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Winter Garden
Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard; the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist. But when their beloved father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters. As children, the only connection between them was the Russian fairy tale Anya sometimes told the girls at night. On his deathbed, their father extracts a promise from the women in his life: the fairy tale will be told one last time—and all the way to the end. Thus begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya's life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago. Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother's life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are.
394 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2010
About the author
Kristin Hannah
124 books251k followersKristin Hannah is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels including the international blockbuster, The Nightingale, which was named Goodreads Best Historical fiction novel for 2015 and won the coveted People's Choice award for best fiction in the same year. It was named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon, iTunes, Buzzfeed, the Wall Street Journal, Paste, and The Week. In 2018,
The Great Alone became an instant New York Times #1 bestseller and was named the Best Historical Novel of the Year by Goodreads.
The Four Winds was published in February of 2021 and immediately hit #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Indie bookstore's bestseller lists. Additionally, it was selected as a book club pick by the both Today Show and The Book Of the Month club, which named it the best book of 2021.
Firefly Lane, her beloved novel about two best friends, was the #1 Netflix series around the world, in the week it came out. The popular tv show stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke and Season Two is currently set to conclude the series on April 27, 2023.
Her new novel, The Women, about a young woman coming of age during the turbulent 1960's in America, who joins the Army Nurse Corps and serves in Vietnam will be published February 6th, 2024.
A former attorney, Kristin lives in the Pacific Northwest.
The Great Alone became an instant New York Times #1 bestseller and was named the Best Historical Novel of the Year by Goodreads.
The Four Winds was published in February of 2021 and immediately hit #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Indie bookstore's bestseller lists. Additionally, it was selected as a book club pick by the both Today Show and The Book Of the Month club, which named it the best book of 2021.
Firefly Lane, her beloved novel about two best friends, was the #1 Netflix series around the world, in the week it came out. The popular tv show stars Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke and Season Two is currently set to conclude the series on April 27, 2023.
Her new novel, The Women, about a young woman coming of age during the turbulent 1960's in America, who joins the Army Nurse Corps and serves in Vietnam will be published February 6th, 2024.
A former attorney, Kristin lives in the Pacific Northwest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 29,274 reviews
March 2, 2012
Just finished this stinker and I have a headache from rolling my eyes. It is disappointingly formulaic and borrows heavily from "Sophie's Choice", an infinitely superior novel. The writing is pedestrian. The characters are cardboard cut outs and insufferable to boot. I hate novels in which all the characters have to be beautiful. We are told over and over and over about the mother's "astonishing eyes" and the eldest daughter's "curvy hips", big eyes and "Julia Robert's type mouth". The younger daughter (a Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist, yet) has a heart shaped face, black pixie haircut and "perfect skin". The male characters are uniformly handsome and blond. For no discernible reason, the reader is constantly subjected to descriptions of what the characters are wearing, e.g., "She exchanged her robe and pajamas for a pair of comfortable jeans and a cable-knit turtle neck sweater". The character's musings are repeated and restated and reworded every few pages. This stuff goes on and on. I cannot stand writing like this. The story is ridiculous, the ending absurd (and stolen from about twenty tearjerker movies that I can think of). Someone I love recommended this book to me and I stuck it out for her, but I don't recommend it to you.
November 29, 2015
::: FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED :::
WOW. WOW. WOW!!!!
Winter Garden was one of the most breathtaking books that I have ever read in my entire life. And I do not say that lightly. I cried so hard I couldn't even see the pages. The emotions were overpowering and all-consuming. It also has THE. MOST. BEAUTIFUL. EPILOGUE. of all-time. The only other books that has made me cry this hard before has been The Bronze Horseman which is my favorite book in the world... My God, THE FEELS!!!! What began as a family mystery turned into an EPIC story of love and survival.
I rarely give this rating, but this was 6 STARS!
Ok, before anything, please note the genre of this book is Women's Fiction, and not specifically Romance even though there is indeed a beautiful, powerful, and heart-wrenching love story at the heart of the book. If you're a romance reader (like me), please don't worry though, I promise the ending is amazing.
The other important things to know before you read is that I do think some readers might find the book a little slow at first and maybe even find that they didn't 'like' the characters. Don't let that worry you. I promise you there's a reason for this. This is a story that builds in rich layers of complexity and emotional depth in such a way that it is absolutely worth it to stick with the story because the impact and delivery of both the second half of the book and especially the ending is just SO incredible and powerful!! As I was reading, my rating went from maybe 4 stars at first, to 4.5, to 5, then it was a solid 5++ stars for a while... then on page 380, my rating shot straight up to 6 stars. I read that page and instantly got CHILLS through my entire body. SHIVERS. I re-read the page twice, then put the book down and just SOBBED my heart out. Pure ugly crying. Tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. The story was so beautiful!!!!!!!
Because this book's genre is indeed different than my usual romance recommendations, I strongly suggest that you read the blurb before purchasing. It's a very accurate representation of the story. For me personally, I knew I wanted to read this book the moment I read the blurb. If you're also intrigued by it, then you should definitely read this book for SURE and as soon as possible. But if the blurb doesn't appeal to you, then I'll be really honest and say that this book is likely not for you. But definitely check it out!!! It's worth every penny and for me, this book is a Forever Top Favorite. Here's the blurb:
Kristin Hannah's writing is absolutely exquisite. She writes with a deeply profound and insightful understanding and portrayal of people that never ceases to amaze me. Her storytelling skills are almost unparalleled. I've read three of her books at this point and have been blown away by each one.
I found it absolutely fascinating and captivating watching the way the 'fairy tale' that the mother was telling slowly blended into reality. The transition was so powerful -- there are all these subtle details that if you read carefully, you'll catch and they'll take your breath away. It's a truly stunning piece of writing.
When I first started the book, I was reading more out of curiosity than anything else. Truthfully, I found many of the characters to be cold and distant and wasn't really sure that I'd ever connect with them on an emotional level but I was intrigued enough by the story to keep reading. And along the way, there's this undercurrent to the story that pulls you in deeper and just keeps growing stronger. I think that it's ok not to like the characters at first because one of the important messages of this book is how often and easily people misjudge each other without knowing their full story. I think it was written like that on purpose -- to make you experience the message of the story first hand. Because I promise you by the end of this story, I was overflowing with emotion. Few books have ever made me care so deeply for the characters as this one did. This isn't just a story you read, it's an experience you go through.
This isn't just one of my favorite books of the year, it's one of my favorite books of all-time. I know for a certainty that no matter how many books I read, this will always remain precious to me. It has beautiful writing, a breathtaking story, and a powerful ending -- the true sign of a fantastic novel.
Rating: 6 STARS! Standalone.
_______________________________________
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WOW. WOW. WOW!!!!
Winter Garden was one of the most breathtaking books that I have ever read in my entire life. And I do not say that lightly. I cried so hard I couldn't even see the pages. The emotions were overpowering and all-consuming. It also has THE. MOST. BEAUTIFUL. EPILOGUE. of all-time. The only other books that has made me cry this hard before has been The Bronze Horseman which is my favorite book in the world... My God, THE FEELS!!!! What began as a family mystery turned into an EPIC story of love and survival.
I rarely give this rating, but this was 6 STARS!
"Vera," he says, making her look at him.
"What?"
"You stay alive... Promise me. The three of you will make it to the end."
Ok, before anything, please note the genre of this book is Women's Fiction, and not specifically Romance even though there is indeed a beautiful, powerful, and heart-wrenching love story at the heart of the book. If you're a romance reader (like me), please don't worry though, I promise the ending is amazing.
The other important things to know before you read is that I do think some readers might find the book a little slow at first and maybe even find that they didn't 'like' the characters. Don't let that worry you. I promise you there's a reason for this. This is a story that builds in rich layers of complexity and emotional depth in such a way that it is absolutely worth it to stick with the story because the impact and delivery of both the second half of the book and especially the ending is just SO incredible and powerful!! As I was reading, my rating went from maybe 4 stars at first, to 4.5, to 5, then it was a solid 5++ stars for a while... then on page 380, my rating shot straight up to 6 stars. I read that page and instantly got CHILLS through my entire body. SHIVERS. I re-read the page twice, then put the book down and just SOBBED my heart out. Pure ugly crying. Tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. The story was so beautiful!!!!!!!
Because this book's genre is indeed different than my usual romance recommendations, I strongly suggest that you read the blurb before purchasing. It's a very accurate representation of the story. For me personally, I knew I wanted to read this book the moment I read the blurb. If you're also intrigued by it, then you should definitely read this book for SURE and as soon as possible. But if the blurb doesn't appeal to you, then I'll be really honest and say that this book is likely not for you. But definitely check it out!!! It's worth every penny and for me, this book is a Forever Top Favorite. Here's the blurb:
Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard; the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist. But when their beloved father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters. As children, the only connection between them was the Russian fairy tale Anya sometimes told the girls at night. On his deathbed, their father extracts a promise from the women in his life: the fairy tale will be told one last time—and all the way to the end. Thus begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya's life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago. Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother's life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are.
Kristin Hannah's writing is absolutely exquisite. She writes with a deeply profound and insightful understanding and portrayal of people that never ceases to amaze me. Her storytelling skills are almost unparalleled. I've read three of her books at this point and have been blown away by each one.
I found it absolutely fascinating and captivating watching the way the 'fairy tale' that the mother was telling slowly blended into reality. The transition was so powerful -- there are all these subtle details that if you read carefully, you'll catch and they'll take your breath away. It's a truly stunning piece of writing.
When I first started the book, I was reading more out of curiosity than anything else. Truthfully, I found many of the characters to be cold and distant and wasn't really sure that I'd ever connect with them on an emotional level but I was intrigued enough by the story to keep reading. And along the way, there's this undercurrent to the story that pulls you in deeper and just keeps growing stronger. I think that it's ok not to like the characters at first because one of the important messages of this book is how often and easily people misjudge each other without knowing their full story. I think it was written like that on purpose -- to make you experience the message of the story first hand. Because I promise you by the end of this story, I was overflowing with emotion. Few books have ever made me care so deeply for the characters as this one did. This isn't just a story you read, it's an experience you go through.
This isn't just one of my favorite books of the year, it's one of my favorite books of all-time. I know for a certainty that no matter how many books I read, this will always remain precious to me. It has beautiful writing, a breathtaking story, and a powerful ending -- the true sign of a fantastic novel.
"I think maybe love can just... dissolve."
"No, it does not," her mother said.
