The Forgotten Garden

In 1913, a four-year-old girl from London was sitting alone on a wharf in Maryborough, Australia. She had only a shiny white suitcase containing a fairy-tales book. Hugh, a port master, took her to his home and brought up with his wife, Lil, as their child.

In 1975, Nell, the little girl, goes back to England to seek her real name and who she was.

In 2005, after Nell died, Cassandra who is Nell's granddaughter inherits a decrepit little cottage at Cornwall in England. Cassandra takes over Nell's search and goes to England with some clues, the Authoress, fairy-tales, cliff cottage and Nell's notebook. The mystery is over three generations.

This story frequently goes back and forth, in 1913, 1975, 2005 with suggestive fairy-tales, and the author tactfully lead you into the story. The author successfully depicted Eliza as a brilliant woman. On the other hand, all male characters are less impressive. In addition, Mountrachet family's story made me feel gloomy. However, I couldn't put it down until I finished it.

The author is Kate Morton who is an Australian young writer. This book with Victorian atmosphere and literary taste is excellent, especially for women. I hardly read mystery novels, but I was satisfied with this story in spite of the length (645 pages). If you love Dickens or Thomas Hardy, I'm sure you like it.

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