Garden Spells

By: Sarah Addison Allen

Narrated by: Susan Ericksen

The Waverleys have always been a curious family, endowed with peculiar gifts that make them outsiders even in their hometown of Bascom, North Carolina. Even their garden has a reputation, famous for its feisty apple tree that bears prophetic fruit, and its edible flowers, imbued with special powers.

Generations of Waverleys tended this garden. Their history was in the soil. But so were their futures.

A successful caterer, Claire Waverley prepares dishes made with her mystical plants - from the nasturtiums that aid in keeping secrets and the pansies that make children thoughtful, to the snapdragons intended to discourage the attentions of her amorous neighbor.

Meanwhile, her elderly cousin, Evanelle, is known for distributing unexpected gifts whose uses become uncannily clear. They are the last of the Waverleys - except for Claire's rebellious sister, Sydney, who fled Bascom the moment she could, abandoning Claire, as their own mother had years before.

When Sydney suddenly returns home with a young daughter of her own, Claire's quiet life is turned upside down - along with the protective boundary she has so carefully constructed around her heart. Together again in the house they grew up in, Sydney takes stock of all she left behind, as Claire struggles to heal the wounds of the past. And soon the sisters realize they must deal with their common legacy - if they are ever to feel at home in Bascom - or with each other.

©2007 Sarah Addison Allen (P)2007 Brilliance Audio

Critic reviews

"The blending of horticultural folklore, the supernatural and a big dollop of Southern flavor should find favor with a wide swath of readers." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Spellbindingly charming, Allen's impressively accomplished debut novel will bewitch fans of Alice Hoffman and Laura Esquivel." ( Booklist)

So love earthy witch stories.

Good story. The story and relationships are a little meatier than a lot of books in this genre,
But the best part was the descriptions of the magical effects of different flowers and plants. It was all presented so well that it seemed plausible you could whip up a love potion cupcake in the kitchen. (I have added a few edible flowers to my garden this Spring! Just in case.)

Worth the credit.

A Magical Garden and an Opinionated Apple Tree

While I enjoyed my visit to the Waverley House in Bascome, I usually read more emotionally intense books. In a way, this was a lovely change of pace. The sisters growing affection was believable, the love interest characters charming, and the happy ending was neatly done.

I also thought Susan Erickson's narration was perfect for the pace of this story.

Although I enjoyed the book for what it is, it isn't very deep and it's unlikely I would read it again. Pass it on to someone else? Definitely.

Short and Sweet

Any additional comments?

This was a very lovely story. The plot loosly resembled "Practical Magic". Overall, I liked the book and the narration. I just felt like there was more of a story here if she wanted to tell it. But still worth a listen.

Magical!

Loved the story and enjoyed the reader. Sarah Addison Allen writes the most whimsical books.

Unexpected Delight

This title I purchased on a whim during one of Audible's "3 for 2" or such sales. I'm so glad I did!

As a reader, I really cared about the characters and could almost believe that the type of magic they experienced was real. -- OK, the tree was maybe a bit out there, but the rest of it . . . if magic is real, this is probably how it works. ;-) I appreciate all the work Sarah Addison Allen clearly put into researching herbal lore.

The narration by Susan Ericksen was wonderful. Even though it was written in third person, her inflection changed depending on whose POV we were hearing at the time. Characters were differentiated without becoming cartoonish, and were treated with sensitivity and care.

One mild production criticism: for scenes involving phone conversations, the "other end of the line" was sampled a bit. I found this distracting and a bit off-putting, and it pulled me out of the story I was enjoying so much.