"So how do --"
"You hang on," her mother said. "Until your hands are bleeding, and you still do not let go."
Rating: 6 STARS! Standalone.
_______________________________________
For more of my reviews, book news and updates:
✦ Main blog: Aestas Book Blog
✦ Facebook Blog Page
✦ Subscribe by email
March 2, 2018
One of the best books I've ever read. Period.
✭✭✭✭✭
The five star rating that this book deserves - no, demands - makes me question all of my other books that I had given a five star rating. A five star rating should really be elusive, hard to achieve. But sometimes, when you are in the grip of a good book, you get a little fast and loose with your ratings. Well, I'm guilty of it from time to time. I am officially admitting that, "My Name is Crumb, and I'm a Five Star Rating Junkie." This book has made me realize that only the very best of books should be crowned with a five star rating, and this is one of them. Thus, moving forward, I am going to exercise much more discrimination when doling out my stars.
Nina and Meredith never had a mother they could count on or could talk to about boys. The only thing their mother was good for was telling them Russian fairy tales from her youth; Little did they know how important those fairy tales really were. Their father, however, was their hero. What they couldn't get from their mother, they got in spades from their father. When their father dies from heart problems, they are heartbroken. Nina's father makes a final proclamation as he lays dying: He wants Nina to convince her mother to tell the full fairy tale of "The Peasant Girl and The Prince." This fairy tale does more for their family than any of them could have ever expected. It will lead them on a journey of a lifetime..
This book is about dysfunction between family members and finding hope when it seems as if all hope is lost. Nina is a world-class photographer and is never in one place for too long. She was never the type to want a family or to settle down. When her father dies however, she comes back to be with her mother and Meredith. Meredith, took over the family business. When she first arrives, Meredith's life is in shambles. She is going through a difficult time at home. There is a distance between herself and her spouse that was never there before and when Nina comes home, it makes everything worse, amplified. The interactions between the sisters was so incredibly fascinating. As a reader, I could see how much they loved each other, but I could also see how much they wanted to change each other. They couldn't accept one another for who they each were as individuals. Nothing either of them did was ever right. And when it came to caring for their mother, forget it. Everything they did was completely wrong.
I found this novel to be both breathtaking and magnificent, yet exponentially heart-wrenching. It made me feel things I didn't even know I was capable of feeling. This book evoked such emotion in me, I didn't even realize I had tears streaming down my face. There are books that I read and I love.. and then there are those few, inimitable books that change me. That shake me to the core.
This was one of them.
Note: This was a traveling sisters read.. I loved reading it with all of you! For more traveling sisters reviews, please visit: https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....
March 27, 2017
Once again, I find myself in awe of the power and beauty of Kristin Hannah’s words. She gives her readers the ability to crawl inside the story and see the world through the eyes of her characters. It’s her stunning gift for capturing the heart wrenching and emotional aspect of every connection that left me completely enamored with this family. Every single one of them. By the time I reached the end of the story, I was nowhere near ready to let them go.
There are people everywhere that find themselves in tumultuous relationships, but I think it would be the cold and uncaring attitude of a parent that would have the power to slice anyone to the core. Welcome to Meredith and Nina’s world. They grew up vying for their mother Anya’s love and attention, only to be pushed away and ignored. The worst part was seeing that she was actually capable of love in some ways. Anya shared an enviable connection with her husband; he adored her despite her frigid nature towards their daughters, but why? What did their dad see that Meredith and Nina couldn't?
Interlaced with a Russian fairytale that changes absolutely everything, this story is harrowing and heartbreaking, in so many ways. It’s the buried resentments that get unearthed, the hidden regrets that are revealed and the realization that there is more to everyone’s story that provides the much needed answers. Reality is, life is a series of choices - some are remarkable and some naturally morph in to regrets - good or bad, the culmination make us who we are.
My favorite part of the entire story was the dynamic between the two sisters. Meredith was always the steadfast and responsible one and Nina was the wild and free sister, but they were both strong, just in different ways. Both admired one another for exactly what they regretted the most in themselves and I found that quite interesting. I guess, the grass always seems greener on the other side, right? And of course, the love story junkie in me would be remiss not to mention Danny and Jeff. I was completely smitten with both, they were as different as the sisters, but worthy in their own ways.
Of course, the ending left me in tears. If you didn't know, I'm a complete and utter cry baby. It felt like my heart was literally torn in two - between what could have been and what was - but ultimately it was still a happy place to be.
Favorite Quote:
“To lose love is a terrible thing. But to turn away from it is unbearable. Will you spend the rest of your life replaying it in your head? Wondering if you walked away too soon or too easily? Or if you'll ever love anyone that deeply again?"
There are people everywhere that find themselves in tumultuous relationships, but I think it would be the cold and uncaring attitude of a parent that would have the power to slice anyone to the core. Welcome to Meredith and Nina’s world. They grew up vying for their mother Anya’s love and attention, only to be pushed away and ignored. The worst part was seeing that she was actually capable of love in some ways. Anya shared an enviable connection with her husband; he adored her despite her frigid nature towards their daughters, but why? What did their dad see that Meredith and Nina couldn't?
Interlaced with a Russian fairytale that changes absolutely everything, this story is harrowing and heartbreaking, in so many ways. It’s the buried resentments that get unearthed, the hidden regrets that are revealed and the realization that there is more to everyone’s story that provides the much needed answers. Reality is, life is a series of choices - some are remarkable and some naturally morph in to regrets - good or bad, the culmination make us who we are.
My favorite part of the entire story was the dynamic between the two sisters. Meredith was always the steadfast and responsible one and Nina was the wild and free sister, but they were both strong, just in different ways. Both admired one another for exactly what they regretted the most in themselves and I found that quite interesting. I guess, the grass always seems greener on the other side, right? And of course, the love story junkie in me would be remiss not to mention Danny and Jeff. I was completely smitten with both, they were as different as the sisters, but worthy in their own ways.
Of course, the ending left me in tears. If you didn't know, I'm a complete and utter cry baby. It felt like my heart was literally torn in two - between what could have been and what was - but ultimately it was still a happy place to be.
Favorite Quote:
“To lose love is a terrible thing. But to turn away from it is unbearable. Will you spend the rest of your life replaying it in your head? Wondering if you walked away too soon or too easily? Or if you'll ever love anyone that deeply again?"
October 13, 2023
Be patient during the first half, it gets very good and emotional the second half. This is written in the past and present tense, which is a common format in many novels, but one that I enjoy. It's like reading two different novels.
What starts as a dysfunctional domestic situation between 2 sisters (American born) and their Russian-born mother ends up being so much more. Grief and a deathbed promise brings these unhappy women reluctantly together, and what seemed like a familial dysfunction becomes an intimate look at the mother of these two sisters who was raised in Russia during the war. Primarily they learn about a side of her they never knew. Her story of war-torn Leningrad, paints a vivid picture of the atrocity of war. One cannot fathom the pain, hunger, starvation and death all around the survivors, the terror of small children being taken by train away from their parents, starving, cold, crying and afraid. Your heart sinks and you feel your throat all choked up. Don't be surprised if your eyes smart a few times and tears cloud your vision as you're reading this emotional rendering. This part of the novel is truly heartbreaking. I found it very moving, and well written.
In the present-day story the description of Sitka, in Alaska and its history was depicted such as one can easily visualize it. Kudos to author Hannah. She carries the reader through the scenes effortlessly. You feel yourself there and want to see it for yourself some day. The characters are flawed but believable, the novel hard to forget and the ending entirely satisfying to this reader. Definitely recommended.
Gloria Bernal - Murrieta, CA.
What starts as a dysfunctional domestic situation between 2 sisters (American born) and their Russian-born mother ends up being so much more. Grief and a deathbed promise brings these unhappy women reluctantly together, and what seemed like a familial dysfunction becomes an intimate look at the mother of these two sisters who was raised in Russia during the war. Primarily they learn about a side of her they never knew. Her story of war-torn Leningrad, paints a vivid picture of the atrocity of war. One cannot fathom the pain, hunger, starvation and death all around the survivors, the terror of small children being taken by train away from their parents, starving, cold, crying and afraid. Your heart sinks and you feel your throat all choked up. Don't be surprised if your eyes smart a few times and tears cloud your vision as you're reading this emotional rendering. This part of the novel is truly heartbreaking. I found it very moving, and well written.
In the present-day story the description of Sitka, in Alaska and its history was depicted such as one can easily visualize it. Kudos to author Hannah. She carries the reader through the scenes effortlessly. You feel yourself there and want to see it for yourself some day. The characters are flawed but believable, the novel hard to forget and the ending entirely satisfying to this reader. Definitely recommended.
Gloria Bernal - Murrieta, CA.
December 6, 2021
You know why Kristin Hannah is such a pro in my eyes? Because she first wrote her 2010 novel, Winter Garden, as a standard WWII + modern day dual-timeline narrative and quickly realized she needed to redo it because the present storyline wasn’t nearly as compelling as the past. She deserves a round of applause for that alone, because honestly, when was the last time you read a dual-timeline book where you enjoyed the current story as much as the historical one?
Her solution? To re-frame the reflections of her senior protagonist, Anya, as a fairy tale she’s told her daughters over the years. Now grown, Meredith and Nina have never felt loved by their mother but remain fascinated by the Russian fairy tale she used to share with them as children. Their beloved father is now dying, and he urges Anya to tell the girls the real story…. all the way to the end. Perhaps if they hear it, they’ll finally understand their mom’s iciness, and why she spends hours in the cold sitting silently with her thoughts in her cherished winter garden.
It’s possible that, for me, Hannah over-corrected in her rewrite, because I actually found the chapters about Meredith and Nina more interesting than their mother’s gradual fiction-into-fact revealing of her tragic experiences in the siege of Leningrad. I also found the ending to be a little too tightly wrapped in giant happily-ever-after bows of coincidence and catharsis, but readers who need cheerful conclusions may feel differently.
Now a note of caution: If you have recently lost a parent or a child, there are scenes in Winter Garden that you may find too tough to read. A father on his deathbed; children succumbing to the terrors of war. Kristin Hannah sure does know how to pull heartstrings, even if sometimes they’re tugged a little too hard.
Winter Garden is currently available as part of the Kindle Unlimited program and includes WhisperSync for those who prefer the audiobook format.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
Her solution? To re-frame the reflections of her senior protagonist, Anya, as a fairy tale she’s told her daughters over the years. Now grown, Meredith and Nina have never felt loved by their mother but remain fascinated by the Russian fairy tale she used to share with them as children. Their beloved father is now dying, and he urges Anya to tell the girls the real story…. all the way to the end. Perhaps if they hear it, they’ll finally understand their mom’s iciness, and why she spends hours in the cold sitting silently with her thoughts in her cherished winter garden.
