The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt
A Novel
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- $21.99
Publisher Description
"A sweeping tale of a woman on the edge." —Publishers Weekly
"Comparisons to authors like Alice Hoffman or Sarah Addison Allen are apt...highly recommended." —Booklist
"This unearthly story flows with an elemental eeriness." —Historical Novel Society
A lush, enchanting story of a woman who must use the magic of the fantastical plants that adorn her crumbling estate in Victorian London to thwart the dark plots of the men around her...
Harriet Hunt is completely alone. Her father disappeared months ago, leaving her to wander the halls of Sunnyside house, dwelling on a past she’d rather keep buried. She doesn’t often venture beyond her front gate, instead relishing the feel of dirt under her fingernails and of soft moss beneath her feet. Consequently, she’s been deemed a little too peculiar for popular Victorian society. This solitary life suits her fine, though – because, in her garden, magic awaits.
Harriet’s garden is special. It’s a wild place full of twisting ivy, vibrant plums, and a quiet power that buzzes like bees. Caring for this place, and keeping it from running rampant through the streets of her London suburb, is Harriet’s purpose.
When suspicion for her father’s disappearance falls on her, she marries a seemingly charming man, the first to see past her peculiarities, in order to protect herself. It’s soon clear, however, that her new husband might be worse than her father and that she’s integral to a dark plot created by the men around her. To free herself and discover the truth, she must learn to channel the power of her strange, magical garden.
At once enchantingly mesmerizing and fiercely feminist, perfect for fans of The Magician’s Daughter and The Once and Future Witches, the vibrant world-building and sinister undertones of The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt make for the perfect modern fairytale about women taking control of their lives—with a little help from the magic within them.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Iversen (The Witches at the End of the World) draws readers into a haunting gothic tale of madness and aspiration set in a Victorian London suburb. Harriet Hunt blames herself for her mother's death when Harriet was six. She's since been raised by her abusive father, Clement, who perpetually threatened to commit her to Colney Hatch Asylum. Six months before the start of the book, however, Clement disappeared. Harriet takes his vanishing in stride. Though society deems it unseemly for an unwed woman to live alone, she enjoys her independence and finds comfort in her overgrown garden, where she believes the plants have minds of their own: the ivy vines welcome her by winding up her ankles, and the roses disapprove of visitors. When the police question her regarding Clement's whereabouts, Harriet claims he may have visited a cousin in Denmark, but can't back up the story. To allay suspicion and prove herself an upstanding member of society, she marries the handsome and charming Christian Comstock. But when Christian demands she prune the garden, Harriet fears the plants will seek revenge. Iversen leisurely unfurls a sweeping tale of a woman on the edge. The mystery feels somewhat predictable, but the slow accumulation of spooky atmospherics makes it work. Readers shouldn't expect thrills, but there's still plenty to enjoy.
