Peeking Between the Pages

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Book Review: The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair & Giveaway

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The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair is a beautifully written novel. I find it hard to believe that this book is a debut novel as the writing is amazing and the story is absolutely captivating. To begin with I love a novel that takes me away and drops me into another culture and novels taking place in India, as this one is, are really a favorite of mine. I love to read about their traditions and the descriptions of the food and clothing always grab my interest and hold me fast to the story.

The novel opens with Rakhee, who as an adult, has everything she could want – a promising career and a fiance she loves. Into this seemingly tranquil world comes a letter; a letter that leaves her feeling very conflicted. Reading the letter takes her back to another time and place when her world was not as stable as now. When it was a world that made no sense to Rakhee and she found herself and her life changed forever.

Rakhee is ten years old when her mother uproots her from her life in America and takes her to her ancestral home in India. The village her mother grew up in is untouched by time and Rakhee can’t imagine spending her summer there but she soon makes friends with her cousins, especially Krishna. Her mother’s family though seems cool and there always seems to be something going on in the background that none of the kids can know about. Then there is her mother who seems to be withdrawing into herself as she did once before when she had to go away and leave Rakhee for a while. The worst is Prem, a man who it appears that her mother has some kind of relationship with and Rakhee is angered by this. She wants nothing more than for her and her mother to go home to Aba, her father, and be a happy family again.

One of the biggest things intriguing Rakhee is are the woods behind the house. From the very beginning Rakhee is instructed never to go into the woods, that something bad is lurking in there. Rakhee is a pretty adventurous and a touch rebellious young girl though and listening isn’t always high on her list of things to do. One day she ventures into the woods and finds a beautiful garden that is behind a wall. What she finds in the garden scares her to death and she runs away. Her inquisitive nature though draws her back to the garden and what is behind the wall.

Rakhee’s trips to the garden stand to threaten and bring down her whole family. Long buried family secrets are exposed and walls around both her family in America and her family in India break down. Rakhee’s summer trip to India with her mother changes her life forever in both the ways she looks at life and love. One thing for certain, she will never be the same after this trip.

Again, I have to say how much I loved the writing in this novel. The descriptiveness of the author’s writing is one that has you seeing so vividly in your mind exactly what she’s talking about. Here is a favorite passage of mine that just seemed to take me away to this beautiful garden…

‘A brief wind sent a cluster of red petals drifting down from its branches and settling on the ground at my feet. A flock of pale blue butterflies emerged from a bed of golden trumpet flowers and sailed up into the sky. In the center of this scene was a peach stucco cottage with green shutters and a thatched roof, quaint and idyllic as a dollhouse. A heavenly perfume drifted over the wall, intoxicating me — I wanted nothing more than to enter.’ (page 68, uncorrected copy; final printed copy may be different)

And then the author can go in the opposite direction entirely with a description so vivid it gives you chills…

‘The vines that covered the wall began to unlatch from the cold gray stone and slither down onto the ground, where they coiled at my feet. Soon they were creeping along my body like green snakes, winding around my ankles, my legs, and finally my throat, binding my mouth, hissing. Their forked tongues, flickered at the insides of my ears. “Trust us, Rakhee, trust us.” ‘ (pg 82, uncorrected copy; final printed copy may be different)

The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair is well worth reading and I really enjoyed it. It was another fast read for me as the pages flew by with me wanting to uncover just what the family secret was! I read this novel for the author’s book tour with TLC Book Tours. Be sure to see what the others on the blog tour thought of the novel here. You can visit Kamala Nair’s website here and be sure to find her on Facebook and Twitter as well! You can purchase a copy of The Girl in the Garden here in the US and here in Canada.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

I have one copy of The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair up for grabs. To enter…

  • For 1 entry leave me a comment with an email address to contact you should you win (no email, no entry).
  • For 2 entries, follow my blog. If you already do, thank you, and please let me know so I can pass the extra entry on to you as well.
  • For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway and spread the word!

This giveaway is open to US & Canadian residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, August 13/11. Good luck everyone!

© 2010, Darlene of Peeking Between the Pages. All Rights Reserved. If you’re reading this on a site other than Peeking Between the Pages or Darlene’s Feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
My copy of The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair was received for review from TLC Book Tours and Grand Central Publishing.

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Comments

  1. Dar, this does sound wonderful. I would love a chance to win a copy.

    bibliophilebythesea AT gmail DOT com

  3. Thanks for the review and giveaway! I love books set in other cultures, and I've found that many of the ones in India especially are always beautifully written.

