Winter Garden: A Novel

Kristin Hannah

Feb 2010 · Sold by Macmillan

About this eBook

Can a woman ever really know herself if she doesn't know her mother?

From the author of the smash-hit bestseller Firefly Lane and True Colors comes Kristin Hannah's powerful, heartbreaking novel that illuminates the intricate mother-daughter bond and explores the enduring links between the present and the past.

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.

Ratings and reviews

This story is amazing the way if is told. True historical fiction but so tear--jerking with the horrific truths of war and the suffering of the Russian people.

After looking around for novels to read, I ran into this particular one. The first comment was straight negativity, claiming it's "depressing". That comment in itself made me interested. A great read that showed me that there is more to a person than who they portray themselves to be.

While I was unable to read past chapter 2, I still give the book 5 stars because I know Kristin Hannah's work. This story had parts in it that I simply could not handle, but that doesn't make it a bad book. My heart just doesn't handle certain topics well and that's why I couldn't finish this book. Hopefully others can.

About the author

KRISTIN HANNAH is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty novels, including The Nightingale, The Great Alone, and The Four Winds. A former lawyer turned writer, she lives with her husband in the Pacific Northwest.