This is a story following the journey of of two strong woman, separated by over a century, on their botanical quests.
The story begins in Sydney 2017 with Anna, a garden designer, renovating a Paddington Terrace inherited from her grandmother. Anna finds a metal box within a wall which contains a portfolio of watercolours, a photograph inscribed ‘Spring 1886’ and a small box of seeds. Anna’s discovery of the mysterious box takes her on a a journey to England. Will Anna be able to find out about the origins of the box and how they relate to her family or will she fall short due to her personal self doubt?
Nunn’s second character, adventurous and headstrong Elizabeth, is living in 1886 Cornwall when she takes up her late father’s quest to discover a rare medicinal flower. Elizabeth takes us on her journey from Victorian England to South American, Chile. Heading her father’s warnings Elizabeth faces many dangers in her botanical search, some which will not only put her in danger, but those around her. Is her father’s unfinished work, worth the risks she must take?
The narrative jumps between characters and time periods. I have always found that stories involving dual time lines keep my interest but they are not for everyone . Nunn kept me interested in both leading ladies, in that when a chapter finished, I was disappointed to be leaving Anna or Elizabeth’s world for a time. I do not want to give much away about the story-line for fear of revealing too much.
The twists and turns, especially towards the end of the book were ones I had not predicted. I was pleased Nunn had not taken a more predictable route to end her story. If you are a fan of Kate Morton’s writing, this novel will not disappoint.
