The Seekers’ Garden by Isa Pearl Ritchie
Publisher: Te Ra Aroha Press
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Rated: 4 stars
Review by RoseIf you stand still for long enough, the past catches up with you…
Leaving behind the fragments of her old life, Marcia Reed-Wilton crosses the world to return to her dilapidated childhood home and dig up the weeds of the past.
Next door, Mrs Everglade struggles to maintain her independence in spite of her increasing frailty.
Sixteen-year-old Lea escapes into her poetry to cope with depression until meeting Alex, a much more potent distraction.
Meanwhile, Iris leaves her career on a whim to embark on an adventure of an entirely different kind; moving to a sleepy seaside town to write a book.
On the other side of the world in opposite seasons, Zane, vocalist for a popular band is haunted by cryptic dreams that lead him home.
A few twists of fate and a buried secret leave these individuals deeply and unexpectedly connected.
The Seekers’ Garden is a lush and captivating exploration of loss, growth and spirituality, revealing the way connections form in unlikely places.
This book is a richly drawn tapestry of the lives of five characters and how they interconnect. I loved how the characters are each unique, with their own voices. The format the author used enables to reader to truly connect with each character on a deep level. They are all at different points in their lives, and the reader should easily be able to identify with one or more of the characters. Each character is drawn so differently, and their individual chapters reflects each of their voice and interest. Great job on that!
I was fascinated to work through the chapters and try to figure out how they were connected. That was almost as much fun as getting to know the characters themselves… no spoilers, though.
It is slower paced than a lot of the books I read, and it was a nice change to be able to just immerse myself in the lives of these characters and go along on their journeys. Very thought provoking. Great job! 4 stars