It’s possible that, for me, Hannah over-corrected in her rewrite, because I actually found the chapters about Meredith and Nina more interesting than their mother’s gradual fiction-into-fact revealing of her tragic experiences in the siege of Leningrad. I also found the ending to be a little too tightly wrapped in giant happily-ever-after bows of coincidence and catharsis, but readers who need cheerful conclusions may feel differently.
Now a note of caution: If you have recently lost a parent or a child, there are scenes in Winter Garden that you may find too tough to read. A father on his deathbed; children succumbing to the terrors of war. Kristin Hannah sure does know how to pull heartstrings, even if sometimes they’re tugged a little too hard.
Winter Garden is currently available as part of the Kindle Unlimited program and includes WhisperSync for those who prefer the audiobook format.
Blog: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/
June 15, 2015
I picked this book for two reasons, one- I recently read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, and after it being one of the best books I read lately, I was eager for more!
The other reason I picked this book out of her many best sellers was the WWII subject (yea, no surprise here, if you know me a little bit).
So, what went wrong FOR ME was, that it wasn't like the blurb suggested- a story about two sisters learning their mother's story about what happened to her in Leningrad during the blockage, it was more of a story about a mother's mistakes and redemption, about the lives of two sisters, growing up with a mother who is disfunctional, and what it is doing to her family.
The story about the Leningrad siege starts very late in the book (around 50%) and by that time I was already so tired, bored and annoyed that it failed to "touch" me like I "need" in the genre.
The women in this book made me want to scream at how unemotional they where, and how they treated the good men around them.
Maybe if I knew in advance what I'm about to read, it wouldn't have felt like the first 50% was just a loooong introduction that I wanted to skip! I would have enjoy it more.
BUT, I CANT RECOMMEND "The Nightingale" ENOUGH!!
READ IT!!
The other reason I picked this book out of her many best sellers was the WWII subject (yea, no surprise here, if you know me a little bit).
So, what went wrong FOR ME was, that it wasn't like the blurb suggested- a story about two sisters learning their mother's story about what happened to her in Leningrad during the blockage, it was more of a story about a mother's mistakes and redemption, about the lives of two sisters, growing up with a mother who is disfunctional, and what it is doing to her family.
The story about the Leningrad siege starts very late in the book (around 50%) and by that time I was already so tired, bored and annoyed that it failed to "touch" me like I "need" in the genre.
The women in this book made me want to scream at how unemotional they where, and how they treated the good men around them.
Maybe if I knew in advance what I'm about to read, it wouldn't have felt like the first 50% was just a loooong introduction that I wanted to skip! I would have enjoy it more.
BUT, I CANT RECOMMEND "The Nightingale" ENOUGH!!
READ IT!!
April 30, 2010
If I could, I would give the first half of this book 1 star, from about the middle until the final chapter 5 stars, and the final chapter 3 stars - - - so I guess that, all in all, the 3 star rating is probably the most accurate.
This is the second Kristin Hannah book I have read where I have actively DISLIKED the main characters throughout the first half of the book (the other was "True Colors"). Nina and Meredith are the daughters, Anya is the mother - - -and as someone said in an earlier review, I had the greatest urge to smack all three of them. Frankly, I deal with enough anger in my daily life to desire having those same feelings when I read. And, on top of it all, the first half of the book becomes nothing more than a major repetition of the same ugly qualities that made me angry with the women to begin with.
Now - - that being said - - -the second half of the book, particularly Hannah's retelling of the siege of Leningrad, is fabulous. Unlike other non-fiction accounts of this horrible period of Russian history, this was no detached, emotionless telling of the hundreds of thousands who literally starved to death. Hannah uses the characters of Vera, Sasha and their children to bring that horror and pain to life, and to illuminate the reasons for the cold reserve adopted by the mother toward Nina and Meredith. This section is marvelous.
But then we ramble on toward the final chapter. I once again agreed with an earlier reviewer; the years of neglect and cold silence would take me a LOT longer than a single cruise to eradicate, and the final tie-in with the fairy tale story was far too neat and tidy to be believable.
Hannah's writing seems almost schizophrenic to me - - at times, it seems that she's content with writing the lighter chick lit that started her career on its path to the top. At other times, she seems to want to delve into the darker side of people's anger, insecurities, and general psyche. In between these two extremes, she weaves an absolutely fascinating story that nestles somewhere in the middle of the novel. If you don't mind and you have the time and patience to slosh through the rest of the book, there is something very worthwhile here.
This is the second Kristin Hannah book I have read where I have actively DISLIKED the main characters throughout the first half of the book (the other was "True Colors"). Nina and Meredith are the daughters, Anya is the mother - - -and as someone said in an earlier review, I had the greatest urge to smack all three of them. Frankly, I deal with enough anger in my daily life to desire having those same feelings when I read. And, on top of it all, the first half of the book becomes nothing more than a major repetition of the same ugly qualities that made me angry with the women to begin with.
Now - - that being said - - -the second half of the book, particularly Hannah's retelling of the siege of Leningrad, is fabulous. Unlike other non-fiction accounts of this horrible period of Russian history, this was no detached, emotionless telling of the hundreds of thousands who literally starved to death. Hannah uses the characters of Vera, Sasha and their children to bring that horror and pain to life, and to illuminate the reasons for the cold reserve adopted by the mother toward Nina and Meredith. This section is marvelous.
But then we ramble on toward the final chapter. I once again agreed with an earlier reviewer; the years of neglect and cold silence would take me a LOT longer than a single cruise to eradicate, and the final tie-in with the fairy tale story was far too neat and tidy to be believable.
Hannah's writing seems almost schizophrenic to me - - at times, it seems that she's content with writing the lighter chick lit that started her career on its path to the top. At other times, she seems to want to delve into the darker side of people's anger, insecurities, and general psyche. In between these two extremes, she weaves an absolutely fascinating story that nestles somewhere in the middle of the novel. If you don't mind and you have the time and patience to slosh through the rest of the book, there is something very worthwhile here.
July 20, 2017
5*
This book starts off slow. It is a story of relationships--mother and two daughters, Meredith and Nina, and the two daughters who have a strained relationship. Their father, Evan has held the family together, making up for his wife not being able to show affection for her two daughters. But he has had a severe heart attack and is dying. In one last attempt to heal the emotional gulf between his wife and children, he asks his wife to tell them the fairy tale of the peasant girl and the prince. Then he asks Nina to listen and to do whatever is necessary to get Anya, their mom to tell them the whole story.
Both Nina and Meredith have grown up into adults who are unable to have normal relationships with others. Meredith's marriage is failing, because she shuts her husband out with an emotional wall. Nina is a world famous photographer who runs away from family and commitment by flying off to the latest war/famine/disaster. She refuses to accept a marriage proposal from someone who loves her and she loves because of her stunted emotional growth.
But Meredith and Nina and their mother come together through the fairy tale, which reveals long buried secrets of pain and sadness. I can't say more without going into spoiler territory. There is a connection to the siege of Leningrad. I recommend reading The 900 Days: The Siege of Leningrad by Harrison E. Salisbury.
I visited St. Petersburg in 2012 and found a warning plaque, mentioned in the Salisbury book, that warned citizens to go to the opposite side of the street in case of shelling from the enemy.
I liked the ending, which has a healing touch. I recommend this book to fans of historical fiction and fans of strong woman characters.
One quote: "Was that what they'd discover on this trip? That their mother was like one of her precious Russian nesting dolls, and if that were true, would they ever really see the one hidden deep inside?"
Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for sending this book through the Goodreads giveaway program.
My wife just finished this book and she agrees it is a 5 star read. She says that you should read it slowly and savor it.
This book starts off slow. It is a story of relationships--mother and two daughters, Meredith and Nina, and the two daughters who have a strained relationship. Their father, Evan has held the family together, making up for his wife not being able to show affection for her two daughters. But he has had a severe heart attack and is dying. In one last attempt to heal the emotional gulf between his wife and children, he asks his wife to tell them the fairy tale of the peasant girl and the prince. Then he asks Nina to listen and to do whatever is necessary to get Anya, their mom to tell them the whole story.
Both Nina and Meredith have grown up into adults who are unable to have normal relationships with others. Meredith's marriage is failing, because she shuts her husband out with an emotional wall. Nina is a world famous photographer who runs away from family and commitment by flying off to the latest war/famine/disaster. She refuses to accept a marriage proposal from someone who loves her and she loves because of her stunted emotional growth.
But Meredith and Nina and their mother come together through the fairy tale, which reveals long buried secrets of pain and sadness. I can't say more without going into spoiler territory. There is a connection to the siege of Leningrad. I recommend reading The 900 Days: The Siege of Leningrad by Harrison E. Salisbury.
I visited St. Petersburg in 2012 and found a warning plaque, mentioned in the Salisbury book, that warned citizens to go to the opposite side of the street in case of shelling from the enemy.
I liked the ending, which has a healing touch. I recommend this book to fans of historical fiction and fans of strong woman characters.
One quote: "Was that what they'd discover on this trip? That their mother was like one of her precious Russian nesting dolls, and if that were true, would they ever really see the one hidden deep inside?"
Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for sending this book through the Goodreads giveaway program.
My wife just finished this book and she agrees it is a 5 star read. She says that you should read it slowly and savor it.
August 22, 2011
I may be unfairly harsh on this book because it is not my preferred reading. This is a recycled story. A woman endures overwhelming trauma as a young adult and emotionally shuts down in order to survive. But, the pain carried in secret, crushes her relationship with daughters. It is only when the adult daughter can learn the mother’s story that empathy can grow and affection can flow between the generations. This is The Bone Setter’s Daughter with the substitution of Russia for China. Only, this version of the story has the feel of a screen play targeting the women in Opra’s audience. The present day sections of this story could be titled Women Are Snow Leopards; Men are Cocker Spaniels. The three women, mother and two adult daughters, all seem to suffer from emotional constipation. No matter how much they want to express affection, they just can’t get it out. The only thing that does manage to pass on occasion are ice cubes. The three men on the other hand, the partners of each of these women, suffer from emotional diarrhea: their affection is hot, runny, and limitless even when not wanted. Maybe too many women want a partner who will make tender, passionate love at every encounter, who will tell them non-stop how much they are loved, even while being pushed away, who never gets angry or critical or impatient, but no human being is like this, unless a lobotomy has been performed. If you are going to re-tell a story, I would think it should offer something new to the reader, something that makes the effort to read and write it worthwhile. This is a fluffier version of Amy Tann’s novel with a far less realistic present day setting. I suspect that this author envisioned this being turned into a movie; otherwise why all the repetitious tangerine skies and striking blue eyes against white hair. These irrelevant flowery descriptions must be set directions. This book needed to be at least 100 pages shorter.
