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daphelba's review against another edition
2.0
ALMOST 3 STARS.
The Memory Garden created a lot of warm spots for me. I loved the complexity of the relationships in this book - how young girls feel about each other while they're young and the way life takes them away from one another as they age. Although an extreme circumstance came between Nan, Ruthie and Mavis, the idea of "one fight", misunderstandings, and misguided accusations breaking up valuable friendships is relatable to many readers, I'm sure.
In some ways I enjoyed the flower captions at the beginning of each chapter and the way their meanings and uses entwined with the storyline. By the end of the book, though, I found myself not reading them to save time. I really wanted this book to be over.
It wasn't that it was a terrible story, in fact I feel the ideas of natural birth control/abortifacients, and the choices women have/have had to make is something that is grazed over in stories. The story of abortion is either the WHOLE story, or it's a quickly-passed facet to a novel. But in The Memory Garden, the weaving of those who crave children, those who think/know they don't, and those who cannot/should not have the children their bodies have blessed them with, is actually quite cleverly designed. However...
The emotion that these stories, needs, desires, and loves or hates should compel, is not handed to the reader. The reader must find some personal connection to the story, must sit and think on the subject and how it might affect them were they in the same situation. The emotional lines of the story fall quite flat, even though the subject matter itself was emotional for me and might be for many readers.
The Memory Garden was just a little too long. I was frustrated with Nan's indecisiveness in telling "Bay" the secrets. Should I tell her? I should tell her! I shouldn't. I will. I am. I can't. I want to. I don't want to. It's important for her to know. It's better for her not to know. Okay, that's it, I'm telling her!! No, I can't do it. This is hard. And likewise, Bay's, I want to know. I don't want to know. I wish she would tell me. No!! Now that she's telling me i don't want her to. Why won't she tell me?! Why would she keep this from me? Now I wish I could unknow what I've found out. Thank you for telling me. *Crying because she's been told*. It was exhausting.
If the book had been a little shorter and if some of the characters had more of a place... (Why was Howard in this book?) I think it would have been 3 stars for me. Ho Hum.
The Memory Garden created a lot of warm spots for me. I loved the complexity of the relationships in this book - how young girls feel about each other while they're young and the way life takes them away from one another as they age. Although an extreme circumstance came between Nan, Ruthie and Mavis, the idea of "one fight", misunderstandings, and misguided accusations breaking up valuable friendships is relatable to many readers, I'm sure.
In some ways I enjoyed the flower captions at the beginning of each chapter and the way their meanings and uses entwined with the storyline. By the end of the book, though, I found myself not reading them to save time. I really wanted this book to be over.
It wasn't that it was a terrible story, in fact I feel the ideas of natural birth control/abortifacients, and the choices women have/have had to make is something that is grazed over in stories. The story of abortion is either the WHOLE story, or it's a quickly-passed facet to a novel. But in The Memory Garden, the weaving of those who crave children, those who think/know they don't, and those who cannot/should not have the children their bodies have blessed them with, is actually quite cleverly designed. However...
The emotion that these stories, needs, desires, and loves or hates should compel, is not handed to the reader. The reader must find some personal connection to the story, must sit and think on the subject and how it might affect them were they in the same situation. The emotional lines of the story fall quite flat, even though the subject matter itself was emotional for me and might be for many readers.
The Memory Garden was just a little too long. I was frustrated with Nan's indecisiveness in telling "Bay" the secrets. Should I tell her? I should tell her! I shouldn't. I will. I am. I can't. I want to. I don't want to. It's important for her to know. It's better for her not to know. Okay, that's it, I'm telling her!! No, I can't do it. This is hard. And likewise, Bay's, I want to know. I don't want to know. I wish she would tell me. No!! Now that she's telling me i don't want her to. Why won't she tell me?! Why would she keep this from me? Now I wish I could unknow what I've found out. Thank you for telling me. *Crying because she's been told*. It was exhausting.
If the book had been a little shorter and if some of the characters had more of a place... (Why was Howard in this book?) I think it would have been 3 stars for me. Ho Hum.
lsparrow's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyed the story and characters although it didn't seem to flow together as well as I would have liked. Also the way the plants were brought in felt more like cut and past from a herbal guide and less like integrated herbal lore.
rikerandom's review against another edition
4.0
Nan lebt am Rande der Stadt, in einem alten Haus mit einem großen Schuhgarten, in dem sie allerlei Pflanzen heranzieht. Eines Nachts wird ein Baby auf ihrer Veranda zurückgelassen und Nan nimmt das kleine Mädchen bei sich auf und zieht es groß. Fünfzehn Jahre später wird Nan 79 und hat Angst, sich nicht mehr allein um Bay kümmern zu können, nicht zuletzt, weil der Sheriff anfängt Fragen zu stellen. Und dann ist da noch Bays Vegangenheit, von der das Mädchen nichts weiß, also ruft Nan kurzerhand zwei alte, entfremdete Freundinnen zur Hilfe.
