Blog Tour - The Heirloom Garden by Viola Shipman
Hi, bookish friends! I'm so excited to be part of the blog tour for The Heirloom Garden. Read on for a synopsis and my thoughts, and look for The Heirloom Garden in bookstores everywhere on April 28th.
Synopsis:
In her inimitable style, Viola Shipman explores the unlikely relationship between two very different women brought together by the pain of war, but bonded by hope, purpose…and flowers.
Iris Maynard lost her husband in World War II, her daughter to illness and, finally, her reason to live. Walled off from the world for decades behind the towering fence surrounding her home, Iris has built a new family…of flowers. Iris propagates her own daylilies and roses while tending to a garden filled with the heirloom starts that keep the memories of her loved ones alive.
When Abby Peterson moves next door with her family—a husband traumatized by his service in the Iraq War and a young daughter searching for stability—Iris is reluctantly yet inevitably drawn into her boisterous neighbor’s life, where, united by loss and a love of flowers, she and Abby tentatively unearth their secrets, and help each other discover how much life they have yet to live.
With delightful illustrations and fascinating detail, Viola Shipman’s heartwarming story will charm readers while resonating with issues that are so relevant today.
Iris Maynard lost her husband in World War II, her daughter to illness and, finally, her reason to live. Walled off from the world for decades behind the towering fence surrounding her home, Iris has built a new family…of flowers. Iris propagates her own daylilies and roses while tending to a garden filled with the heirloom starts that keep the memories of her loved ones alive.
When Abby Peterson moves next door with her family—a husband traumatized by his service in the Iraq War and a young daughter searching for stability—Iris is reluctantly yet inevitably drawn into her boisterous neighbor’s life, where, united by loss and a love of flowers, she and Abby tentatively unearth their secrets, and help each other discover how much life they have yet to live.
With delightful illustrations and fascinating detail, Viola Shipman’s heartwarming story will charm readers while resonating with issues that are so relevant today.
My Thoughts:
Let me start off by saying that I'm not a gardener. I have a few indoor succulents that have lasted more than six months, which is a personal best for me. I tried a garden last spring and was delighted that anything came up, but it wasn't a success. That said, I really enjoyed The Heirloom Garden, particularly because of the love and care the characters put into their gardens, and the author's lovely descriptions of flowers.
Of course, this novel is more than floral descriptions. Iris is an elderly shut-in, still traumatized by the sudden deaths of her soldier husband and her young daughter. Abby is a mother and wife, with a husband suffering from PTSD after his time in Iraq. This novel is about trauma and war, grief and loss, found families, and hope. I loved the tender relationship between these characters, and the overall message.
I did stumble sometimes over the characters' conversations. Usually they flowed and felt very natural, but at times one or the other would get on a soapbox and begin lecturing in a very formal, very uncharacteristic manner. I found this happened especially when discussing gender inequality at the workplace. I'm all for discussions about this subject, but it felt more like a professor lecturing, rather than an organic conversation based on mutual experiences.
Other than that, I was hooked! And against my better judgement, I'm inspired to try a flower garden of my own in the spring.
Of course, this novel is more than floral descriptions. Iris is an elderly shut-in, still traumatized by the sudden deaths of her soldier husband and her young daughter. Abby is a mother and wife, with a husband suffering from PTSD after his time in Iraq. This novel is about trauma and war, grief and loss, found families, and hope. I loved the tender relationship between these characters, and the overall message.
I did stumble sometimes over the characters' conversations. Usually they flowed and felt very natural, but at times one or the other would get on a soapbox and begin lecturing in a very formal, very uncharacteristic manner. I found this happened especially when discussing gender inequality at the workplace. I'm all for discussions about this subject, but it felt more like a professor lecturing, rather than an organic conversation based on mutual experiences.
Other than that, I was hooked! And against my better judgement, I'm inspired to try a flower garden of my own in the spring.
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