First, I’d like to thank NetGalley and Transworld Publishers for allowing me to read this book as an ARC. I did enjoy this book and would love to rate it higher, but I feel like I was left with more questions than answers. This was a unique story about two elderly sisters living in a dystopian/post-apocalyptic world, which was refreshing. The setting and the story were great and really made it easy to follow. The story started slow and didn’t really pick up until 70%ish of the way through, which made it feel like it was dragging. Once it started picking up I had a hard time putting it down! Personally, I wish there was more action throughout the book to help it move along. I loved the writing and the plot, just personally cannot give it more than 3 stars for those reasons.

We don’t know where the garden is. We don’t know why the people live in the kitchen and not in the house. We don’t know why they never leave. In flashbacks, we learn about Evelyn and Lily’s childhood. We know the events must be a long time ago because they are old women now. We don’t understand their fear when they realise someone else is in the garden. Little by little, their lives open up to us and we can piece together what has happened. I was impatient to know the answers.

This is an original story that leads us along a very bizarre path of events and suppositions. I found it compelling, moving and intriguing. The realisation of what has happened to these two women isn’t a huge shock in the end and it doesn’t answer all of our questions, the answers to some of which we’re left to surmise ourselves. I’ll be thinking about some of them for a while yet.

I’m not quite sure what this was exactly. Nothing happened plot wise, but also everything happened. Lily and Evelyn have spent their entire lives in their kitchen and garden, with only memories of the rest of the house. They do the same tasks everyday, sleep in the same clothes and eat the same food. Everything is perfectly ordinary. Except for the fact that they don’t know what lies beyond the walls of their garden, nor do they remember the last time they saw or spoke to anyone else apart from each other. Until a boy appears.

I enjoyed the slow, rhythmic pacing of this book. Told through two timelines, secrets were slowly revealed and the sisters have to question everything they thought they knew. The ending was a tad confusing but overall I enjoyed the eerie atmosphere and unknown fears. I also really enjoyed how different the sisters were, I found myself sympathetic and annoyed with them both at different times. An original and entertaining read.

Part Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, part Lord of the Flies, part Shirley Jackson : all itself

Nick Newman’s distinctly creepy, quirky, mountingly tense post apocalyptic Gothic Garden of Eden novel is definitely weird, and remarkably wonderful.

There is a LOT of resonating to other books, other authors, going on here, but none of it feels like a contrived conceit, and the various layers – I can include Margaret Atwood and even ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’. Edward Albee’s play, turned into a movie, and Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden in with the layering detailed above into this. Probably there are hints and resonances I’ve missed as well.

Briefly, set in a couple of time-lines which seamlessly twine with each other, we meet the two central characters, Evelyn and Lily as quite ancient sisters, living in what is some kind of isolated, decaying mansion. There are no other humans, nor any companion animals, other than some seemingly also elderly hens and a cockerel, who give the sisters eggs, and some beehives yielding honey. Most of the mansion is out of bounds, with locked and boarded up barriers preventing entry. The sisters live in the huge kitchen. And the mansion itself is surrounded by a huge and crumbling wall. Some other kind of ‘magical’ barrier has been made and maintained, by burying various objects on the garden side of the wall. There seems to be some kind of double purpose to these barriers, both to keep whatever danger is outside the wall from getting in, but also to deter the sisters from leaving.

Some major event happened in the past, which seems linked to climate change, some history of utterly violent storms

The second timeline is that of the sisters’ childhood. At that time, they lived with their parents. At one time, there were guests who visited. The relationship between the parents was clearly fraught. We really only get the flickering memories which, particularly, Evelyn has, of ‘before’ rather than a linear description of events, so we have here the wonderful unreliable narrator. At some point, various cataclysmic events happen. Nothing is definitely stated, but at some point the siege mentality within the house began, put into place by ‘Mama’. Who of course must have died long ago now, as the sisters are themselves old and becoming frail.