Mary Rickerts "Sommergeister" ist ein sehr ruhiger Roman, der ohne große Action auskommt und dafür eine ordentliche Portion magischen Realismus enthält - kann man "magical realism" einfach so ins Deutsche übersetzen? :D Jedenfalls, finde ich die Inhaltsangabe des Verlags etwas irreführend, denn eigentlich wird hier weniger Bays Geschichte erzählt, als die einer Freundschaft, die nach vielen Jahren wieder zum Leben erweckt wird, was viel Reue, Schmerz und Vergebung beinhaltet. Wobei, zugegeben, Bay ist Dreh- und Angelpunkt der Geschichte dieser Freundschaft.
Das war auch ehrlich gesagt der Punkt, der mich etwas gestört hat, denn anscheinend hat das Leben der Seniorinnen nichts bewegt, was nicht in den letzten fünfzehn Jahren geschehen ist und das wirkte irgendwie falsch. Meiner Meinung nach wurde den Charakteren dadurch viel von ihrem Potential genommen, sie haben deutlich weniger Tiefe als sie hätten entwickeln können (Konjunktive sind ja sowas tolles). Schade, aber in Kombination mit dem irgendwie hölzernen Schreibstil ist das nicht direkt fesselnd.
Einen großen Pluspunkt hat die Geschichte allerdings und das ist der magische Realismus, der hier wirklich großartig umgesetzt ist. Die Autorin versteht es, die ganzen magisch-seltsamen Kleinigkeiten, die sich durch die Geschichte ziehen, real erscheinen zu lassen. Das gibt dem gesamten Roman eine mystische Atmosphäre, die genau meinen Geschmack getroffen hat und den hölzernen Stil wieder etwas wettgemacht.
Alles in allem ist "Sommergeister" von Mary Rickert ein nicht unbedingt schön geschriebener, aber trotzdem bezaubernder Roman mit einigen tollen Elementen von magischem Realismus, die mich über den Schreibstil und die etwas beschränkten Charaktere hinweg getröstet haben. Für Fans von magischem Realismus definitiv einen Versuch wert!
Mary Rickerts "Sommergeister" ist ein sehr ruhiger Roman, der ohne große Action auskommt und dafür eine ordentliche Portion magischen Realismus enthält - kann man "magical realism" einfach so ins Deutsche übersetzen? :D Jedenfalls, finde ich die Inhaltsangabe des Verlags etwas irreführend, denn eigentlich wird hier weniger Bays Geschichte erzählt, als die einer Freundschaft, die nach vielen Jahren wieder zum Leben erweckt wird, was viel Reue, Schmerz und Vergebung beinhaltet. Wobei, zugegeben, Bay ist Dreh- und Angelpunkt der Geschichte dieser Freundschaft.
Das war auch ehrlich gesagt der Punkt, der mich etwas gestört hat, denn anscheinend hat das Leben der Seniorinnen nichts bewegt, was nicht in den letzten fünfzehn Jahren geschehen ist und das wirkte irgendwie falsch. Meiner Meinung nach wurde den Charakteren dadurch viel von ihrem Potential genommen, sie haben deutlich weniger Tiefe als sie hätten entwickeln können (Konjunktive sind ja sowas tolles). Schade, aber in Kombination mit dem irgendwie hölzernen Schreibstil ist das nicht direkt fesselnd.
Einen großen Pluspunkt hat die Geschichte allerdings und das ist der magische Realismus, der hier wirklich großartig umgesetzt ist. Die Autorin versteht es, die ganzen magisch-seltsamen Kleinigkeiten, die sich durch die Geschichte ziehen, real erscheinen zu lassen. Das gibt dem gesamten Roman eine mystische Atmosphäre, die genau meinen Geschmack getroffen hat und den hölzernen Stil wieder etwas wettgemacht.
Alles in allem ist "Sommergeister" von Mary Rickert ein nicht unbedingt schön geschriebener, aber trotzdem bezaubernder Roman mit einigen tollen Elementen von magischem Realismus, die mich über den Schreibstil und die etwas beschränkten Charaktere hinweg getröstet haben. Für Fans von magischem Realismus definitiv einen Versuch wert!
k2_hancock's review against another edition
4.0
It definitely wasn't what I was expecting. Honestly I didn't really know what to expect because I just picked the book by the title. I'm glad I read it though. It was sweet and charming until the very last sentence.
quietdomino's review against another edition
1.0
It was just not the time for me and a book about magic realism to be friends.
mrsmtthws's review against another edition
3.0
While definitely a fun read with beautiful language and gorgeous use of botany and herbology, I found the story line to be a bit predictable
raven_morgan's review against another edition
5.0
This book is BEAUTIFUL. Haunting (both literally and figuratively), filled with wonderful characters and food and flowers. Pretty much recommending it to everyone.
deliberatehalf56's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely riveting book. I found myself falling in love with Nan before I even truly got to know her. Nan, Ruthie and Mavis remind me of the little old lady I want to be. Full of mysteries, knowledge and love.
The bones of the story are great, the characters well written and the outcome worth every minute.
The bones of the story are great, the characters well written and the outcome worth every minute.