The peculiar garden of Harriet Hunt

Harriet Hunt lives alone. Her mother died when she was a child and her abusive father has recently disappeared. Harriet knows that she is in a precarious position as a woman alone in 1866 Upper Holloway: her father left behind massive debts and Harriet has no income of her own. The neighbors think Harriet is peculiar, so her only friend is her cousin Eunice; but now Eunice is moving away, and asks Harriet to come with her. Harriet wants to, but cannot leave her garden--she has a special connection to the plants, and they respond to her needs. Left alone and desperate, Harriet falls under the spell of the handsome Christian Comstock. A whirlwind courtship and marriage follows, but Harriet wonders if Christian truly has her best interests at heart. Iversen writes compelling historical fiction that is both a fantastical story and also one that realistically conveys the horrors of domestic violence. Readers will cheer for Harriet as she discovers her own agency and seeks freedom to make her own choices. Comparisons to authors like Alice Hoffman or Sarah Addison Allen are apt, and Harriet would fit right in with those authors' magical women. Highly recommended for all fiction collections.

Iversen (The Witches at the End of the World) draws readers into a haunting gothic tale of madness and aspiration set in a Victorian London suburb. Harriet Hunt blames herself for her mother's death when Harriet was six. She's since been raised by her abusive father, Clement, who perpetually threatened to commit her to Colney Hatch Asylum. Six months before the start of the book, however, Clement disappeared. Harriet takes his vanishing in stride. Though society deems it unseemly for an unwed woman to live alone, she enjoys her independence and finds comfort in her overgrown garden, where she believes the plants have minds of their own: the ivy vines welcome her by winding up her ankles, and the roses disapprove of visitors. When the police question her regarding Clement's whereabouts, Harriet claims he may have visited a cousin in Denmark, but can't back up the story. To allay suspicion and prove herself an upstanding member of society, she marries the handsome and charming Christian Comstock. But when Christian demands she prune the garden, Harriet fears the plants will seek revenge. Iversen leisurely unfurls a sweeping tale of a woman on the edge. The mystery feels somewhat predictable, but the slow accumulation of spooky atmospherics makes it work. Readers shouldn't expect thrills, but there's still plenty to enjoy. (Dec.)

Harriet lives alone after her mother's death and her father's abandonment. She takes solace in her garden, but its mysterious connection to her emotional state also ties her down--she doesn't dare leave and let it grow out of control. When a suspicious inspector begins investigating her father's disappearance, with Harriet as his prime suspect, she agrees to a hasty marriage for protection. It's not long before she realizes she's trapped herself in a worse prison, one she'll have to trust in her suppressed abilities to escape. The book's slow-growing narrative communicates its heroine's isolation in a society hostile to women. While Harriet's bond with her garden adds a magical symbol of her pruned back potential, the threats of abuse and institutionalization she faces are all too real. The novel's story of women resisting their time period's constraints with fantastical help is reminiscent of The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller, and Harriet similarly finds escape by connecting with other women and her own inner strength. VERDICT Iversen's (The Witches at the End of the World) novel will appeal to fans of character-driven historical fantasy with feminist themes and just a touch of magic.--Erin Niederberger