Garden Spells
Books | Fiction / General
3.9
(1.6K)
Sarah Addison Allen
In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in an even smaller town, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit. In this luminous debut novel, Sarah Addison Allen tells the story of that enchanted tree, and the extraordinary people who tend it.... 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. Enchanting and heartfelt, this captivating novel is sure to cast a spell with a style all its own....
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More Details:
Author
Sarah Addison Allen
Pages
290
Publisher
Bantam Books
Published Date
2007
ISBN
0553805487 9780553805482
Community ReviewsSee all
"Sweet, charming & amusing little tale."
R T
Rebekah Travis
"I just started this and love it so far. Practical Magic vibes "
C F
Connie Faircloth
"One of my favorites! The little touches of magic has Practical Magic vibes. Could easily re-read again!"
K L
Kristina Lemi
"Actual rating: 2.5 stars<br/><br/>Finally finished! This should not have taken a month to read it, but I kept putting it down for days at a time. I liked it in the beginning, but hated the ending. Well, maybe not hate but I was groaning a lot. And the middle was meh. I never fully understood Tyler's obsession with Claire; I liked her but I never understood why he did. And their scenes just always made me uncomfortable--I felt he was too pushy. I disliked Sydney for about the first half of the book but liked her a bit by the end."
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