Item: The Garden
Rating: 3.00
Author: quirkycat

by Clare Beams

"Genius."—The New York Times Book Review • “A teeming gothic.”—Vanity Fair • “Few novels of literary fiction are written as well as The Garden."—The LA Times

An eerie, masterful novel about pregnancy as a haunted house and the ways the female body has always been policed and manipulated, from the award-winning author of The Illness Lesson (“A masterpiece” – Elizabeth Gilbert)

In 1948, Irene Willard, who’s had five previous miscarriages in a quest to give her beloved husband the child he desperately desires, is now pregnant again. She comes to an isolated house-cum-hospital in the Berkshires, run by a husband-and-wife team of doctors who are pioneering a cure for her condition. Warily, she enlists herself in the efforts of the Doctors Hall to “rectify the maternal environment,” both physical and psychological. In the meantime, she also discovers a long-forgotten walled garden on the spacious grounds, a place imbued with its own powers and pulls. As the doctors’ plans begin to crumble, Irene and her fellow patients make a desperate bid to harness the power of the garden for themselves—and face the unthinkable risks associated with such incalculable rewards.

With shades of Shirley Jackson and Rosemary's Baby, The Garden delves into the territory of motherhood, childbirth, the mysteries of the female body, and the ways it has always been controlled and corralled.

Book Summary:

Irene Willard is desperate to have a child. Unfortunately, all of her and her husband's attempts have ended in tragedy and heartbreak. So when they found a pair of doctors promising miracles and more – they knew they had to give it a try.

This required Irene to pack up her back and move into an isolated house so the doctors could monitor her and ensure minimal stressors. Not at all suspicious. Not at all. Irene is the only pregnant woman living in the house...and it doesn't take long before she notices something...odd.

My Review:

Huh. Well, if there's one thing I can say about The Garden, it's that this book is unlike anything else I've ever read. Yes, that has both good and bad implications. This book is A LOT, so please read the trigger warnings before diving in.

The Garden starts as a slow-build magical horror. You know something is wrong, but you can't really put your finger on what it is, specifically (other than creepy doctors and an isolating setting, I mean). Things pick up significantly by the end, so if the pace is the problem, keep going!

In truth, this book kept making me think of Stephen King. One novel in particular (Pet Sematary), so take what you will from that. Again, it's an intense read with some really wonderfully creative twists. I don't think it was my cup of tea.

Highlights:
Historical Fiction with a Twist
Dark Magical Realism
Unique Take

Trigger Warnings:
Infertility/Infant Death
Gaslighting
Animal Death

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The Garden

by Clare Beams

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on Jul 10, 2024

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