Winter Garden
Synopsis:
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.
My Review:
Wonderful book with an incredible story that will put things in perspective for what it means to love, to give, to sacrifice, to hurt, to be hungry and the will to live and survive under the worst of circumstances even after you've lost EVERYTHING you have ever loved. Does it sound depressing? Well, it is, but it is so well-written and the story so well-told that as you read the story of Vera, Evan, Nina, Meredith, Jeff, Anya, Sasha, Leo and all of the other wonderful characters Kristin Hannah conjures in this book from the horrors of Leningrad (Russia)during the siege of WWII to the early 2000s in WA state, you won't be able to put it down. The first half of the book was a bit difficult for me to get through, but it was not until I finished the book that it made sense why Hannah has to set up the beginning of the book as she did. I would tell anyone that is considering reading this book to not give up on it during the first half. The second half and the ending are so wonderful that I promise it will be well-worth the investment. This is a moving story with very detailed historical references.
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