So brilliantly atmospheric, with satisfying detail of the practicalities of living in this curious, isolated Garden-of-Eden but also ‘Secret Garden’ as the sisters have the well thumbed book, clearly from their childhood, and read the crumbling pages to each other. There is also a curious hand written almanac of how to care for the house and garden and maintain the inner and outer wall. Mama’s instruction book.

The sisters have clearly lived this way for decades, and have a complex relationship with each other, both secretive, protective, and with flashes of rivalry and resentment. There is love, and also spite and irritability.

Into this, there comes a mysterious invader, a young boy aged somewhere between 12-14. Dirty, undernourished, terrified but also some kind of survivor from some other place. He brings both a terror and a warning about whatever ‘outside’ might be, both threatening the sisters’ established secure insecurities, but also, possibly offering both help to their elderly frailty, and the possibility of him being both exploited, and exploiter.

There is a kind of Shirley Jacksonish dark humour here, as well as her mounting Gothic horror.

Brilliant, spooky, disturbing. Also – strong kudos to the cover designer, for such a beautiful. alluring cover which is both magical and unsettling

-Rating & Tropes-
5*/5
-Cottagecore
-Unique Story
-Apocalyptic

-Quick description-
The Garden is set in a time and place that we don’t know of, what we do know is that there has been some sort of world devastating event, that they seem to have been shielded from.

The two sisters spend most of their days tending the garden and cooking we get flashbacks to their past we see them as children living in their house with their parents having company over, but then it stops and it seems to just be the four of them and they not longer go to school or have people over to help with the garden.

When “the boy” turns up seemingly out of no where the story thickens and we get a chance to see how the rest of the world has been for the many long years the two sisters have been tucked away in their garden sanctuary.


-Characters-

-Evelyn-
The older of the siblings, she’s one to follow her mother’s rules and she has almost took on the role of mum to her younger sister Lily.

-Lily-
The younger of the two she is almost still child like in wanting to play dress up and hide and seek despite the fact that they are both old now.

-Thoughts-
The Garden is about sibling bonds and a child like innocence that the sisters have never lost. It’s full of humour and sadness. It had me thinking about the sisters long after I put the book down, it was reminiscent to a dark fairytale almost in the fact that I was always on edge about what could potentially happen. Highly enjoyable book and something completely new to me that I would recommend. It’s a short easy read and you’re guaranteed to fall in love with the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC and a huge thank you to Nick Newman.
Also reviewed on Goodreads, StoryGraph,Fable and Instagram (post coming soon) @read.with.rue

I have seen some other reviews that say this is like The Secret Garden but for adults, and I kinda get it. Not that Secret Garden can't be read by adults, of course, btu this seems more focussed to that audience.

It doesn't specifically say how old the sisters are, but in my head they were both quite elderly, and I think you get a different idea of the book depending on how you age them which makes it interesting. It was also interesting to see two women, two older women, carrying a story instead of being the spare parts.

The two sisters are well written, and worked against each other very well. I much preferred Evelyn to Lily. Lily felt naïve, immature, stuck in her ways, rude, and just a bit unpleasant. She felt very childlike but not in an innocent cute way. Evelyn was almost the mother figure, trying to do her work and look after Lily and then this boy who appears. My heart was more in her corner.

On various websites I've seen it described as a sci-fi book, fantasy, and/or horror. But I didn't get any of that. It felt more like a general literary fiction rather than anything scary. It has a good story, narrative, and characters, but no real darkness about it - which I'm glad about because I'm a wuss. Having said that, there are some hints of darkness towards the end, but nothing overly so, and in my opinion, they didn't really fit in to what had been a non-scary book.

It is mostly set in the (unknown) present time, but every so often there's a chapter set during the women's childhood, which gives us some idea as to why they are how they are now.

It was a weird book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's well written, original and yet familiar, interesting, engaging, with great characters. And yet, I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was. And there's a certain amount of letting the reader try to figure out what's going on and to fill the blanks themselves, which I was on the fence about.