August 31, 2022
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah is a 2020 St. Martin’s Press publication.
After the death of their father, his daughters, Meredith and Nina, two women who are polar opposites, must cope with their cold mother, Anya, who is exhibiting signs of dementia. Nina is determined to grant her father's dying wish, which is to get Anya to tell his daughters the entire Russian fairytale she had started and stopped so many times when the girls were younger.
Meredith, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about fairytale stories. Meredith promised to take care of her mother- which may mean moving her to a care facility for her own safety. As she goes about packing up her mother’s things, Nina coaxes Anya to tell her story, a story, which despite her resentments, Meredith eavesdrops on, suddenly finding herself enthralled by it...
This novel begins like a highly emotional contemporary/women’s fiction novel as a death exposes the monumental dysfunction within a family. A marriage is in trouble, the sisters bicker, and their mother seems unmoved by the drama, refusing to budge from her cold shell to comfort them or bring about peace. But, as the story develops, the saga takes on an entirely different tone with Anya taking control of the main narrative.
Once Anya begins her narration, I found myself riveted by her story. Naturally, her story can put one’s own struggles into perspective and is a horrible reminder of the sacrifices, and sufferings of a complicated war. The story ends with a bittersweet tone- at once sad and triumphant.
Kristin Hannah is a powerful storyteller. For some reason I have only read a few of her books, though I have several of them on my Kindle- if they are all as good as this one- I’ll be reading a lot more of Kristin Hannah- especially since older books are working out much better for me than the new releases- by far!
Were there some weaknesses? Yes, but I’m so grateful for the quality of this novel, I’m willing to overlook them. By and far, this book blows anything and everything I’ve read this year, so far, completely out of the water.
If I had read this book a few years ago, I might have given it a four-star rating, but because I feel like a person dying of thirst in the middle of the desert who was just been given a long, refreshing drink of cool water- this book gets the full five stars!
After the death of their father, his daughters, Meredith and Nina, two women who are polar opposites, must cope with their cold mother, Anya, who is exhibiting signs of dementia. Nina is determined to grant her father's dying wish, which is to get Anya to tell his daughters the entire Russian fairytale she had started and stopped so many times when the girls were younger.
Meredith, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about fairytale stories. Meredith promised to take care of her mother- which may mean moving her to a care facility for her own safety. As she goes about packing up her mother’s things, Nina coaxes Anya to tell her story, a story, which despite her resentments, Meredith eavesdrops on, suddenly finding herself enthralled by it...
This novel begins like a highly emotional contemporary/women’s fiction novel as a death exposes the monumental dysfunction within a family. A marriage is in trouble, the sisters bicker, and their mother seems unmoved by the drama, refusing to budge from her cold shell to comfort them or bring about peace. But, as the story develops, the saga takes on an entirely different tone with Anya taking control of the main narrative.
Once Anya begins her narration, I found myself riveted by her story. Naturally, her story can put one’s own struggles into perspective and is a horrible reminder of the sacrifices, and sufferings of a complicated war. The story ends with a bittersweet tone- at once sad and triumphant.
Kristin Hannah is a powerful storyteller. For some reason I have only read a few of her books, though I have several of them on my Kindle- if they are all as good as this one- I’ll be reading a lot more of Kristin Hannah- especially since older books are working out much better for me than the new releases- by far!
Were there some weaknesses? Yes, but I’m so grateful for the quality of this novel, I’m willing to overlook them. By and far, this book blows anything and everything I’ve read this year, so far, completely out of the water.
If I had read this book a few years ago, I might have given it a four-star rating, but because I feel like a person dying of thirst in the middle of the desert who was just been given a long, refreshing drink of cool water- this book gets the full five stars!
May 9, 2017
Meredith and Nina spent their whole lives without really knowing their mother Anya. Any attempts they tried to make to get close to her were rebuffed, so they gave up trying and began to believe that maybe their mother just didn't really care about them very much. When their father dies though he makes them promise to try to get to know their mother, and says that now that he will be gone their mother needs them. The story follows Meredith, Nina, and Anya as they get to know one another and grow closer and transition into different places in their individual lives. I really really enjoyed this book. This is the second book by Kristin Hannah that I read and I have been equally impressed by both. She really can tell a story because I was drawn in from start to finish. I even enjoyed the happy ending which I know I complained about but here it just felt like it flowed to that point naturally. I really want to read more from her.
March 11, 2018
Excellent heartfelt story about the troubled dynamics of the mother/daughter bond and the relationship between two sisters. Sisters Meredith and Nina couldn't be more different from one another, and have difficulty bridging the gap to find common ground. Their Russian-born mother, Anya, however, has always been cold and distant and the girls have felt unloved, affecting each of them in different ways. Their fragile bond is further threatened after the death of their father, who was the glue that held them all together.
But the girls made a promise to their dying father and they gradually begin to draw the truth out of their mother through the fairy tale she's been telling for years, but never finished it to the end. Alternating chapters tell her story of growing up in Russia and her experiences in Leningrad during the war. And what a heartbreaking story it is as her sweet fairy tale turns into a horrifying tale of what was endured during the siege of Leningrad. More than a set of facts from a history book, Hannah makes you feel and I was brought to tears more than once.
These three women slowly reconnect with one another during a trip to Alaska and the telling of their mother's story. There's a lot of universal truths contained within the pages of this book. So much of the personality quirks of each of the women is explained by delving into the dynamics of the family relationships. Lies and secrets can destroy relationships, but understanding a person's story gives clarity into their seemingly inconceivable ways of behaving in the present, bringing empathy and understanding.
Can we ever know our parents (or anyone?) without knowing their story? I confess that I felt differently about some of the characters by the end of the novel than I did at the beginning. And Anya's story demonstrates that we can be sad for the lost years but it is never too late to right wrongs and mend broken relationships. The ending had me sobbing, even though it was tied up a little too predictably and neatly with a couple of unlikely coincidences. But I didn't care. I needed that ending.
4.5 stars The narrator of the audio book was outstanding.
This book was made even better by the excellent discussions with my fellow traveling Sisters:
https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....
But the girls made a promise to their dying father and they gradually begin to draw the truth out of their mother through the fairy tale she's been telling for years, but never finished it to the end. Alternating chapters tell her story of growing up in Russia and her experiences in Leningrad during the war. And what a heartbreaking story it is as her sweet fairy tale turns into a horrifying tale of what was endured during the siege of Leningrad. More than a set of facts from a history book, Hannah makes you feel and I was brought to tears more than once.
These three women slowly reconnect with one another during a trip to Alaska and the telling of their mother's story. There's a lot of universal truths contained within the pages of this book. So much of the personality quirks of each of the women is explained by delving into the dynamics of the family relationships. Lies and secrets can destroy relationships, but understanding a person's story gives clarity into their seemingly inconceivable ways of behaving in the present, bringing empathy and understanding.
Can we ever know our parents (or anyone?) without knowing their story? I confess that I felt differently about some of the characters by the end of the novel than I did at the beginning. And Anya's story demonstrates that we can be sad for the lost years but it is never too late to right wrongs and mend broken relationships. The ending had me sobbing, even though it was tied up a little too predictably and neatly with a couple of unlikely coincidences. But I didn't care. I needed that ending.
4.5 stars The narrator of the audio book was outstanding.
This book was made even better by the excellent discussions with my fellow traveling Sisters:
https://twogirlslostinacouleereading....
October 30, 2023
“To lose love is a terrible thing,But to turn away from it is unbearable. Will you spend the rest of your life replaying it in your head? Wondering if you walked away too soon or too easily? Or if you’ll ever love anyone that deeply again?”
Honestly i had a hard time rating this. If i could,i would rate the first half 50% 1.5 stars and the second 50% 5 stars.i feel like 3 stars is pretty decent so…The first half was so painfully boring i wanted to dnf it so freaking bad. the only thing that kept me going was that i wanted to know Vera story. And It was worth the suffering 💔
“Every choice changed the road you were on and it was too easy to end up going in the wrong direction.”
Tbh I couldn’t careless about Meredith or Nina lives. Both of them annoyed the hell out of me. They gave me a headache, made me wish I didn’t pick this up. So selfish and self centered. Yes i felt bad for them. Yes their grief broke my heart and made me cry. But that was it. I hated the way they treated their men. I know they’re grieving and in pain but that’s not an excuse to hurt other people feeling!! It was down right cruel the way Meredith treated jiff my heart broke for him 💔 The only thing i loved about them was their relationship with their father 🥹 it was so heartwarming and made my heart so happy 💗
“She will remember how she told them what she hadn’t known before: that war is about fire and fear and bodies lying in ditches by the side of the road.”
vera story 🥹❤️🩹 cried so hard I couldn’t see the pages. It’s one of the most heartbreaking. Beautiful stories i’ve ever read. Anya story shows you the results of war and how unfair and inhuman and disgusting these results can be. It also shows you how strong women are and what are they willing to do and to sacrifice for their children and their loved ones.My heart is broken, my soul is destroyed, my eyes are bloodshot. Anya story will live with me forever🥲❤️🩹the epilogue was so beautiful i want to cry 😭
“I think maybe love can just . . . dissolve.”
“No, it does not,” her mother said.
“So how do—”
“You hang on,” her mother said. “Until your hands are bleeding, and still you do not let go.”
Vera and Sasha: everything happened so fast for me she fall in love with him the first time they met?which made no sense to me. And then I blinked and they were married. I wanted more interaction between them so i can be invested in their relationship but sadly there wasn’t they only talked like 6 or 7 times in the book i counted them. And i know this is a women fiction not romance but still i wanted more then this.
“it hurts too much to see your own pain reflected in another woman’s eyes.”
I read this because it was said that it’s her best work but for me Nightingale is her best work it was way than this better in my opinion. It’s one of the best books i’ve even read i still can’t stop thinking about it and I don’t think i’ll ever stop 🥲💗
Quotes
“Young has nothing to do with love. A woman can be a girl and still know her own heart.”
