The Red Garden

I absolutely love history, and there is nothing better than when it ties into my reading. In The Red Garden, Alice Hoffman traces the history of the town of Blackwell Massachusetts from it's founding in 1750 through the present. Although fiction, The Red Garden was incredibly believable. Hoffman ties in real historical facts and events with realistic and likable characters, and it is easy to forget that the stories aren't real.
Each chapter chronicles a different story in a different year, and Hoffman subtly intertwines the stories and characters as time goes on. You hear mention of characters from the previous stories and it is sad to see young girls grow old and magical moments forgotten.
You are able to see how the town grows from it's original four families, as well as the cultural changes of 250 years. From the Civil War, to the World Wars, to the hippie days of Vietnam and the fashions of the 80's, you see the times change in one small town.
The Red Garden was full of captivating stories of love, passion, tragedy, and survival. They were stories of fiercely strong women, and people struggling to discover who they are and who they are meant to be. It was both dark and magical at the same time, and when I wasn't halfway through I already knew that I would miss it.
I think that this book was fantastic. There is at least one story and one character for everyone to relate to. It makes you appreciate history. It makes you believe in fate.