One criticism I suppose is I wanted more to happen. What is there is well written and enjoyable, don't get me wrong, but I wanted more. There's a lot of day-to-day narrative, nothing of real substance. So I'd have liked it to be a bit deeper, just to expand on what he's created, which is good.

Overall I would say I enjoyed it a lot. Nick is a very good storyteller, with great characters, a powerful setting and atmosphere, and interesting world building. I think for me, to get it up to a full five stars, it just needed to be more sure of itself, of what it was, because I still can't really explain what it was.

I loved this book. Very much a study of relationships between siblings, loyalty to long lost parents, or was it fear? Fear that perhaps mum is always watching over and what would she say to Evelyn if she didn’t follow her mothers almanac to the letter.

The book is set in a time and place that we don’t know, we’re not entirely sure what has happened in the past but it would seem an environmental disaster of sorts happened when the two sisters were very young.

Now feeling the effects of old age, especially Evelyn, they live in just one room of their once substantial family home where they grew up. Their parents long gone and the rest of the house “out of bounds” they live a somewhat frugal and completely self sufficient life. They haven’t seen anyone else for many, many years. Evelyn being the elder of the two sisters seems to take on the role of ‘mother’ to her younger sister Lily. Lily comes across as somewhat child like in her ways, she’s certainly the more adventurous, fun person out of the two, yet they’re both quite lovable in their own individual ways.

It’s when ‘The Boy’ turns up that the plot starts to pick up speed. We start to get snippets of what has happened in the past and why they’re both so fearful of strangers and the outside world.

There are so many aspects to the story, humour, sadness, tension towards the end, even a little horror and gore. There’s also much poignancy to the relationship between the sisters and how they come to the realisation that maybe they’ve wasted away their entire lives on the basis of what happened during their formative years. Fab book, I really enjoyed it.

4.5 ⭐

I immediately warmed to Evelyn and Lily, two little old ladies, navigating their lives through routine, and tending the garden.
It becomes apparent very soon something I'd amiss. Why are they living just in the kitchen? What has gone on outside the walls of the garden? What's gone on withing the walls of the garden?
A little bit sinister at times, always having an edge of unease.
Hard to put down, and just not long enough in my opinion.

I’m not really sure how I would classify this. It a rather disturbing adult fairytale, a bit gothic, a bit horror and very dark. It’s a relatively short book which tells the story of sisters Evelyn and Lily who live alone in the family home, in the kitchen, with the rest of the house closed up and a walled garden keeping everyone out - or maybe them in! Told throughout in Evelyn’s POV this is a slow paced but completely compelling book about relationships and the complex human psyche.

Briefly, the sisters have no contact with the outside world. They grow their own fruit and vegetables, keep bees and chickens and spend their days tending these and their garden as their mother taught them to do. They are both elderly and both very different in personality, Evelyn is the serious one whereas Lily is more flighty and prone to breaking the rules imposed on them by their mother. But their lives are changed when an unnamed boy comes into their lives.

I can’t even begin to imagine how the terrible isolation must have affected the two women, they are now elderly so it must be around 60 years where they have had no conversation or interaction outside their own little world. Although it seemed like a bit of a cozy tale at first there was always a hint of menace in the background. Two amazing characters but whilst Evelyn was a martyr to her, or rather her mother’s, beliefs Lily’s free spirit railed against their lives once her curiosity was allowed free rein. A haunting piece of literary fiction, that won’t be for everyone, but which left me with a feeling of immense sadness for the sisters.

4.5⭐️

Evelyn and Lily have a beautiful garden, which is both their prison and their sanctuary. Using a book written by their mother they tend the garden and live their days together peacefully.

When a mysterious young boy appears their world changes and they see their live through different eyes.

This is a wonderul read. it is intriguing and beguilling. I loved the richly descriptive words and The plot is unlike anything I have read previously.

recommended read.

"The Garden" by Nick Newman invites us into a captivating yet enigmatic world, where two elderly sisters, Evelyn and Lily, live in an isolated garden that is both their refuge and prison. Set in an ambiguous time and place, the novel explores themes of grief, memory, and the intricacies of human relationships.