“You carried your pain with you in life. There was no outrunning it. ”
“life—and love—can be gone any second. When you had it, you needed to hang on with all your strength and savor every second.”
“Nina knew the power of black and white images. Sometimes a thing was its truest self when the colors were stripped away.”
“she learned something new, something she hadn’t known before: sex could mean many things; one of them was good-bye.”
Honestly i had a hard time rating this. If i could,i would rate the first half 50% 1.5 stars and the second 50% 5 stars.i feel like 3 stars is pretty decent so…The first half was so painfully boring i wanted to dnf it so freaking bad. the only thing that kept me going was that i wanted to know Vera story. And It was worth the suffering 💔
“Every choice changed the road you were on and it was too easy to end up going in the wrong direction.”
Tbh I couldn’t careless about Meredith or Nina lives. Both of them annoyed the hell out of me. They gave me a headache, made me wish I didn’t pick this up. So selfish and self centered. Yes i felt bad for them. Yes their grief broke my heart and made me cry. But that was it. I hated the way they treated their men. I know they’re grieving and in pain but that’s not an excuse to hurt other people feeling!! It was down right cruel the way Meredith treated jiff my heart broke for him 💔 The only thing i loved about them was their relationship with their father 🥹 it was so heartwarming and made my heart so happy 💗
“She will remember how she told them what she hadn’t known before: that war is about fire and fear and bodies lying in ditches by the side of the road.”
vera story 🥹❤️🩹 cried so hard I couldn’t see the pages. It’s one of the most heartbreaking. Beautiful stories i’ve ever read. Anya story shows you the results of war and how unfair and inhuman and disgusting these results can be. It also shows you how strong women are and what are they willing to do and to sacrifice for their children and their loved ones.My heart is broken, my soul is destroyed, my eyes are bloodshot. Anya story will live with me forever🥲❤️🩹the epilogue was so beautiful i want to cry 😭
“I think maybe love can just . . . dissolve.”
“No, it does not,” her mother said.
“So how do—”
“You hang on,” her mother said. “Until your hands are bleeding, and still you do not let go.”
Vera and Sasha: everything happened so fast for me she fall in love with him the first time they met?which made no sense to me. And then I blinked and they were married. I wanted more interaction between them so i can be invested in their relationship but sadly there wasn’t they only talked like 6 or 7 times in the book i counted them. And i know this is a women fiction not romance but still i wanted more then this.
“it hurts too much to see your own pain reflected in another woman’s eyes.”
I read this because it was said that it’s her best work but for me Nightingale is her best work it was way than this better in my opinion. It’s one of the best books i’ve even read i still can’t stop thinking about it and I don’t think i’ll ever stop 🥲💗
Quotes
“Young has nothing to do with love. A woman can be a girl and still know her own heart.”
“You carried your pain with you in life. There was no outrunning it. ”
“life—and love—can be gone any second. When you had it, you needed to hang on with all your strength and savor every second.”
“Nina knew the power of black and white images. Sometimes a thing was its truest self when the colors were stripped away.”
“she learned something new, something she hadn’t known before: sex could mean many things; one of them was good-bye.”
July 2, 2020
I read Winter Garden in our Traveling Sisters reading good and made for a great discussion. It is a well-layered, intriguing and powerful family saga that explores the complicated relationships between a mother and her daughters and the two sisters. The story is told from the past through a fairy tale told by distant, cold and interesting Anya who is layered with mystery and the present as we see how the fairy tale begins to bond these women together.
Kristin Hannah cleverly and skillfully weaves an emotional fairy tale into the storyline that becomes the core of this story and we begin to see how it shaped the relationship between Anya and her daughters. I was drawn into the story through the fairy tale and it became a favourite part of the story for some of us. The imagery in the tale came to life for me and became very real. I felt many emotions as my heart broke for the characters. Through the fairy tale, I came to know who the characters are. Brilliant!
We all really loved the discussion we had for this one and we really dug deep into the emotional depth of this story and how it made us feel. We used some discussion questions that really enhanced our discussion. It’s stories and discussions like this that really bring out the best reading experiences for me.
The ending pushed this non-crier to choke up and fighting back the tears. I will leave you all with this quote from the story and we all highly recommend reading Kristin Hannah at her best with this one.
“Joy and sadness were part of the package, the trick, perhaps was to not let yourself feel all of it but to hold on to the joy just a little more tightly because you never knew when a strong heart could just give out.”
Kristin Hannah cleverly and skillfully weaves an emotional fairy tale into the storyline that becomes the core of this story and we begin to see how it shaped the relationship between Anya and her daughters. I was drawn into the story through the fairy tale and it became a favourite part of the story for some of us. The imagery in the tale came to life for me and became very real. I felt many emotions as my heart broke for the characters. Through the fairy tale, I came to know who the characters are. Brilliant!
We all really loved the discussion we had for this one and we really dug deep into the emotional depth of this story and how it made us feel. We used some discussion questions that really enhanced our discussion. It’s stories and discussions like this that really bring out the best reading experiences for me.
The ending pushed this non-crier to choke up and fighting back the tears. I will leave you all with this quote from the story and we all highly recommend reading Kristin Hannah at her best with this one.
“Joy and sadness were part of the package, the trick, perhaps was to not let yourself feel all of it but to hold on to the joy just a little more tightly because you never knew when a strong heart could just give out.”
January 6, 2023
DNF at 50%. Unfortunately this was rather disappointing. The characters are all very unlikable, the pacing is very slow, and the plot is essentially nonexistent. Full review to come.
October 11, 2021
Winter Garden, Kristin Hannah
Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be.
One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard; the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist.
But when their beloved father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters.
As children, the only connection between them was the Russian fairy tale Anya sometimes told the girls at night.
On his deathbed, their father extracts a promise from the women in his life: the fairy tale will be told one last time—and all the way to the end.
Thus begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya's life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago.
Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother's life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش روز دهم ماه اکتبر سال 2015میلادی
عنوان: باغ زمستانی؛ کریستین هانا؛ برگردان منیژه جلالی؛ تهران، البرز، 1392؛ در 529ص؛ شابک9789644428555؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده 21م
عنوان: باغ زمستانی؛ کریستین هانا؛ برگردان زهرا صادقی؛ تهران، باران خرد، 1399؛ در 448ص؛ شابک9786226199407؛
یک زن چگونه میتواند خود را بشناسد...؛ اگر مادر خود را به درستی نشناسد؟ «مردیت» و «نینا» دو خواهر بسیار دیگونه هستند؛ یکی از آنان در خانه میماند تا فرزندانش را بزرگوار کند و کسب و کار خانوادگی را مدیریت نماید، در حالیکه دیگری در پی رویاهای خود در دنیا سفر میکند؛ هنگامی که پدر محبوب آنان بیمار میشود، این دو خواهر بیگانه، خود را در کنار یکدیگر، و در برابر مادر سرد و اسرارآمیزشان مییابند. «آنیا» که حتی در این زمان نیز، هیچ آرامشی را به دخترانش پیشکش نمیکند، پدر آنها در بستر بیماری از همسرش قول میگیرد تا «آنیا» داستانی را برای دخترانش بازگو کند، داستانی از قصه های پریان که او سالهای پیش، گفتن آن را آغاز کرده، ولی هرگز به پایانش نرسانده بود، اینبار او باید همه ی قصه را تا پایان بازگو کند؛ قصه ای که مادر آنان حکایت میکند داستان عشق پرشور و اسرارآمیزی است که بیش از شصت سال پیش آغاز شد و در «لنینگراد» جنگزده و یخبسته و سپس «آلاسکای» امروزی ادامه یافت
نقل از متن: (در سواحل سهمگين رودخانه «كلمبيا»، در اين فصل يخبندان كه هر نَفَسى ديده میشود، باغ ميوه ی «بلینوچى» خاموش بود؛ درختان سيب، كه در خواب زمستانى، به سر میبردند، در كنار هم كاشته شده بودند، و تا آنجا كه چشم میديد، امتداد داشتند، ريشه هاى نيرومندشان، در ژرفاى خاک حاصلخيز، در هم پيچيده بود؛ هنگامیكه درجه ی حرارت كاهش میيافت، و زمين و آسمان رنگ میباخت، چشم انداز، چيزى شبيه كورى زمستان را موجب میشد؛ روزها از يكديگر تشخيص داده نمیشدند؛ همه چيز يخ میزد، و شكننده میشد
در خانه ی «مرديت ويتسون»، سكوت، بيش از هر جاى ديگرى، چشمگير است؛ وى در دوازده سالگى، که هنوز سنى از او نگذشته، فضاهاى خالى ميان آدمها را تشخيص داده بود؛ او آرزو داشت خانواده اش به خانوادههايى مشابهت داشته باشد، كه در تلويزيون میبيند، آنجا كه همه چيز و همه كس كامل به نظر میرسند، هيچكس حتى پدر دوست داشتنىاش، درک نمیكرد او در اين چهار ديوارى، تا چه اندازه احساس تنهايى میكند، چقدر ناديده گرفته میشود
ولى فردا شب، همه چيز تغيير میكند
نقشه اى فوقالعاده به ذهن او رسيده بود؛ براساس يكى از قصه هاى پريان، كه مادرش تعريف میكرد، نمايشنامه اى نوشته بود، و میخواست آن را در ميهمانى سالانه ی «كريسمس» اجرا كند؛ آنچه نوشته بود به طور دقيق شبيه همان چيزى بود، كه در نمايشنامه ی خانواده ی «پارتريج» روى میداد
نينا با ناراحتى پرسيد: «چرا من نمیتوانم ستاره ی نمايش باشم؟» از زمانى كه «مرديت» متن نمايشنامه را تمام كرده بود، دستكم دهمين بار بود كه او اين سئوال را میپر��يد
مرديت بر روى صندلیاش چرخيد، و به خواهر نه ساله اش كه بر كف چوبى اتاق خواب قوز كرده بود، و قصرى به رنگ سبز نعنايى را بر روى ملافه ی كهنه نقاشى میكرد، چشم دوخت
مرديت لب پايينیاش را به دندان گرفت، و كوشيد اخم به چهره اش نياورد، قصر بسيار به هم ريخته بود؛ هيچ خوب نبود، «نينا، ممكنه بعداً در اينباره حرف بزنيم؟»؛
ولى چرا من نمیتونم اون دختر روستايى باشم كه با شاهزاده ازدواج میكنه؟
خودت میدونى چرا، «جف» نقش شاهزاده رو بازى میكنه و اون سيزده سالشه؛ تو در كنار اون خيلى مسخره به نظر میآى
نينا قلم نقاشیاش را در قوطى خالى صابون گذاشت و بر روى پاشنههايش عقب نشست؛ او با موهاى سياه كوتاه، چشمان سبز روشن و پوست رنگ پريده، پرى كوچولوى كاملى به نظر میرسيد؛ «سال ديگه میتونم دختر روستايى بشم؟»؛
مرديت خنديد؛ «مطمئن باش.»؛ او از اينكه بتواند سنتى خانوادگى به وجود آورد، خوشحال بود؛ همه دوستان او رسم و رسومی داشتند، ولى خانواده «ويتسون» نه؛ آنان هميشه متفاوت بودند.)؛ پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 18/07/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be.
