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Loading... The Red Garden (edition 2011)by Alice Hoffman
Work InformationThe Red Garden by Alice Hoffman
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. The Red Garden reads like a collection of interconnected short stories that weave together a generational tapestry of the Brady, Partridge, Starr, and Mott families in the small town of Blackwell, Massachusetts in the Berkshires. Each chapter is a treasure, and subtly communicates concepts of generational trauma, generational legacy, and something altogether a bit magical. The scenery isn't just a backdrop but an essential role in this drama, which is peppered with moments of light-heartedness. Hoffman is telling a tale of lives and while the stories of each person are interesting enough, it is the artful way in which she reaches the thread back to an earlier story and loops it in that made this book compelling. There are elements of magical realism: bonds with bears, a garden that turns all plants red, transformations, and ghosts, but it never distracts from the core humanity of the stories. On the contrary, these elements help illuminate the potential magic in our imaginations and maybe even our lives. These linked short stories followed the founder of a small town in the Berkshires of Massachusetts and descendants of the original townspeople. Bits of magical realism were interspersed to create a mythical mood to some of the stories. To fully appreciate the connections, I would need a re-read or a family tree. I wasn’t thoroughly on board as I read it, but it is sticking with me which is always a good sign. Just found in another review that she did publish a family tree. In February 2021 she published a family tree in a newsletter. Here are some visuals in case you can't get it: 1 of 2: https://gyazo.com/45702aa5d0c00d501898902717bb6856 2 of 2: https://gyazo.com/b87aee9cc54dd8fd93b82a17410f0f02 This book is an interesting structure. It starts off with each chapter being a short story about different people. The common theme being the red garden and the town of Blackwell. Towards the end of the book it coalesces into one story. This book was definitely engaging. It was also a rough read in terms of subject matter. If you have come to this book for magic, you will be disappointed. This is not that. AwardsDistinctions
A young wounded civil war solider is saved by a passionate neighbor, a woman meets a fiercely human historical character, a poet falls in love with a blind man, and a mysterious traveler comes to town in the year when summer never arrives. At the center of everyone's life is a mysterious garden where only red plants can grow, and where the truth can be found by those who dare to look. No library descriptions found.
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.54Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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Reading about this small town is much like reading a condensed history of America as wars, epidemics, and politics frame each story but this is a book written by Alice Hoffman so there are touches of magic and the paranormal as well. I often felt like I was reading a fairy tale. In all there are 14 stories offered in chronological order that take us from the towns’ beginning in 1750 up to the present. Some of the stories had a greater impact than others, but overall I am in awe at both Hoffman’s imagination and writing ability.
Haunting and luminous, The Red Garden seems to be a bouquet celebrating New England. In rich and colorful words, Alice Hoffman gives us a vivid picture of the traditions and spirit that are to be found in this corner of America. ( )