the dialogue in here provides comedic relief...it’s pretty clever.
”How do you know so much about being a ghost ? Have you ever been one?”
No,” Evie said, “but-“
“Then you don’t know.”
Evie sighed. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you that you’re the most aggravating-“
“You like me,” Alex interrupted before she could finish.
“Do not.”
“If you didn’t, you wouldn’t keep coming back. Besides, everybody always loved me. Especially grown ups. And girls.”
Alex wiggled his eyebrows...”

Another reason why I love this book is the vivid descriptions and hooked dialogue that keeps you flipping the pages. Pair this with scene with maybe flowers swirling around the air as Evie and Alex stare at each other and you got a perfect scene that is so fuzzy and heartwarming!!! 🥰🥰🥰

The trunk of the tree grew thick, and each branch blossomed into hundreds of tiny white flowers. Bright red fruit formed before their eyes. Apple blossoms floated down until they blanketed the ground in a soft carpet of white petals. The air was thick with a clean,fresh scent, so different from the early cider smell that lingered eerily in the rest of the orchard.

Regarding all these facts though, I have to say what I like most about the book is the ending (okay asides from the romance between Alex and Evie that could have been and the fact that this book can still stay the same even when it’s details are altered). The ending is sweet and heartwarming. Mysterious and interesting.

I know I said I would stop but still...the sparks between Evie and Alex grow even more...
”I have to go,” she said. “Father will be looking for me. “ She paused. “You’ll be okay?”
“Yeah.” Alex nodded. “This is the next best thing to heaven.”
Evie sighed,and for a long time they stood silently,neither one willing to move. Then Evie shifted nervously.
“I’ll miss you,” she said....”

And one more...
It wasn’t until town was far into the distance that she slowed long enough to take her hand off the handle bars and put a single finger to her lips. It was the first time she’d ever kissed a boy...”

Another one of my favorite things to do was reading Evie’s thoughts and how she reacted to what she saw. They were definitely interesting to see.

Evie held the apple tightly. For the first time since Mom died, she felt her mother’s presence,not something outside of herself that she’d brought to life, but as something inside of her. As something she was.

The story follows eleven year old Evie as she tries to cope with the loss of her mother and moves to a town that is cursed. She plants a mysterious seed and in a way learns about loss and grows in her own way.

I liked seeing Evie grow from scared to mature and accepting. She was always broken at times, but she got up and fixed herself and for that I admire her as a hero.

While I admit the paranormal and fantasy elements could have been a little more believable, this is more of a story about a girl who finds her own way after she is lost.

The romance in here is small, but still...I would have loved if this book was at least 300 pages. Deep down, I wish to see a scene where Adam (not Alex anymore, he has a twin) and Evie cuddle under a blanket while the fire warms around them.

Last but not least, the ending is my other favorite part of the book besides the romance that could have developed a little more. It’s like a nice time to reflect on all that happened, mysterious but at the same time hopeful. A beautiful moment.

This book makes for a nice cozy read under the blanket and I had some pleasant time reading this and finishing it within the hour. This book has done miracles and I cannot say enough that it is one I will cherish within my heart.

Definitely recommend.

[MissSusie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful unsung hero in the YA genre it has everything a ghost story, coming of age, dealing with grief and some fairytale/fantasy/magical realism elements thrown in.
11 year-old Evie doesn’t believe in magic anymore not since her mother died. After all if magic were real her mother would still be alive. But when Evie moves to Beaumont, NY where her father has bought a withered apple orchard that the townspeople whisper is cursed, she learns about a lost girl, receives a mysterious seed, and meets a boy who claims to be dead. Before long Evie finds herself in the middle of a fairy tale. And this one is real.
I really enjoyed this book it’s beautifully written and is a very believable work of magical realism. I pretty much read this book straight through and can see why it won the Michael Printz Honor. This book is beautiful and haunting and I would say a must read!
4 Stars

[Amy Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Evie's mother dies of cancer, her whole world is turned upside down. Her father, unable to bear living in the same place, moves them across the country to a house that is not only in a dead apple orchard, but also near a cemetery. Everyone in the town says that the orchard is cursed, but because of her mother's death, Evie no longer believes in curses or fairy tales. It's only when she receives a mysterious seed and decides to plant it that she begins to see that magic is all around her, and that it can heal her loneliness and loss.

I absolutely loved this book. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. The magic and mystery of the apple orchard, as well as Evie's journey within the orchard, made me feel so much. I couldn't help but cry a little at the end. I highly recommend this book for readers who love fantasy, fairy tales, and ghost stories. Even though Garden of Eve isn't a scary book, it's message will haunt you after you've finished reading it.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

When your 13 yr old daughter says, "Mom, this is the best book EVER!", you get that book and you read it!

I thought this was a nice story about an 11 yr old girl coming to terms with the recent death of her mother, and trying to figure out how she would make her way in the world without her mom. My daughter found the story to be filled with mystery, magic and was even spooked out in some spots.

Granted, she enjoyed this book more than me, and I had more fun watching her read it than when I read it myself. For that alone, I love this story =)

[Maren · Rating 5 out of 5]

The garden of eve was a very touching book about family, grief, friends, and belief. I felt myself connecting to all of the characters as I do with all books. It had a very unpredictable story line and I found myself laughing, crying, suspicious, and scared nearly all the time. This is a fantastic book for everyone.