One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard; the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist.
But when their beloved father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters.
As children, the only connection between them was the Russian fairy tale Anya sometimes told the girls at night.
On his deathbed, their father extracts a promise from the women in his life: the fairy tale will be told one last time—and all the way to the end.
Thus begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya's life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago.
Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother's life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش روز دهم ماه اکتبر سال 2015میلادی
عنوان: باغ زمستانی؛ کریستین هانا؛ برگردان منیژه جلالی؛ تهران، البرز، 1392؛ در 529ص؛ شابک9789644428555؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده 21م
عنوان: باغ زمستانی؛ کریستین هانا؛ برگردان زهرا صادقی؛ تهران، باران خرد، 1399؛ در 448ص؛ شابک9786226199407؛
یک زن چگونه میتواند خود را بشناسد...؛ اگر مادر خود را به درستی نشناسد؟ «مردیت» و «نینا» دو خواهر بسیار دیگونه هستند؛ یکی از آنان در خانه میماند تا فرزندانش را بزرگوار کند و کسب و کار خانوادگی را مدیریت نماید، در حالیکه دیگری در پی رویاهای خود در دنیا سفر میکند؛ هنگامی که پدر محبوب آنان بیمار میشود، این دو خواهر بیگانه، خود را در کنار یکدیگر، و در برابر مادر سرد و اسرارآمیزشان مییابند. «آنیا» که حتی در این زمان نیز، هیچ آرامشی را به دخترانش پیشکش نمیکند، پدر آنها در بستر بیماری از همسرش قول میگیرد تا «آنیا» داستانی را برای دخترانش بازگو کند، داستانی از قصه های پریان که او سالهای پیش، گفتن آن را آغاز کرده، ولی هرگز به پایانش نرسانده بود، اینبار او باید همه ی قصه را تا پایان بازگو کند؛ قصه ای که مادر آنان حکایت میکند داستان عشق پرشور و اسرارآمیزی است که بیش از شصت سال پیش آغاز شد و در «لنینگراد» جنگزده و یخبسته و سپس «آلاسکای» امروزی ادامه یافت
نقل از متن: (در سواحل سهمگين رودخانه «كلمبيا»، در اين فصل يخبندان كه هر نَفَسى ديده میشود، باغ ميوه ی «بلینوچى» خاموش بود؛ درختان سيب، كه در خواب زمستانى، به سر میبردند، در كنار هم كاشته شده بودند، و تا آنجا كه چشم میديد، امتداد داشتند، ريشه هاى نيرومندشان، در ژرفاى خاک حاصلخيز، در هم پيچيده بود؛ هنگامیكه درجه ی حرارت كاهش میيافت، و زمين و آسمان رنگ میباخت، چشم انداز، چيزى شبيه كورى زمستان را موجب میشد؛ روزها از يكديگر تشخيص داده نمیشدند؛ همه چيز يخ میزد، و شكننده میشد
در خانه ی «مرديت ويتسون»، سكوت، بيش از هر جاى ديگرى، چشمگير است؛ وى در دوازده سالگى، که هنوز سنى از او نگذشته، فضاهاى خالى ميان آدمها را تشخيص داده بود؛ او آرزو داشت خانواده اش به خانوادههايى مشابهت داشته باشد، كه در تلويزيون میبيند، آنجا كه همه چيز و همه كس كامل به نظر میرسند، هيچكس حتى پدر دوست داشتنىاش، درک نمیكرد او در اين چهار ديوارى، تا چه اندازه احساس تنهايى میكند، چقدر ناديده گرفته میشود
ولى فردا شب، همه چيز تغيير میكند
نقشه اى فوقالعاده به ذهن او رسيده بود؛ براساس يكى از قصه هاى پريان، كه مادرش تعريف میكرد، نمايشنامه اى نوشته بود، و میخواست آن را در ميهمانى سالانه ی «كريسمس» اجرا كند؛ آنچه نوشته بود به طور دقيق شبيه همان چيزى بود، كه در نمايشنامه ی خانواده ی «پارتريج» روى میداد
نينا با ناراحتى پرسيد: «چرا من نمیتوانم ستاره ی نمايش باشم؟» از زمانى كه «مرديت» متن نمايشنامه را تمام كرده بود، دستكم دهمين بار بود كه او اين سئوال را میپر��يد
مرديت بر روى صندلیاش چرخيد، و به خواهر نه ساله اش كه بر كف چوبى اتاق خواب قوز كرده بود، و قصرى به رنگ سبز نعنايى را بر روى ملافه ی كهنه نقاشى میكرد، چشم دوخت
مرديت لب پايينیاش را به دندان گرفت، و كوشيد اخم به چهره اش نياورد، قصر بسيار به هم ريخته بود؛ هيچ خوب نبود، «نينا، ممكنه بعداً در اينباره حرف بزنيم؟»؛
ولى چرا من نمیتونم اون دختر روستايى باشم كه با شاهزاده ازدواج میكنه؟
خودت میدونى چرا، «جف» نقش شاهزاده رو بازى میكنه و اون سيزده سالشه؛ تو در كنار اون خيلى مسخره به نظر میآى
نينا قلم نقاشیاش را در قوطى خالى صابون گذاشت و بر روى پاشنههايش عقب نشست؛ او با موهاى سياه كوتاه، چشمان سبز روشن و پوست رنگ پريده، پرى كوچولوى كاملى به نظر میرسيد؛ «سال ديگه میتونم دختر روستايى بشم؟»؛
مرديت خنديد؛ «مطمئن باش.»؛ او از اينكه بتواند سنتى خانوادگى به وجود آورد، خوشحال بود؛ همه دوستان او رسم و رسومی داشتند، ولى خانواده «ويتسون» نه؛ آنان هميشه متفاوت بودند.)؛ پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 18/07/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
August 8, 2010
BLECH.
My sister got my hopes up, oddly, when she said this was chick lit disguised as intellectual - but I couldn't even find the disguise!
This book fell into the category of those home spin wonders of Eileen Gouge and other women who either watch too much of the wrong TV or read the wrong books or something. This had all the things I could hate about a book - writing like, - she worked hard to be the mother her mother wasn't. And she succeeded. She was best friends with her daughters.
Or, better yet, after Hannah chooses the super original pathology of having her characters be people who run from conflict or emotional turmoil, she makes sure to tell you. Over and Over.
GAAAAAAAAAAH. This had nothing to redeem itself. Over the top surly Russian mom who hates her daughters but loves her super husband. Super husband who somehow overlooks a lot of emotional abuse and neglect. Stupid twin sisters who have no personality and nothing interesting or original. Irish boyfriend who has to use the words 'brilliant' 'love' and dropped g's at the end of verbs so we REALLY get that he is Irish. This was trash.
My sister got my hopes up, oddly, when she said this was chick lit disguised as intellectual - but I couldn't even find the disguise!
This book fell into the category of those home spin wonders of Eileen Gouge and other women who either watch too much of the wrong TV or read the wrong books or something. This had all the things I could hate about a book - writing like, - she worked hard to be the mother her mother wasn't. And she succeeded. She was best friends with her daughters.
Or, better yet, after Hannah chooses the super original pathology of having her characters be people who run from conflict or emotional turmoil, she makes sure to tell you. Over and Over.
GAAAAAAAAAAH. This had nothing to redeem itself. Over the top surly Russian mom who hates her daughters but loves her super husband. Super husband who somehow overlooks a lot of emotional abuse and neglect. Stupid twin sisters who have no personality and nothing interesting or original. Irish boyfriend who has to use the words 'brilliant' 'love' and dropped g's at the end of verbs so we REALLY get that he is Irish. This was trash.
January 4, 2022
4.5 stars
One of my favorite Kristin Hannah novels. Winter Garden is a heart-breaking but beautiful story of the power of love, family, and connection.
Meredith and Nina are two sisters that lead very different lives. They grew up with a distant mother and in turn have never been close to one another. Their mother told them a fairytale as children. When their father dies it is his last wish that their mother tell them the whole story.
With differing opinions on how to help their heart-broken mother, the sisters work to convince her to tell the full fairytale. We soon find out that the fairytale is a real story about the hardships of life in Leningrad during WWII. Their mother, Anya, begins to soften by opening up. She releases her guilt and forgives herself for the impossible choices she had to make in her past. By sharing, she shines a light on the loss and starts to heal her wounds.
Everything in the story become more connected by the end; however, the last hundred pages were the most captivating. The author spent a lot of time in the beginning setting the scene. The first half of the book was dominated by family tension and each character’s own personal dilemmas. The novel didn’t feel as historically focused as other WWII books. Most of the history was in the second half. It was devastating but interesting to learn about this unique WWII perspective along with the terror of the Stalin regime and the siege of Leningrad.
The ending was unexpected but happy. Each character learned lessons and grew into their best selves. Anya is a warrior and a lioness. From hearing her story we learn that being vulnerable makes us stronger. Sharing our pain helps us heal and we must forgive ourselves in order to love fully. Anya’s heartfelt and tragic story was truly beautiful.
“To lose love is a terrible thing, but to turn away from it is unbearable.”
“Life—and love—can be gone any second. When you had it, you needed to hang on with all your strength and savor ever second.”
One of my favorite Kristin Hannah novels. Winter Garden is a heart-breaking but beautiful story of the power of love, family, and connection.
Meredith and Nina are two sisters that lead very different lives. They grew up with a distant mother and in turn have never been close to one another. Their mother told them a fairytale as children. When their father dies it is his last wish that their mother tell them the whole story.
With differing opinions on how to help their heart-broken mother, the sisters work to convince her to tell the full fairytale. We soon find out that the fairytale is a real story about the hardships of life in Leningrad during WWII. Their mother, Anya, begins to soften by opening up. She releases her guilt and forgives herself for the impossible choices she had to make in her past. By sharing, she shines a light on the loss and starts to heal her wounds.
