The Walled Garden: Unearth the most moving and captivating novel of the year
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By Sarah Hardy
avg rating
2 reviews
LONGLISTED FOR THE HWA GOLD CROWN AWARD FOR BEST HISTORICAL FICTION NOVEL OF THE YEAR
A luminous debut novel about love, the trauma of war and the miracle of human resilience, for readers of Anna Hope, Sadie Jones and Elizabeth Jane Howard.
No one survives war unscathed. But even in the darkest days, seeds of hope can grow.
It is 1946 and in the village of Oakbourne the men are home from the war. Their bodies are healing but their psychological wounds run deep. Everyone is scarred – those who fought and those left behind.
Alice Rayne is married to Stephen, heir to crumbling Oakbourne Hall. Once a sweet, gentle man, he has returned a bitter and angry stranger, destroyed by what he has seen and done, tormented by secrets Alice can only guess at.
Lonely and increasingly afraid of the man her husband has become, Alice must try to pick up the pieces of her marriage and save Oakbourne Hall from total collapse. She begins with the walled garden and, as it starts to bear fruit, she finds herself drawn into a new, forbidden love.
Set in the Suffolk countryside as it moves from winter to spring, The Walled Garden is a captivating love story and a timeless, moving exploration of trauma and the miracle of human resilience.
‘Richly evocative and transporting’ Stacey Halls
‘A heartbreaking tale, vividly dramatised’ Rachel Hore
‘Tender and lyrical . . . This beautiful book had notes of both Elizabeth von Arnim and Elizabeth Jane Howard. More please!’ Natasha Solomons
‘Touching, absorbing . . . A beautifully written story that will especially appeal to Rachel Hore fans’ Daily Mail
‘A poignant drama . . . What happens when war ends? How do people move on after what they’ve seen and possibly done? Hardy explores these complex themes in this gentle but powerful novel. There’ll be tears, but this evocative read is worth every one’ Book of the Month, Woman and Home
‘An enveloping story to savour’ Kate Sawyer, Costa shortlisted author of The Stranding
‘Written with great delicacy and feeling’ Elizabeth Buchan, author of Two Women in Rome
’Hardy’s supremely observed novel blossoms like a rose-sharp and pointed, and stunningly beautiful’ Inga Vesper, author of The Long, Long Afternoon
‘A poignant, powerful novel about aftermath, trauma and hope’ Katie Lumsden, author of The Secrets of Hartwood Hall
TweetReviews
The Walled Garden
A bittersweet story following Alice and Stephen Rayne and their life after the war. Stephen was a gentle, kind man before he went off to war, but now upon his return he is not the same man. Alice his wife, is having to adjust to her changed husband. Trying to understand the torment that Stephen must be going through. It is wonderfully written and you become immersed in their lives and hoping that everything will work out for them.
Review 2
Reading Group name: Macclesfield Library Reading Group
Your name: Laura
Title of book: The Walled Garden
What did you like about the book?
I liked the setting of the book – the village where the characters live seems idyllic and peaceful, which is of course the point, but the author did a lovely job of evoking a sense of place
Which themes from the book did you enjoy?
Loss, war and peace, recovery
Did you have a favourite character. If so, who and why?
Alice. I liked the development of the relationship between Alice and George and I was sad that they didn’t ultimately get together – did George ever know the child was his?? I was rooting for Alice and George but would have felt awful for Stephen after his big revelation
How did this book make you feel?
Melancholy! It evokes a peaceful summer with the cricket matches but you can’t escape what the characters went through to get to that point
Who would you recommend this book to?
Someone needing to see light at the end of the tunnel
Review 3
What did you like about the book?
I liked the way the author speaks about the futility of war and its impact on ordinary people. The anti-war message was very strong throughout and was a bit much at times. I also think perhaps fewer characters would have left the narrative feeling less diluted
Which themes from the book did you enjoy?
Redemption and healing
Did you have a favourite character. If so, who and why?
Stephen because I admire his resilience and ability to confront his demons
How did this book make you feel?
This book made me think about the aftermath of war and how everyone was expected to go back to normal. It sheds a poignant new light on current events as there are people in the world right now living with similar traumas and injuries
Who would you recommend this book to?
I think there is something in this book for everyone because it’s an easy read with a hopeful ending
Review 4
What did you like about the book?
I thought the story was gripping and I enjoyed the build up of tension and curiosity about what actually happened to Stephen on THAT day
Which themes from the book did you enjoy?
PTSD and survival
Did you have a favourite character. If so, who and why?
Stephen because my opinion of him changed throughout the book as his character developed. I also liked the doctor for similar reasons and for being the most ‘normal’ out of everyone
How did this book make you feel?
I was a bit annoyed about the heavy-handed way the anti war message was handled – it does hit you over the head a lot! But, overall it was an easy read and I’d quite like to read more by this author
Who would you recommend this book to?
Fans of historical romance novels
Review 5
Reading Group name: Macclesfield Library Reading Group
Your name: Diane
Title of book: The Walled Garden
What did you like about the book?
Which themes from the book did you enjoy?
war/ peace, healing
Did you have a favourite character. If so, who and why?
How did this book make you feel?
Who would you recommend this book to?
What did you like about the book?
I liked the different take on a WWII novel. Mostly you get to see the action with books set during this time but with this book you see the after effects of war which is really interesting
Which themes from the book did you enjoy?
Loss, survival and rebuilding
Did you have a favourite character. If so, who and why?
Stephen because in a novel about loss, his loss seemed greatest to me – the loss of his innocence and who he wanted to be
How did this book make you feel?
A bit upset because so many of the characters were unhappy and suffered so much. The ending felt rushed so there wasn’t even that much resolution to the suffering
Who would you recommend this book to?
People who read historical novels
OH MY! What a lovely book. It was the cover which attracted me initially, but I have been absorbed since starting it.
A very gentle read, I warmed to the characters slowly as they were not likeable (to me), the topic of post war trauma was uncomfortable reading but handled gently, which brought me to a more of an understanding as to why the characters were as they were. The descriptive writing of the gardens and of nature unfolding was beautifully narrated.
A definite positive recommendation from me 10/10
MC (Michele’s book club)
Don't Be fooled by the beautiful front cover of this book; the enchanting illustrations hid a challenging and emotional read. It’s worth it though. The story follows Alice and Stephen Rayne as their crumbling marriage reflects their home at the once stately Oakbourne Hall in post war rural Suffolk.
As the men folk of the village return from service life, it seems the country doesn’t have the expected euphoria. Those lucky survivors are dealing with secrets related to the terrors they experienced whether that was away at the front line or holding the fort back in Blighty. The story highlights the horrors of post traumatic stress (before it was “invented”) and although the storyline is unsurprising, it is beautifully written so you are drawn to the characters and can appreciate the emotional problems faced by the country after the war.
SY (Michele’s book club)