The sisters' daily lives revolve around tending to their secluded home, following the instructions left by their mother in an almanac. Their peaceful existence is disrupted when they discover a mysterious boy hiding in the boarded-up house at the heart of their garden. This revelation raises numerous questions and forces Evelyn and Lily to confront unsettling truths about themselves, their sanctuary, and the world beyond.

As suspicions grow and allegiances shift, memories resurface, intertwining past and present in a complex narrative. The enigmatic boy serves as a catalyst, propelling the sisters on a journey of self-discovery and unearthing long-buried secrets.

Newman's lyrical prose creates an atmosphere rich with emotion, immersing readers in the haunting beauty of the garden. His vivid descriptions evoke a sense of place that is both enchanting and eerie, reflecting the turbulent emotions of the characters. While the slow pacing may not appeal to all readers, it allows for a deeper exploration of the characters' psyches and the themes at play.

The ambiance of the novel oscillates between tranquility and unease, with lush imagery contrasting the pervasive sorrow that underlies the story. Emotions run high as the characters confront their pasts, and moments of tenderness are often tinged with sadness, painting a nuanced portrait of the human experience.

This novel evokes the same haunting atmosphere as Grey Gardens, with a post-apocalyptic twist that adds an extra layer of intrigue.

Wow loved this book ! This deliciously twisty story kept me up late at night, desperate to know the outcome. A definite 5 stars

Rating: 4.5 stars

Oh, my melancholy heart rejoiced whilst reading this one.

‘The Garden’ by Nick Newman follows the lives of elderly sisters Evelyn and Lily, isolated from the rest of the world, or whatever is left of it, spending their days in their garden, with ghosts of memories and with each other. Until a boy shows up, and everything the sisters thought they knew comes into question.

It’s a small cast of characters, which means we get to know the ones we do meet well. The sisters really come to life throughout this book, I felt like I came to naturally understand both Evelyn and Lily’s point of views and thoughts. I liked their conversations with one another, I thought they flowed well and read realistically. I also liked that the boy was less of a in-your-face character and more of a plot line, I found he didn’t take away from the sisters and their stories but enhanced the main story well just with his presence, yet any questions I had were answered satisfactorily.

The overall vibe of the book is, in my opinion, exquisite. It has a sense of creepiness, a dose of melancholy, a dollop of heartbreak, with the setting of a desolate floral haven, slowly crumbling down.

This is a unique read, I think it’ll be a must read in 2025. It’s beautifully written and the story told is one that lingers in your mind.

Also, a very big thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC of this ebook!

The Garden is an eerie and hypnotic book that transports readers to a secluded world, where two elderly sisters, Evelyn and Lily, live in a walled garden. Their lives are solitary and routine, governed by the instructions left in an almanac by their late mother. The garden is all they have ever known, and the outside world is nothing but a forgotten memory—until a nameless boy is discovered hiding in a boarded-up house on their grounds. This sudden intrusion upends their quiet existence, raising questions about the boy’s origins and intentions, and forcing the sisters to confront unsettling truths about themselves and the world they thought they knew.

This book masterfully blends elements of mystery, horror, and speculative fiction. Though classified as sci-fi/fantasy, it feels more like a gothic mystery, with a constant sense of unease threading through the story. The atmosphere is beautifully crafted, dark and haunting, and the suspense builds steadily as the narrative shifts between the present and the sisters' hazy memories of the past.

Evelyn and Lily are compelling characters, each one revealing hidden layers as the story unfolds. Their relationship is complex, and as suspicions arise and loyalties shift, the tension between them becomes palpable. I found myself aligning with different characters at various points, which added to the unpredictability of the story.

While The Garden is a slow-paced book, the chapters are concise, and the third-person narration through Evelyn’s eyes keeps the reader engaged. The shifting timelines, especially the flashbacks, add depth and help heighten the sense of mystery.