Everything in the story become more connected by the end; however, the last hundred pages were the most captivating. The author spent a lot of time in the beginning setting the scene. The first half of the book was dominated by family tension and each character’s own personal dilemmas. The novel didn’t feel as historically focused as other WWII books. Most of the history was in the second half. It was devastating but interesting to learn about this unique WWII perspective along with the terror of the Stalin regime and the siege of Leningrad.
The ending was unexpected but happy. Each character learned lessons and grew into their best selves. Anya is a warrior and a lioness. From hearing her story we learn that being vulnerable makes us stronger. Sharing our pain helps us heal and we must forgive ourselves in order to love fully. Anya’s heartfelt and tragic story was truly beautiful.
“To lose love is a terrible thing, but to turn away from it is unbearable.”
“Life—and love—can be gone any second. When you had it, you needed to hang on with all your strength and savor ever second.”
November 28, 2012
More like 2.5 stars. I listened to this on CD. The first half gets too bogged down in mundane details. There are too many chapters when we are told that Meredith goes for a run, Meredith sits on the porch with her coffee, Meredith feeds the dogs, Meredith treats her husband coldly, Meredith is frustrated and hurt by her mother. Yes, we get the point already. Meredith's life is mundane and not what she dreamed it would be. Get on with the story!
The story within the story, the so-called Fairy Tale, is quite compelling, telling a personal account of the siege of Leningrad in WWII. This is the real meat of this book, but that doesn't get rolling until the second half of the book. I wish the author had just written straight historical fiction of only the Leningrad part and left all the present-day stuff out of it. I did find the ending too implausible to be a tear-jerker. I rolled my eyes when I think I was supposed to cry.
Couple of irritations: these women are always wrapping themselves in blankets to go sit outside in the middle of the winter. Please buy yourselves coats and leave the blankets on the bed! One or two occurrences I could have looked over, but this happens in so many scenes! Also, there is one scene where the older sister, Meredith, remembers that her younger sister, Nina, who is a famous photojournalist, skipped out on Meredith's wedding 20 years earlier because there was an assassination in India she had to cover. Check your details, author and editor: Nina was 17 when Meredith got married.
The story within the story, the so-called Fairy Tale, is quite compelling, telling a personal account of the siege of Leningrad in WWII. This is the real meat of this book, but that doesn't get rolling until the second half of the book. I wish the author had just written straight historical fiction of only the Leningrad part and left all the present-day stuff out of it. I did find the ending too implausible to be a tear-jerker. I rolled my eyes when I think I was supposed to cry.
Couple of irritations: these women are always wrapping themselves in blankets to go sit outside in the middle of the winter. Please buy yourselves coats and leave the blankets on the bed! One or two occurrences I could have looked over, but this happens in so many scenes! Also, there is one scene where the older sister, Meredith, remembers that her younger sister, Nina, who is a famous photojournalist, skipped out on Meredith's wedding 20 years earlier because there was an assassination in India she had to cover. Check your details, author and editor: Nina was 17 when Meredith got married.
September 2, 2019
This is the second novel I have read from Kristin Hannah in the past week....... What can I say another engrossing read. Kristen is a brilliant story teller, she masterfully draws you in with her vivid description of the surroundings and her characters, you feel like you are there experiencing all the ups and downs.
The first half of the book was a bit slow and took me a while to get into it, it really takes of half way through the book and I read the remainder of the book in one sitting. Such a heart felt story.
I'm loving the theme of strong empowered women from Kristin's books.... just a side note.
I'm eager for my next Kristin Hannah novel.... I give this one 4.5 stars, only because of the slow start.
The first half of the book was a bit slow and took me a while to get into it, it really takes of half way through the book and I read the remainder of the book in one sitting. Such a heart felt story.
I'm loving the theme of strong empowered women from Kristin's books.... just a side note.
I'm eager for my next Kristin Hannah novel.... I give this one 4.5 stars, only because of the slow start.
December 28, 2022
Winter Garden is the story of two sisters yearning to connect with their cold, distant mother who has constantly pushed them away. When Meredith and Nina’s father dies, the two are both at home together for the first time in years, promising their father they will coax the full fairy tale from their Russian mother Anya, who’s shared bits and pieces with them over the years.
Nina and Meredith couldn’t be more opposite and both are facing different challenges in life that will impact their future. While I could understand both of their POVs at times, I also felt irritated by both of them at parts for their lack of communication and selfish, sometimes impulsive decisions. Nina is interested in the fairy tale and persistent with Anya, but Meredith remains skeptical, doubting that their distant mom has anything to offer them after so many years.
The pace of Winter Garden is slow initially, but in true Kristin Hannah form, I became invested in the story and couldn’t stop reading it. I was intrigued to find out what the fairy tale would reveal about Anya, and how this family came to be shaped.
Nina and Meredith couldn’t be more opposite and both are facing different challenges in life that will impact their future. While I could understand both of their POVs at times, I also felt irritated by both of them at parts for their lack of communication and selfish, sometimes impulsive decisions. Nina is interested in the fairy tale and persistent with Anya, but Meredith remains skeptical, doubting that their distant mom has anything to offer them after so many years.
The pace of Winter Garden is slow initially, but in true Kristin Hannah form, I became invested in the story and couldn’t stop reading it. I was intrigued to find out what the fairy tale would reveal about Anya, and how this family came to be shaped.
March 24, 2021
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I experienced Hannah’s writing slightly more than a year ago when I read The Nightingale and I liked it very much! My friend Leslie then recommended this one as her favorite by the author and I did not think twice and got a copy of the book! Leslie was right because this was hauntingly beautiful!
I am not the biggest fan of historical fictions but this is also a family drama and I love those. Call me a masochist but I like reading about families going through tragedies for two reasons: It is realistic as opposed to what we see on social media where everyone is living their happily ever after and because those books are a journey of how to overcome those hardships and become stronger and Winter Garden was exactly that. The story follows Meredith and Nina Whitson, two opposite sisters and not only in characters but also in the choices they made in their lives. They have a cold mother who they don’t understand and a father who is on his deathbed and he wants to save his family through the mother’s fairy tales which was one of the reasons that traumatized them.
I immediately connected to both sisters and although I related more to Meredith, I also liked Nina and I loved that the author showed both their good and bad sides. The mother was so distant and cold but the whole point of the story is to get to know the mother and understand everything she went through.
The plot follows the sisters story in the modern world and a fairy tale taking place decades ago in the early to mid 1900s. The good thing is that it was not heavy on the historical part and we get to discover more of this side after page 160 only.
The writing is lyrical and great, Hannah knows what she is doing and you can tell that she is a talented author from her prose and the way she writes. The story has a poignant tone and I read it when it was raining outside and almost freezing which was a very good choice in my opinion because this is not a summer beach read!
Summary: As expected from Hannah, this was a sad but beautiful story about families, wars, about surviving and about the purest form of love! I loved the writing and the characters. The last pages were excellent and I knew it was coming but still was very happy by the ending! I recommend this for all the fans of historical fictions!
“And maybe that was how it was supposed to be…Joy and sadness were part of the package; the trick, perhaps,was to let yourself feel all of it, but to hold on to the joy just a little more tightly…”
I experienced Hannah’s writing slightly more than a year ago when I read The Nightingale and I liked it very much! My friend Leslie then recommended this one as her favorite by the author and I did not think twice and got a copy of the book! Leslie was right because this was hauntingly beautiful!
I am not the biggest fan of historical fictions but this is also a family drama and I love those. Call me a masochist but I like reading about families going through tragedies for two reasons: It is realistic as opposed to what we see on social media where everyone is living their happily ever after and because those books are a journey of how to overcome those hardships and become stronger and Winter Garden was exactly that. The story follows Meredith and Nina Whitson, two opposite sisters and not only in characters but also in the choices they made in their lives. They have a cold mother who they don’t understand and a father who is on his deathbed and he wants to save his family through the mother’s fairy tales which was one of the reasons that traumatized them.
I immediately connected to both sisters and although I related more to Meredith, I also liked Nina and I loved that the author showed both their good and bad sides. The mother was so distant and cold but the whole point of the story is to get to know the mother and understand everything she went through.
The plot follows the sisters story in the modern world and a fairy tale taking place decades ago in the early to mid 1900s. The good thing is that it was not heavy on the historical part and we get to discover more of this side after page 160 only.
The writing is lyrical and great, Hannah knows what she is doing and you can tell that she is a talented author from her prose and the way she writes. The story has a poignant tone and I read it when it was raining outside and almost freezing which was a very good choice in my opinion because this is not a summer beach read!
“I would not love him again. Not if I had known how it would feel to live with a broken heart.”
Summary: As expected from Hannah, this was a sad but beautiful story about families, wars, about surviving and about the purest form of love! I loved the writing and the characters. The last pages were excellent and I knew it was coming but still was very happy by the ending! I recommend this for all the fans of historical fictions!
November 14, 2020
I absolutely LOVE Kristin Hannah. I do not know how she does it. You think you are reading a book about one thing and bam! it becomes so much deeper than that.
This novel was a story within a story of so much love and loss that it separated a family, emotionally, for many years. Then the father, the glue of the family, dies and little by little the mom starts revealing her life in Soviet Russia before she met their father. It starts out as a fairy tale but then it takes a more realistic turn.
I cried throughout the book but more towards the end. Hannah splits your gut and your soul in the best way possible.
This novel was a story within a story of so much love and loss that it separated a family, emotionally, for many years. Then the father, the glue of the family, dies and little by little the mom starts revealing her life in Soviet Russia before she met their father. It starts out as a fairy tale but then it takes a more realistic turn.
I cried throughout the book but more towards the end. Hannah splits your gut and your soul in the best way possible.
July 22, 2017
Meredith Cooper and her sister, Nina Whitson, were raised by an adoring father and a pretty dispassionate and cold mother. The absence of that maternal love impacted the sisters differently, one striving for perfection, leading an orderly and pleasing life and the other living a nomadic existence. Both were considered highly successful but also seeming to seek something that was just beyond their grasp. When their father died, both women were left to developed a relationship with their mother, who was compelled by her husband's extraction of a deathbed promise to finally tell her story to her daughters.
