The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman

My most recent read is by Alice Hoffman, whom I've read before (The Third Angel) and really liked.  If you've ever seen or heard of the movie "Practical Magic", she wrote that too.  Usually her books have some sort of mystical feeling to it and this one is no different.

The Red Garden is different in that its main character isn't a person but rather the small Berkshire town of Blackwell, Massachusetts.  Blackwell was settled in the 1700s and the stories start there.  Every chapter takes the reader to a different time period in the town's history and gives a glimpse of a few of the townspeople.  From the Civil War to the Great Depression to Vietnam and the 60s, the reader witnesses love, death, heartbreak, loyalty, murder, mystery and so much more.  The overall theme is one of survival, not only in the characters you get a small taste of but also in the town itself.  Not every story makes you feel good; every character isn't redeeming but each story is so well-written and enchanting.

I read this book in about 2 days.  I haven't done that in a while. I highly recommend this book for a quick, easy read with lots of mmph within.  So good!

By the way - I'm on to another really, really good one (Left Neglected by Lisa Genova) and I can't wait to finish it and review...so far a must read!

The Third Angel by Alice Hoffman

The Third Angel delves into the lives of three women at different points in their lives. It travels from the 90s to the 60s and finally, the 50s (it could actually be read back to front too). For each woman, they've found themselves in love with the wrong man and/or in a predicament that could destroy their lives. In each decade, the reader learns of the link that each woman has with the other. In addition to this, a mystery surrounds the ghost that haunts a room in the hotel where each woman has a connection. In the end, each woman is forced to choose the journey they want their lives to take. It is a choice they must make themselves, rather than letting the circumstances of the world choose for them. The decisions they make can lead to either happiness or a life of disconnect.

I've never read Alice Hoffman, which surprises me since she's written about a dozen books. After reading this novel, I've had to add her to my list because she's got a way with words and is a wonder at weaving a great tale. I read The Third Angel in about 2 days. I would certainly recommend it to others and hope that Hoffman's other books are just as enthralling.