Overall, The Garden is a darkly beautiful, atmospheric read. Its slow burn might not appeal to everyone, but for those who appreciate quiet tension and a deep, unsettling mystery, this is a book that lingers in the mind long after the final page.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

This was a fantastic read. A atmospheric, somewhat eerie novel set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by some kind of ecological disaster (what a surprise!). There is a sinister, suffocating feel about the setting—as if two elderly sisters sequestered for decades in the kitchen of a mansion that has been boarded up is not suffocating enough. Even though they have their garden and the vast grounds to tend to, the sisters' lives are tiny. As the story progresses, we get a better sense of the tragedy that has befallen their times, even though there are no details. I have great admiration for authors who can build apocalyptic fantasty with such a narrow focus.

It is right that the title of this novel is The Graden, as the descriptions of the land, the life giving bounty and safety provided by its walls are the main focus of this book. An unusual, beautiful story about two fearful elderly sisters working hard to survive in a future world. The relationship between Lily and Evelyn, and the power of their long dead mother and the alamac she left, is well written and I appreciated the flash backs to their early years to understand how they are living alone in a small part of their large home:
I was intrigued when The Boy turned up and had no idea what to expect. It kept me guessing.
I could see this being made into a film, and I’d definitely watch it.

The Garden is a dark and haunting story about two sisters, Evelyn and Lily, who live alone in their old family home, caring for their late mother’s garden; when a strange boy shows up, disrupting their quiet world. The book shifts between their past and present, revealing fragments of their childhood memories and present-day isolation.

The story has a slow build but leads to a powerful, emotional ending. It will suit readers who enjoy gothic fiction, slow-paced mysteries, and reads that leave room for interpretation.

I really enjoyed reading this book which has a gothic feel to it.

The book is about two sisters who literally live in their own wee world. Their days are spent tending to the garden created by their mother after a natural disaster of some sort as well as looking after their bees. The sisters live in one room only of the stately home that was their childhood home.

The sisters live happily (or not?) until a boy appears one day. We do not know who he is or where he has come from. That’s up to the reader to decide with the information provided.

The story moves back and forth between the sisters’ present day and their childhood to provide a little information to the reader about what happened and why the sisters live as they do. A lot of the blanks have to be filled in by the reader which I enjoyed.

History then repeats itself. What will happen and will there be a happy ending? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

A very enjoyable read. If you enjoyed ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson I think that you would enjoy this book.

I have given the book 4/5 stars rather than 5/5* as there were a few points made in the book that I would have liked expanded on and the ending of the book seemed a bit rushed. I highly recommend reading this book, though. A very enjoyable read.

I received an advance copy of this e-book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I love what people are bringing to adult dystopia these days, and this story of two elderly sisters, living their moldering house and tending their garden, not knowing what, if anything, lies beyond the walls really appealed to me.

Evelyn and Lily are such different people, shaped by how they were each raised, and I found I understood them both, Eve for wanting to keep control of her surroundings and Lily for wanting to know what might lie beyond the walls.

While this was a little slow in the middle, the ending was devastatingly sad, and gave me, I felt, enough answers as the sister's lives are changed forever. I truly had to put the book down for a solid five minute crying session.

After a catasthropic event, Evelyn, Lily and their strict mother are forced to live in limited areas of their home and tend to their garden most of the time.
With flashbacks, we get a sense of how life had been for them, and finally, when a boy shows up, things take a different turn.
I was in a neutral mood when I started this book, in no particular inclination towards any expectations.
I loved this book. It has a cinematic quality, it will probably be made into a film as soon as the gods of filmmaking become aware of it.
That is not to say it is not literary. On the contrary, Newman’s writing has immense merit.
I cannot say that I understood everything about the twist and what might have happened, and what and if the ideas here are metaphors, analogies, but the feel of the book and the whole reading experience are awesome. The characters need to make some tough decisions, and I was happy not to know all the answers for every question, but had I understood the finale and the twist a bit better then I would have enjoyed it 10% more.
A very cool read.