The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry
1939: Fourteen-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Flora evacuate their London home for a rural village to escape the horrors of the Second World War. Living with the Aberdeen family in a charming stone cottage, Hazel distracts her young sister with a fairy tale about a magical land, a secret place they can escape to that is all their own: Whisperwood.
But the unthinkable happens when Flora suddenly vanishes after playing near the banks of the River Thames. Shattered, Hazel blames herself for her sister’s disappearance, carrying the guilt into adulthood.
Twenty years later, Hazel is back in London, ready to move on from her job at a cozy rare bookstore for a career at Sotheby’s. With a cherished boyfriend and an upcoming Paris getaway, Hazel’s future seems set. But her tidy life is turned upside down when she unwraps a package containing a picture book called Whisperwood and the River of Stars. Hazel never told a soul about the storybook world she created just for Flora. Could this book hold the secrets to Flora’s disappearance? Could it be a sign that her beloved sister is still alive after all these years? Or is something sinister at play?
For fans of Kate Morton, Janet Skeslien Charles, and Kristin Hannah, this is a “fantastical” (Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author) celebration of sisterhood and the magic of storytelling wrapped up in a “heartrending, captivating tale of family, first love, and fate” (Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author).
Review: "Not very long ago, and not very far away, there once was and still is an invisible place right here with us. And if you are born knowing, you will find your way through the woodlands to the shimmering doors that lead to the land made just and exactly for you."
In 1939, fourteen-year-old Hazel and her five-year-old sister Flora are evacuated from London and sent to live in a rural village with the Aberdeen family to escape the dangers of World War II. Hazel distracts her younger sister from her homesickness with tales of a fairy tale world in a magical land that they call Whisperwood. But then, Hazel's world is turned upside down when Flora disappears on the banks of the River Thames. Hazel blames herself for her sister's disappearance, a loss that haunts her into her adult life.
Twenty years in the future, Hazel works at a rare bookstore when she uncovers a package with a new picture book called Whisperwood. How could someone know about the secret world she and her sister imagined other than Flora herself? Did Flora survive all those years ago?
This was a lovely novel about the bond between sisters and the timeless human reliance on myth making to help make sense of the world. In some ways, I was surprised that book is named after Flora because Hazel is very much the main character of this novel. I felt for Hazel, who is forced to carry the responsibility of her sister at such a young age, but caring for her before her disappearance, and then living with the guilt of the loss of her sister. The historical aspect of the novel, combined with the mystery that slowly unfolded as the novel progressed reminded me of novels by Kate Morton and even a little of Maggie O'Farrell.
Perhaps it was because I listened to this on audio, but it felt like the book jumped back and forth in time a bit too much, almost to the point of being confusing. It also includes some chapters from the perspective of Peggy in America, the source of the Whisperwood book, which added layers of perspective to keep up with. Also, about 75% of the way into the book, the great reveal of Flora's disappearance in uncovered but there was so much book left after that! I appreciate tying up loose endings and seeing what happens next with the characters, but the ending sections dragged a tad for me. Overall, a really lovely book. I always love books that include characters who love books and stories, and this one knocked that theme out of the park.
Stars: 4
Related Titles:
Comments
Post a Comment