    I'm an old GFC follower.

    susanna DOT pyatt AT student DOT rcsnc DOT org

  4. Great review.
    Sounds like a great read. Please count me in.

    I am a gfc follower.

    fmlj94(at)yahoo(dot)com

  5. I love books set in other cultures and really seem to have a fascination with India these days. I'd love to be entered in your giveaway. kathy(at)bermudaonion.net

    I subscribe in Google Reader.

  6. I enjoy books set in other cultures and this one sounds fantastic. It's especially nice to have a debut novel that is captivating! The cover art is gorgeous as well. Add my name to the hat, please.

    I am a long time follower:)

    redladysreadingroomATgmailDOTcom

  8. An interesting book and the review was great. Many thanks. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

  9. This sounds fantastic Dar! I love it when stories can sweep me away. Lovely cover also.

  10. This sounds like a wonderful book! I've read a couple of other books set in India this year and would like to read this one as well!

    I am a GFC follower.

    Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

  16. This is already on my wish list, I've seen nothing but good reviews. I'd love to give it a read, thank you for the chance at winning a copy!

    jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

  18. This is another book that I have been reading good things about all over the place. I am glad to hear that you liked it as well. There seem to be a lot of books out there about family secrets, and I want to read every one! Please do enter me in your giveaway, Dar, and thanks for hosting it!!

    zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

    I follow your blog through google reader

  19. Terrific review. I'm so eager to read this one. Thanks for the chance at the giveaway!

    I'm a follower!
    HoffmanLiterary [at] insidhtbb [dot] com

  24. I really loved this novel as well. It brought me back to reading the secret garden as a kid. I imagined so many things in that garden and in this one. no need to enter me…I was on the tour.

  25. I loved your review, keeping my fingers crossed for a win.
    mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

  28. I enjoy reading about other countries and would love to win this book!
    PMNSL95 at triad dot rr dot com

  36. I like reading about other cultures and Im anxious to find out the secrets she uncovers in the garden

    amhengst at verizon dot net

  39. It does sounds like a trip to India and its past. I would love to read this fascinating book.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  44. My reading has taken me to India quite a few times this year and I have enjoyed each "trip". Love to read debut books.

    I am a follower.

    nisethusfarATyahooDOTcom

  48. The author's writing is beautiful and her imagery so vivid. I understand why you loved this book, Dar. Please enter me in your giveaway, I'd love the chance to win a copy of this amazing debut novel!

    I'm a faithful follower!
    Aimala127(at)gmail(dot)com

  49. Lovely review Darlene. I agree the passages you included do not sound like a newbie writer. Some poeple are just uber talented.

    jennygirl73[at]gmail[dot]com

  51. Great review. I missed the tour on this one. It sounds just beautiful. Please enter me in the giveaway!

    je2kids(at)gmail(dot)com

    I follow you in google reader.

    2 Kids and Tired Books

  54. Thank you for always finding new books to review for us & giving us a chance to win one! This one I just have to read! It grabs you just by the intro & pulls you into the story! Please enter me in the giveaway!
    pinchbuggies at hotmail.com

  55. I am already following you via GFC & the email newsletter 🙂
    pinchbuggies at hotmail.com

  57. I really like that the book is set in India as I don't read many books that are. It makes a nice backdrop for the story.

    Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com

  61. This book is getting alot of buzz. I'm glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the giveaway.
    jgoffice(at)cox(dot)net

  63. I love books in exotic, to me, settings. This sounds fabulous and the excerpts you quoted were wonderfully descriptive. Thanks for the chance.

    I'm a follower.

    carolsnotebook at yahoo dot com

  64. I love books about other cultures – what a wonderful way to learn about other ways of life. Thanks for the giveaway!

    I am a GFC follower.

  65. I want to read this book just based on the cover.

    thanks

    chocolate and croissants at yahoo . com

  67. I've been hearing such wonderful things about this book – I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

    Thanks for being on the tour.

  68. Seems like it would be an interesting read Thanks for the chance to win
    tanyainjville at yahoo dot com

  70. This sounds like a book I'd really love. Count me in please 🙂

    quixoticdreamer(at)hotmail(dot)com

  77. I'd love to read this book. I'm a follower, and have posted this in my blog's sidebar.

    suko95(at)gmail(dot)com

    Thanks!

  80. I've a weakness for books in this genre – and I've heard all good things about THE GIRL IN THE GARDEN. Thanks so much for the chance to win a copy!

    geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com

  85. I'm a follower via GFC (as Margie)
    (can't make an entry here with my google name, so using Anonymous instead)

  88. A very interesting book. I would love a chance to win a copy. Thanks for having this giveaway.

    Anita Yancey
    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net