This book is a collection of interwoven stories with shared characters and background. As in other Alice Hoffman work, magic mixed with logic is an element in the stories that relate especially to a red-soil garden, in which anything that grows takes the color of red.

The first story shows Hallie who first cultivated the garden, which gave the book its title. The other stories also tell of magic like a woman turning into an eel, ghosts, and other unusual events, and also the women who are looking for something or somewhere else better in their troubled lives. The book starts in mid-eighteenth century and comes, through several stories, to the twenty-first century

The characters are interesting, and the time sequence adds to the enjoyment of them, giving the reader the feeling of viewing a historical chart. Storytelling, as always, is exquisite with clear, crisp, and powerful prose.

I didn’t relate to all the stories with the same enthusiasm I had for some of them, but combined together they make a wonderful vista to take in and enjoy.

seeing how several different stories over time can relate to one another.

the author's prose.

is Alice Hoffman with other successful novels such as: The Dove Keepers, Here on Earth, The River King, Seventh Heaven, Turtle Moon, Angel Landing, Property of, Fortune's Daughter, The Drowning Season.

It is so well written with magical overtones mixed in with historical data and wonderful, believable female characters.

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Created Mar 27, 2015 at 3:14pm • Submit your own review...