The Victory Garden: A Novel

The Victory Garden was a selection for a small book club.We had read another of Bowen's books. This title is full of twists & turns in the life of a young woman of privilege who is brave & determined to meet life at its worst and turn it into overcoming adversity. The WW 1 setting in Britain is a historical tribute to those who bravely fought & those who were left behind. The ending is particularly full of hope & love.

Usually, I don’t read Historical Fiction as a genre but this seemed interesting to me. It was pretty devastating to say the least that despite this being completely fictional, I felt a sense of loss for real people that lived through ww1. I felt that we were really, truly following Emily’s journey during the events and I think the book did its purpose in telling that story. What was a bit disappointing was that in the synopsis, it was said about how Emily grows herbs and that was true, it was a little misleading. I assumed it was for the war soliders not for villagers in the town. And we followed Emily’s life moreso than anything else. I think the title is true to the story cause not only did she work on the land, she also created concoctions to make people feel better. I think especially given the circumstances, it represented hope. Hope for people during the war.

Enjoyed from beginning to end.The main character was very interesting. Felt empathy for her but she was a strong character. Well written as all of her books are.Thank you.

The Victory Garden is by Rhys Brown. This book is wonderful and it takes you to another place with ease. It takes you to England during World War I. Many women have taken jobs once denied to them simply because men were gone. Many young women from the society pages had taken on jobs as well while some were just involved through charities.Clarissa Hamilton had been taken into the nursing section and worked her way up. She was now stationed somewhere in France. Her best friend, Emily Bryce, had been forced to stay home and work only with the charities her Mother deemed polite enough for her daughter. After all, Emily was only twenty and was highly marriageable. She only had to make her decision as to whom to marry among her parents’ friends and acquaintances. Emily was not ready to get married and had no intention of choosing the men her parents presented to her. An arranged marriage was not going to be for her! She understood her parents wanting her to stay at home after the death of their only son; but Emily felt the need to do something to help the home front to help her feel her brother’s death was not in vain. The one charity she thought particularly stupid was serving baked good to the men at the hospital which had been set up in the mansion next to them. It was for officers so was acceptable. If she had been allowed to sit and talk to the young men or write letters for them, that would be useful; but to serve buns from silver trays with crystal tongs and not being allowed to talk to the men other than pleasantries, seemed a waste of time until she accidentally met Flight Lieutenant Robert Kerr from Australia. Things seemed to look up as they became acquainted. When Robbie was sent to a different hospital in Plymouth, Emily decided to take matters into her own hands as she had just turned twenty-one. She enlisted in the Land Girls program near enough to be able to see Robbie on days off. Her parents were furious.Emily’s adventures with the Land Girls, her romance with Robbie, and her life after the War are described in wonderful detail in the book. Rhys Brown’s attention to detail in creating her characters and places in the book creates a world you can easily slip into as you read. You simply do not want the book to end and you are left wanting more.

It was 1916 & the Great War was still raging; almost everyone had lost a loved one by now & there few, if any, healthy young men to be found in England. Emily was just about to turn 21 when she fell in love with a handsome Australian fighter pilot who was recovering from his injuries at a nearby estate which had become a convalescent home for officers. Her overprotective & class conscious parents did not approve of her choice & when they took steps to thwart the relationship, Emily left home to seek employment that would contribute to the war effort & make it possible to continue to see her lieutenant, finding herself unexpectedly agreeing to serve as a Land Girl, one of the bold women who volunteered to help with the grueling farm work which had previously been performed by the absent men. This is not just a fish-out-of-water story, but one of overcoming adversity, of endurance, & of survival. Also…love, but not only the romantic kind. I was happy with the conclusion of this tale but would be even happier to read a sequel!This author nearly corners the market on the English upper class during the time surrounding WWI; she is a wonderfully descriptive writer with great insight into the human heart; her characters are well realized & compelling. She’s one of my very favorites!

Altro romanzo storico dell’autrice su una storia possibile (ma forse poco plausibile) di donna indipendente

All the best ingredients for a heartwarming read. You will certainly not being dissapointed. Oh well four more words necessary.

J’ai adoré , l’histoire, le style, la réalité historique dépeinte . L’histoire m’a tenue en haleine et il était difficile d’abandonner le livre . Maintenant que je l’ai fini, je ressens un grand vide . Les lecteurs et lectrices me comprendront .

An enjoyable story. Well written, realistic characters whose lives were shaped by the times they were living in. It was interesting to read about women’s contributions to the war efforts, facts that sometimes get lost in history. This is the first book I have read by this author but it won’t be my last.

Where to start?right,the name was captivating itself then the intro was quite eye catching.Loved the way the author took time to make her characters come to life.These women lost a crucial part of thr life,yet they arouse like a phoenix.Looking forward to read more from the author.