The Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pub date: 2010
Genre: historical fiction
Library loan, digital copy
St Martin’s Press

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Evan Whitson was the glue that held his family together. It is only when he becomes ill and dies that his daughters, Meredith and Nina, realize how little they know about their family. The two sisters grew apart over the years due to their very different personalities. They both came to rely on their father Evan for the love and support they needed. Their Russian mother Anya had always been distant and unaffectionate which had them wonder how their father could adore her so deeply.

His dying wish is that his daughters learn about their mother’s life, something which she has always avoided, unless wrapped up in a fairy tale. Nina, a world traveling photojournalist and Meredith, who runs the family orchard Belye Nochi take their mother on a cruise to Alaska. This journey provides cathartic healing in ways they never could’ve imagined. She slowly begins to reveal the secrets and guilt she has held over the years. As the many truths unfold the women begin to understand the impact it’s had on their lives. The story unfolds like Russian nesting dolls, one at a time and the heart is found in the center.

Our experiences shape us into the people we become but not the people we are destined to be. Ultimately, we have the ability to accept things at face value which is safe and easy. It’s when we dig deeper and risk vulnerability do we find the truth which may distort our assumptions. Sometimes, we may not be ready or willing to hear the “real” story as sometimes reality is harder to handle than our protective assumptions.

”Joy and sadness were part of the package; the trick, perhaps, was to let yourself feel all of it, but to hold on to the joy just a little more tightly because you never knew when a strong heart could just give out.”

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