Alice Hoffman's latest novel, The Red Garden, is written as a series of intertwined vignettes describing the founding and history of the fictional town of Blackwell, Massachusetts. The novels starts with the settlement of the town in 1750 and follows the decendants of the town's founders over the course of the next 200+ years. There is an air of mystery and magic about the town and its inhabitants which focuses on the sorrows, joys and wonders of daily life throughout the centuries. It touches on the history of America, showing the effects that wars, famine and strife have on the average family and how these residents struggle through hard times, yet still able to celebrate life. This is an immensely enjoyable read. Although the characters can ocassionally be confusing. The town is filled with characters who are all decendants from the original 4 families who founded the town. Suffice to say, there is much intermingling of families and lots of 'cousins' around the town. Do not try to keep track of the familial relationships. You'll never figure it out.
My recommendaton: Pick up this book and settle down for a very interesting read.
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