[NatalieXAxel948 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story line was so good. I read lots of books and this one yacked me on the twist, never has that happen to me. I would mostly recamend to kids who have low inspiration on reading, on their self esteem, or kids who just love fantasy and a ending they will never forget.

[♡ella grey♡︎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was kinda flat and predictable and the characters weren’t super developed. But, then again it is more of a younger children book so that could be the main reason to keep it simple, but still.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was sooooooooo good! I read it in 2 days. The book is mysterious as the ending is so suprising!

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was thoroughly disappointed. The characters weren't well developed and the plot was thin and contrived. It was just too sappy, predictable and had way too many Biblical allusions for me.

[mckmoriconi · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book rocks

[Jade Le · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this in 5th grade, one of my favorite books when i have nothing else to read. I probably read it about three/ four times

[Nahnita · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. There was one twist that surprised me.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

First off, I LOVE this cover. I actually had seen the artwork years back, at an art gallery or the like, where I had taken a picture of it with my phone. Then I came across this book at a thrift store, with that same art, and I just had to get it.

If I could only say one word about this book, it would be: potential. I enjoyed the setup, I enjoyed the lore that was given, and I enjoyed the characters. However, it was too quick to give away some of the plot points, the time in the other world was kind of boring, and the climax broke the established rules with no explanation.

Just turning eleven is a wonderful age to be, and this story captures well what it's like to be torn between believing in the magic and in struggling with the heaviness of real life--especially as the main character Evie struggles with believing since the source of magic in her life--her mother--has died. The character of Alex was a great companion for Eve, of drawing her back out into the world and the magic.

I only really start to have a problem with this book once in the magical world. I understand why it's the way it is, but with nothing going on, it quickly became boring. I wish there had been a little more to it. Also, once back in the real world, Evie figured out the solution to things way too quickly, so that I was just waiting for her to get to where she could use the solution, rather than wondering how she was going to fix things.

That second point is the real problem of the book. Once the solution is known, there's no mystery, no real tension. There's never a question of Evie finding her way back there. Also, when the solution was employed, it felt anti-climatic. Evie hardly had to try.

Then there's the actual climax. I had a brief moment of wondering what was going to happen next, of wondering how Evie was going to solve the problem, and then it was just solved for her with zero explanation--even though the going home bit had been shown as a problem at least twice before.

So, I picked this book up because I loved the cover art, but I enjoyed the story itself. However, it has some flaws that weaken the second half of the book. The flaws never stopped me from enjoying it, but I would have enjoyed it all the more if the solution to the problem had been discovered closer to the climax, and if the climax had demanded more out of the characters. I don't think this is a book to seek out, but I think I'll keep my copy.

[Blackrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.3 ⭐️

I was knee-deep in the task of sorting through old boxes of books, preparing them for donation, when I stumbled upon a little treasure from my teenage years – "The Garden of Eve." With a wave of nostalgia washing over me, I couldn't resist setting it aside to be reread before parting with it.

Have you ever longed to experience a book as if it were the first time, to feel the same magic and wonder that you did a decade ago? That's exactly what I encountered. While much of the story had faded from memory, the sense of nostalgia remained, vividly connecting me to the past – the foods I ate, the smells that surrounded me when I first dove into this enchanting tale.

The story, shrouded in mystery and sprinkled with enchantment, captured my heart from the very beginning. I found myself swept away by the plot twists, gasping in surprise and wonder. The author's message, woven into the tale, resonated deeply – a beacon of hope illuminating even the darkest corners.

Every chapter seemed to echo with the rightness of the story, leaving me in awe of its magic. It's more than a book; it's a tale of resilience and belief, reminding those lost in fleeting darkness that hope and light can be found, even in the most unexpected places. A place that can be deemed as a place of death.

It has secured a permanent spot on my bookshelf. And who knows, someday, if I'm blessed with little ones, I'll read this magical tale to them, passing on the enchantment to the next generation. After all, some stories are meant to be cherished and passed down through generations. A story that bridges generations and reminds us of the enduring power of hope and wonder.✨

[Natalie Grayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started off with the knowledge that the ten year old protagonist Evie’s mother, Tally, has passed away. Evie is deeply affected by this and eventually stops believing in magic and other things she used to believe in. One difficult change after another, her father decides to move from their home in Michigan to New York, for a fresh start. While picking up the keys to the new place, Evie learns that there are rumors that this town is cursed because of the mystery surrounding the disappearance of a girl named Eve. Evie’s father just waves this off as superstition or as another ghost story, for he is a realist. Evie then meets a boy named Alex who claims he is a ghost. She does not believe him at first, but then as they get closer she realizes he is telling the truth. On Evie’s 11th birthday, she receives clues as a gift from the previous owner of her house. She then pieces together these different clues and eventually solves the case.
This book was honestly not one of my favorites. I am aware that this book was pointed towards more of a younger audience than eighth grade, but it was still a little bit childish. Do not get me wrong, this book was not bad, but I would have changed a few things. I would recommend this to people who want a fast mystery novel read.