A Morning in Eden [Hardcover]

Anna Gilbert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 12, 2001

Following the death of her beloved Aunt Belle, Lorna Kent abandons her life in the city to move to a small country town. Once an ancient valley settlement, Canterlow's surrounding countryside remains, even in 1919, virtually untouched by the passage of time. Immediately welcomed by her new community, Lorna soon finds herself helping at the local school and befriending its well-respected headmaster, Adam Ushart.

Enchanted by its beauty, and enraptured by her first experience of love, Lorna is unprepared for the dark undercurrent of violence and betrayal lying beneath the smooth surface of life in Canterlow. When the mysterious death of a beautiful young girl named Alice captures her imagination, Lorna soon finds herself entangled in a web of dangerous secrets. Alice had also been in love, and by discovering the identity of the young girl's seducer, Lorna finds herself involved in the lives of more than one person with something to hide.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Gilbert's The Treachery of Time won Britain's Catherine Cookson Award, and fans of Cookson will particularly appreciate this latest from the subgenre of gentle gothic. In 1919, Lorna Kent forsakes city life for the more bucolic splendors of Canterlow, England. At first, the small town is a peaceful refuge, seemingly unchanged by the recent distant battles of WWI. But as Lorna slowly discovers, the community's pleasant facade masks a substrata roiled by malicious gossip, mysterious tragedy and even barbaric evil. As Lorna becomes romantically obsessed with the local headmaster, she is equally consumed with finding out the truth behind the death of Alice Hood, an unmarried young woman who committed suicide after finding herself pregnant. Who was the man Lorna saw with Alice just before Alice died? Gilbert's tone is a little too village-cozy for readers to feel seriously menaced by events. There's only one real contender for the role of villain, and the most interesting relationship of the book gives way to a safely tepid one as order is predictably restored to the universe. Like weak tea on a cold day, this slender offering won't satisfy readers looking for robust refreshment, but it's perfect for those who like a comforting story told gracefully and well.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

It's 1919, and England is suffering the aftereffects of war and lingering Victorianism. Lorna Kent, raised by a maiden aunt, is a bit of a dreamer and a romantic, yet practical, too; she's pretty without being beautiful, curious about life without knowing how to live it, and full of plans and dreams tempered by the restrictions of the society in which she lives. When her beloved aunt dies, Lorna moves to a country village to live with another relative and finds herself drawn into the tragic story of young Alice Hood, who committed suicide after a mysterious lover left her pregnant and alone. When Lorna falls in love with Mr. Ushart, the married schoolmaster, she feels a connection with Alice and decides she must know the truth about who caused her tragic death. An intriguing mixture of gothic suspense, romantic intrigue, and historical mystery, Gilbert's latest has the flair and style to appeal to a broad range of readers. Emily Melton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books; 1st edition (December 12, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312284381
• ISBN-13: 978-0312284381
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,440,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book., May 28, 2004

By 

Della (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Morning in Eden (Hardcover)

Anna Gilbert is my favorite writer. I usually save her books for Sunday afternoon so that I can read them straight through and at around two hundred pages apiece, that's quite possible.

Although her books are all well plotted, with sometimes, unpredictable twists and turns, the plot isn't the point. The point , and the thing I believe Miss Gilbert does better than any author alive, is her amazing creation of atmosphere. While reading her books, I always feel as though I've time-traveled back to the quiet, pre WWI settings. Her protagonists are always young women and while they are fully realized, complete with faults and misconceptions, they are also some of the nicest, most likable girls in fiction. Consequently, whether we're experiencing a spine chilling moment in an abandoned cottage, or simply having tea in a Victorian garden, it's all a delightful escape from 21st century life.

I hope she writes many more.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Dark Pretentious and Dull, July 14, 2002

By 

Mamalinde "mamalinde" (Dallas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Morning in Eden (Hardcover)

Dark, boring lives, void of hope, usefulness or anything mildly interesting, go on and on in a pretentious, implausible tale of ? (I am not quite certain). Little flashes of interest do appear, only to be immediately quashed by the overall depression hanging over this book. I cannot fathom how things like this get published.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting coming of age tale, November 17, 2001

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Morning in Eden (Hardcover)

Her mother giving birth to Lorna Kent so her Aunt Belle in Donneston, England raised her. Her father left Lorna when she was five, but staying with her beloved Belle was fine to the little girl. She especially enjoyed visiting her Aunt Mabel in Canterlow; a place that Lorna felt and still feels is her Eden.

In 1919 when Aunt Belle dies, Lorna is content staying with Aunt Mabel. Lorna soon learns that the isolated town is self sufficient with a personality of its own that turns ugly during tumultuous times. She falls in love with Adam an older married person with two children. Lorna knows nothing can come of this so she says nothing. However, after Adam's wife dies, he asks her to marry him, but someone wants to stop a wedding between the duo because she has personal plans for him.

There is a gothic undertone to A MORNING IN EDEN though the tale is more of a character study than usually found in that genre. The protagonist is a sweet person who mistakes infatuation for love. Her common sense approach to life and her upbeat innocence makes Lorna an appealing character. Though Anna Gilbert seems to overuse death to further relationships, fans will enjoy her unique voice.

Harriet Klausner