Shields, Carol. The Box Garden. New York: Open Road Media, 2013.
Reason read: Carol Shields was born in June. Read in her honor.
In a nutshell, Box Garden paints an uneasy picture of a grown woman returning home to attend the wedding of her elderly mother. Charleen lives a very unsettled life. Divorced. Single mom. Dating. Strained relationships with everyone around her. She lives a sparse life by choice and seems incredibly fragile. However, when confronted with a series of intensely emotional situations, Charleen emerges as a surprisingly strong and capable woman.
As an aside, the very first thing that struck me about The Box Garden was the uncomfortable realization Charleen Forrest’s mother could have been my mother. I found myself highlighting passages that struck a chord with me. Every missed opportunity for a kind word, a hint of compassion. It was unnerving.
Author fact: Even though Shields was born in the United States, she is considered a celebrated Canadian author.
Book trivia: The Box Garden is one of Shield’s less popular titles.
Nancy said: Pearl did not say anything specific about The Box Garden.
BookLust Twist: from More Book Lust in the chapter called “Carol Shields: Too Good To Miss” (p 197).
~*LunaSea*~ 