I think this is almost a tale of two stories as the first and second halves couldn't be more different. While I respected the sisters in the first half, I'm not sure I liked them that much. Their mother, Anya, was an enigma, confounding everyone with her seemingly lack of feeling for her children and I kept thinking her children should just move on. It moved rather slowly but all to lead up to an extraordinary second half where everything changed, including my opinions of all three characters. Anya's story was spellbinding as well as educational since we get rare insights into Stalin's Leningrad before and during the German invasion. It was at this point, I was reluctant to stop listening to this story.
I've heard so much about the talented Susan Ericksen for her narration of the In Death series so I was prepared for a good performance. However, her narration far exceeded my expectations and her delivery of Anya's story was just incredible. I'm really, really happy I chose to listen to this book instead of reading.
I very much enjoyed this story, including the slow build of the first half as it created the perfect foundation to launch the second. The ending, though bittersweet, had a surprise I never saw coming. Anya's story will stick with me for quite some time. 4.5 stars
I think this is almost a tale of two stories as the first and second halves couldn't be more different. While I respected the sisters in the first half, I'm not sure I liked them that much. Their mother, Anya, was an enigma, confounding everyone with her seemingly lack of feeling for her children and I kept thinking her children should just move on. It moved rather slowly but all to lead up to an extraordinary second half where everything changed, including my opinions of all three characters. Anya's story was spellbinding as well as educational since we get rare insights into Stalin's Leningrad before and during the German invasion. It was at this point, I was reluctant to stop listening to this story.
I've heard so much about the talented Susan Ericksen for her narration of the In Death series so I was prepared for a good performance. However, her narration far exceeded my expectations and her delivery of Anya's story was just incredible. I'm really, really happy I chose to listen to this book instead of reading.
I very much enjoyed this story, including the slow build of the first half as it created the perfect foundation to launch the second. The ending, though bittersweet, had a surprise I never saw coming. Anya's story will stick with me for quite some time. 4.5 stars
June 12, 2017
Some themes are close to me notably stories that deal with mothers and daughters or families in general. That is a theme also dear to Kristin Hannah, from what I read of her books and especially in Winter Garden:
Winter Garden tells the story of Meredith and Nina Whitson and their supposedly heartless mother Anya. For over an extended period we get to know of Anya while she faces tremendous obstacles and disaster, but ends surviving despite all her suffering. It's not a trivial novel; it's not romantic, it is almost an epic. It's repeatedly a struggle. I think it's written to be read on a sunny day, or it might be shattering. That is how I felt from the way it impacted me, as a mother and as a sister. Despite it all, I fully enjoyed it. Hannah tells a breathtaking story, I don't comment on it feebly. It is astonishing and heartbreaking. But in the end there is hope, so all is well after all!
____
"They would always be a family, but if she learned anything in the past few weeks it was that a family wasn't a static thing. There were always changes going on. Like with continents, sometimes the changes were invisible and underground, and sometimes they were explosive and deadly. The trick was to keep your balance. You couldn't control the direction of your family any more than you could stop the continental shelf from breaking apart. All you could do was hold on for the ride."
Winter Garden tells the story of Meredith and Nina Whitson and their supposedly heartless mother Anya. For over an extended period we get to know of Anya while she faces tremendous obstacles and disaster, but ends surviving despite all her suffering. It's not a trivial novel; it's not romantic, it is almost an epic. It's repeatedly a struggle. I think it's written to be read on a sunny day, or it might be shattering. That is how I felt from the way it impacted me, as a mother and as a sister. Despite it all, I fully enjoyed it. Hannah tells a breathtaking story, I don't comment on it feebly. It is astonishing and heartbreaking. But in the end there is hope, so all is well after all!
____
May 11, 2020
This is a story of mothers and daughters and sisters and the strength of love. I'll admit, I'd had several friends recommend this book to me and for the first part of the book I wasn't truly certain why it was so talked about. That completely changed by the end. I've read the end wiping tears from my eyes, imagining myself in the place of these characters in such impossible circumstances, wondering if I could have lived through what they did. Next day I try to talk about the book wit my mother and, again start wiping.
I recommend this book with the request not to give up. The first half is a bit dragging
I recommend this book with the request not to give up. The first half is a bit dragging
February 26, 2020
Amazing read, very well formatted and loved all the characters!📚
October 29, 2015
Three and a half stars. Hard to write a review about this one as I had a few different thoughts. But here goes.
Parts of this story about two sisters and their Russian immigrant mother were very interesting. Sometimes I had to put it aside for a while because I couldn’t bear to read too much of the 1940s Leningrad stories at once. Some of the images, about a time I knew little about, were harrowing. It made me so thankful I have never lived through a world war and the tragedies that result. Other times I couldn’t bear to the book aside at all and had to keep reading but that was once I got further into the novel. Initially I wasn’t sure about it. The mother is a very cold and aloof person who seems to show no love to her daughters. I found her hard to relate to, until her story and past is revealed. Meredith and Nina also were hard to like. Meredith is a closed off sort of person, afraid to show emotion and Nina came across as selfish, with no regard for family. But circumstances contrive that the three women are left in a situation where they need to get to know each other.
It is a story about the choices people make, the suffering they endure and how that impacts not only on their life but on others as well. I do admit to having the odd tear at times as the story progressed. I liked the idea of the fairy tale element that runs through the novel. The ending reflects that fairy tale feel. To me it seems just a little too contrived but maybe that’s me.
Parts of this story about two sisters and their Russian immigrant mother were very interesting. Sometimes I had to put it aside for a while because I couldn’t bear to read too much of the 1940s Leningrad stories at once. Some of the images, about a time I knew little about, were harrowing. It made me so thankful I have never lived through a world war and the tragedies that result. Other times I couldn’t bear to the book aside at all and had to keep reading but that was once I got further into the novel. Initially I wasn’t sure about it. The mother is a very cold and aloof person who seems to show no love to her daughters. I found her hard to relate to, until her story and past is revealed. Meredith and Nina also were hard to like. Meredith is a closed off sort of person, afraid to show emotion and Nina came across as selfish, with no regard for family. But circumstances contrive that the three women are left in a situation where they need to get to know each other.
It is a story about the choices people make, the suffering they endure and how that impacts not only on their life but on others as well. I do admit to having the odd tear at times as the story progressed. I liked the idea of the fairy tale element that runs through the novel. The ending reflects that fairy tale feel. To me it seems just a little too contrived but maybe that’s me.
May 22, 2019
Me he quedado sin lágrimas, esta autora me deja seca... Cómo explicar que me he leído este libro en un día y terminé como si un tren pasara a toda marcha encima de mí... es tan desgarrador como hermoso.
Aunque me ha gustado muchísimo esta historia, considero que El ruiseñor jamás podría ser superado, me queda claro que la autora sabe como contar una historia desgarradora, que te vacía por dentro y te deja sin nada, literalmente sin ganas de tomar otro libro, porque sientes que a éste no les has dado el suficiente tiempo de duelo.
Una historia familiar contada en dos hilos argumentales, separados por años y hechos, la relación de una madre y sus hijas que no logras entender, y un padre que sirve de eslabón para mantener la unión de la cadena familiar.
Aún cuando sus primeras páginas (que no es poco, casi 40% del libro) sientes que no avanzas, que es una historia lenta y que no te atrae para nada, todo cambia repentinamente y ya no sientes apatía, quieres saberlo todo, que se termine "el cuento" para entender el por qué de las cosas.
Imposible no sentir en la propia piel el frío de una Leningrado en guerra, el dolor de sus habitantes, el dolor de sus familias resquebrajadas y cómo es capaz de llevarlo cada personaje; una historia con tantas perdidas y sufrimiento, que solo te lleva a preguntarte: ¿Cómo pudieron sobreponerse? ¿Cómo se sobrelleva tanta perdida? ¿Cómo tu corazón puede seguir adelante y luchar cuando todo a tu alrededor ha perdido el sentido?
Definitivamente tanto este libro como El ruiseñor, nos da lecciones de vida, nos enseña a no subestimar o dar por sentado nada de lo que tenemos, a levantar la cabeza y a decir, lo que a mi me pasa no se acerca ni un poquito a la historia de estos seres que padecieron lo indecible.
El que tenga oportunidad que lea este libro, lo disfrute a pesar de las tragedias, porque de ellas, definitivamente también aprendemos.
100 % recomendado
"Las mujeres tomamos decisiones por otras personas, no por nosotras mismas, y cuando somos madres… soportamos lo que nos echen por nuestros hijos. Los protegerás. Te dolerá, les dolerá a ellos. Tu cometido es ocultar que se te está partiendo el corazón y hacer lo que necesitan que hagas."
Aunque me ha gustado muchísimo esta historia, considero que El ruiseñor jamás podría ser superado, me queda claro que la autora sabe como contar una historia desgarradora, que te vacía por dentro y te deja sin nada, literalmente sin ganas de tomar otro libro, porque sientes que a éste no les has dado el suficiente tiempo de duelo.
Una historia familiar contada en dos hilos argumentales, separados por años y hechos, la relación de una madre y sus hijas que no logras entender, y un padre que sirve de eslabón para mantener la unión de la cadena familiar.
Aún cuando sus primeras páginas (que no es poco, casi 40% del libro) sientes que no avanzas, que es una historia lenta y que no te atrae para nada, todo cambia repentinamente y ya no sientes apatía, quieres saberlo todo, que se termine "el cuento" para entender el por qué de las cosas.
Imposible no sentir en la propia piel el frío de una Leningrado en guerra, el dolor de sus habitantes, el dolor de sus familias resquebrajadas y cómo es capaz de llevarlo cada personaje; una historia con tantas perdidas y sufrimiento, que solo te lleva a preguntarte: ¿Cómo pudieron sobreponerse? ¿Cómo se sobrelleva tanta perdida? ¿Cómo tu corazón puede seguir adelante y luchar cuando todo a tu alrededor ha perdido el sentido?
Definitivamente tanto este libro como El ruiseñor, nos da lecciones de vida, nos enseña a no subestimar o dar por sentado nada de lo que tenemos, a levantar la cabeza y a decir, lo que a mi me pasa no se acerca ni un poquito a la historia de estos seres que padecieron lo indecible.
El que tenga oportunidad que lea este libro, lo disfrute a pesar de las tragedias, porque de ellas, definitivamente también aprendemos.
100 % recomendado
"Las mujeres tomamos decisiones por otras personas, no por nosotras mismas, y cuando somos madres… soportamos lo que nos echen por nuestros hijos. Los protegerás. Te dolerá, les dolerá a ellos. Tu cometido es ocultar que se te está partiendo el corazón y hacer lo que necesitan que hagas."
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