Customer Reviews

Night Gardening

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My curiosity was aroused as I listened to the Author tell of his book "Night Gardening." Night Gardening is about an older woman who loves gardening but has had a stroke and can no longer tend her precious "friends." As a result, her garden has fallen into a sad state - perhaps a reflection of her circumstances - a recovering stroke victim. Without giving out too much of the story, a professional landscaper next door notices her and her garden and decides to fix up the garden. That's not all the fixing up that gets done. What follows is a tender love story with a poignant end - I'll leave it at that. It's a triumph of the human spirit over old age and disability with a wonderful sweetness of new-found love. Some erotic content will take away from the story for some, I fear, but it is a love story! An older woman - a stroke victim having an affair - what will they think of next. I love it.

At last, a romantic novel about people over 60 that avoids stereotype and presents them as passionate, flawed people who love. In addition to its appeal for those who are over 60, the novel will be loved by gardeners and devotees of Zen philosophy. As he restores Maggie's neglected garden, Tristan also restores Maggie's body and soul. She becomes beautiful in her own eyes as the summer deepens with their love. I do miss these characters now that I've finished the book. The challenges of recovering one's motor abilities following a stroke are presented realistically as are those of dealing with adult, alcoholic children. Maggie's memories of her childhood parist priest are enchanting. The story is redemptive without cloying. An altogether good read. Just hope Hollywood doesn't muck up the ending.

I loved this book from cover to cover. A great romance develops between the spirited and complicated woman in a wheelchair, and the facinating man who is a genius of landscape architecture. As the relationship grows and finaly flowers so too the gardens of this amazing woman; Maggie. Beautifully written, I could not put this book down. I can only imagine what a stunning movie this exquisite book will make some day.

If you love gardening and if you love romance, then this is the book for you. I've read thousands of romance novels, but this is by far one of the most subtly erotic, tender, beautiful, enchanting, bittersweet tales I've ever read. You come away knowing that love is not merely for the young or the perfectly healthy person. Maggie and Tristan renewed my faith in love and life.

The gardening knowledge in each chapter is worth the price of the book alone and seeing the exotic gardens at night through Maggie and Tristan's eyes was hypnotically mesmerizing. This is a beautifully written book. I went and planted some Moonflowers after reading it to enhance my own night garden. . .

I thought this book was a beautiful love story!! About two people who share their passion for gardening and much much more. Just like the garden that came to life once again, so did the passion they both had hidden in their souls. The author depicts Maggie's struggle with her disabling illness, her children's alcoholism, and her own doubts of being a failure raising her children. Many of these struggles are what women go through at some point in their lives, and one that I can I identify with. Sometimes we need to weed out and discard the bad stuff in our lives, so that we can grow, flourish and blossom in all our glory. I couldn't put the book down. Better have the tissue box handy for this book! Hope to read more books like this one by Kathryn Lasky (a.k.a E.L. Swann).

I could not put this book down until I had finished every word.I don't want to give one moment of this beautifully written book away,but I fell in love with both the main characters while they lay on the ground watching the trees go by. Tristen was charming and Maggie was strong and fiesty. I wanted to have lunch with both of them. As it was I spent an afternoon and an evening with them. When I was through I wanted to toast them with a glass of champagne. You will too!

I took this book with me on vacation this year and after I read it, I did not want to read any other type of book that I had brought along - my sister felt the same way, as did the lady who lives in the area of where we vacation (we all read it). The characters were so real - it was as if I really knew them. Definitely a love story that should have continued until this day. I have seen Kathryn Lansky on Book TV (Ms. Swann's other name) and she really has a love for children's books. I would love to see more of Night Gardening types of books in the future. You owe it to yourself to read and savor this one.

I heard raves about this book, so when it was given to me as a gift, I was anxious to get started on it. I had the hardcover and was really excited after reading the glowing review on the back. I should have left it at that. The review was much more entertaining to read than the book itself. The book revolves around a character that is basically "over" things. She doesn't care much for the kids she raised, has decided she didn't much like her now dead husband and is pretty much bored with the way her life turned out. Then we have the perfect man come into her life. He of course has never done wrong, but somehow, unluckily, stumbles into a marriage with a deadbeat wife/mother to his kid. She deserts them all, in spite of how great he is. Who knows how this is possible, since he always says and does the right thing at the right time. Perhaps I am so disappointed because I had this built up in my mind, and it was just predictable and trite. This is one of the few books I have ever read that I just wanted to toss out a window. What should I do with it now that I wasted time reading it?? It's not worth passing on, and it's certainly not worth taking up space on my bookshelf. A true dilemma for a person who loves to read and considers books treasures. At least it was a short, read in an afternoon book. Otherwise I would have been really mad at wasting days on it.

I missed Tristan and Maggie as soon as I closed the book. I told all my friends to buy a copy!

I loved this book til I got to the end,I was very disappointed with ending, I would have had Tristan come home and deal with Maggies son and then have them go off into the sunset.Only looking for happy endings