Customer Reviews

Leota's Garden

5 star:		(74)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

Frankly, this book surprised me. As a man who was reading a book that is primarily intended for women, I didn't think that a book about an old lady and her garden could make for much of a plot. Wrong! Francine Rivers is a masterful fiction writer who really knows how to weave a great story. Just when you think you have the plot figured out and heading in a straight line to the finish, she throws in a gentle twist that makes you blink in surprise. This is her second book that examines in depth the relationship between three generations of women (the first being The Last Sin Eater). It is a subject that Francine has obviously given a lot of thought to. Her observations of the interworkings between the generations are excellent, and the interaction between the characters totally believeable. Leota's Garden is definitely a five star work of fiction.

Leota Reinhardt only has to look out her window to see how much her life has changed. Now 84 years old, her once comfortable little house with its abundant garden shows the effects of years of neglect, just as Leota shows the effect of years of yeaars of strained contact with her daughter and son. She is not prepared for the changes that will come into her life, a granddaughter who is dertermined to follow the promptings of the Spirit, a young college student, motivated by getting a grade, touched by goodness and Leota's own indominatable spirit. Francine Rivers is well known in among Christian readers (this is the first of her books I have read) and it can be a bit disconcerting to read the characters inner dialogue with a Higher Power. The characters are well developed and evolve, not change magicly...which is good. I was worried they would all see the light and the book would end. I liked many of these characters too much to be cheated that way. I hesitated to pick this up, but I am glad I did.

I haven't read a story this compelling in years. The young granddaughter that hasn't seen much of her aging grandmother due to an unfortunate communication problem, finds the joy and love she has missed from her own mother. Add some interesting friends and other family members, Leota (the grandmother) soon has more company than she bargained for; and is thoroughly enjoying herself, much to her mother's disdain! Annie hangs in there with Leota, defying her mother's "orders" and finds her own balance with God in her life. I read this book in two evenings. Very hard to put it down. "Thanks Mom for giving me this book to read, and for all the happiness I experienced in my childhood".

This is one of the BEST books I've ever read! It stays with you even after you've finished, and to me that is the mark of a good author and book! Leota's Garden is the story of a young woman, her grandmother and their family. Because of hard feelings, misunderstandings and hatred by other family members, Annie has never really known her grandmother. She determines to get to know her. Grandma Leota is an old woman, living alone in a rundown house in an undesirable neighborhood. All she wants is for the Lord to take her home! When Annie comes to visit her and continues these visits, Leota has something to live for again. Annie was a bit "too good to be true", but she also inspired me to live my life in a better way. Her love for her grandmother touched me so. It made me thankful that I had been fortunate to have a good, loving relationship with my own grandma, who reminded me of Leota with her love of her garden and flowers. This story also shows us so vividly how we treat the elderly today. We push them to the back of our busy lives and don't spend time seeing them as real people who can contribute to our lives!The book opens your heart and eyes to so much. I was a bit disappointed in a few things. I didn't like the "surprising way" that Leota died. I had hoped Annie would end up with one of her two enamored young fellas. But, isn't this life?? Things don't always turn out as we want. This story showed me once again that God is in control of each of our lives. This is my favorite book by Francine Rivers and I've read several and enjoyed them. I checked this out from the library, but already bought a copy for myself. I plan to re-read this book again and again!

Leota's Garden is a story of love and acceptance. It wasn't always an easy read as many times I felt prodded and pricked. The story involves a family that has suffered and has been nearly torn completly apart. Leota lives alone in her house struggling to get by while her daughter and son virtually ignore her. Her daughter, Nora, has bitterly written her mother off as uncaring, unloving, and selfish. In her effort to give her daughter, Anne-Lynn, the love she felt she never recived, Nora demanded only the best from Anne-Lynn, best tutors, best schools, best everything. Everything except what Annie craved, a mother who loved her for herself. After Nora scathingly told Annie she was "just like her grandmother", Annie decided to go find out more about her grandmother.

Annie found Leota a loving kind although sharp tongued woman. Annie brought a burst of sunlight into Leota's fading world. While Annie struggles to breath new life into Leota's overgrown garden, Nora is being painfully pruned and stretched in ways she feels unable to undertand or acceept.

I think this book can reach many of us. How many times do we feel hurt and slighted by loved ones because of what we perceive them to be thinking or saying about us? How many times do we wish we would have just said something in love rather retreat into stoney silence and hurt.

I did find the ending a bit jarring and uneven, but it did not dim how much I liked the book even though it made me look at some of my own actions more closely than I may have wished to do so.

And most of all, don't waste a chance to tell someone you love them. You may not have a second chance to say it.

Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers addresses many of the problems we face each day--aging parents and grandparents, family disfunction, relationship problems. The refreshing thing about Rivers is that she doesn't try to solve these problems with band aids, but applies God's Word. She also points out that God's view is eternal and all problems may not be solved in our time frame. A very good read that makes one think.

Leota's Garden was a joy to read! It not only is good, readable fiction, but it encouraged me to allow my feelings to be vulnerable to become a part of the story. As I read, I felt the feelings of the characters and was able to place myself in situations that I do not daily experience.

Francine Rivers has become one of my favorite authors and I highly recommend Leota's Garden to any reader who has not yet experienced the joy of a Christian fiction book!

This was the first book I read by Francine Rivers and I have been hooked ever since. This is a fantastic book that I have shared with many friends over the years. What a delight youth and age-- coming together. I read this while my husband was driving us across country. I could not control my self from laughing so hard! Leota had me rolling with laughter and of course there were some tears. I really wanted a different ending but it was more true to life. It was a beautiful love story, reunion, comedy and current life situations!

I was glued to this book for the two days it took me to read it so
you can imagine my utter shock and frustration when the book took a
twist turn at the end concerning Leota and a medical technician.
It was so unnecessary. It would have been nice for Leota and her daughter to reconcile or at LEAST die a normal peaceful death. I was very disappointed but overall enjoyed the dialogue throughout the book.

The Halloweeen "skit" was too drawn out for my liking but Leota was such dear I read to find out more and more about her sweet self. Other parts of the book caused me to raise my eybrows... How "predicatble" that the black kids would have an absentee father who was probably "in jail." There were enough odd placed comments concerning race to make me squirm in my seat but I suppose that was the author's intent. Bottom line is this was a good book but I probably wouldn't recommend it. The "feud" between mother (Leota) and daughter (Nora) seemed entirely overblown. And Annie was too perfect to be true. It was a pleasant book and this is Just my two cents.

This was the first book I have read by Francine Rivers and enjoyed it immensely. For thoses of us who are dealing with aging parents, it has a wonderful Christian perspective on the gifts that we may overlook in our own. It shows that a little compassion and love can go a long way.