Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah is the story of two sisters and their mother. Meredith married her childhood sweetheart, had two daughters, and took over the family apple orchard. She was the responsible and organized one. Nina was a conflict photographer, taking pictures of war zones and refugees. She was a fearless adventurer. Their mother, Anya, suffered from PTSD. The daughters didn’t know their mother’s history, only that she was cold and distant. These three strangers were held together by the father. They all loved him, so much so, that when his dying wish was for them to hear Anya’s story, all three overcame their differences to honor his wish. Much of this book is about the Siege of Leningrad. A strong, emotional book about mothers and daughters.
While the book centers on the relationship between Anya and her two daughters, most of the pages are dedicated to the Siege of Leningrad. The focus is on the women (“Every man between fourteen and sixty has gone to fight.”) who remained in Leningrad facing Stalinism, starvation, and cold. While many histories of the Battle/Siege of Leningrad report the military maneuvers with any mention of women being those who fought. This book gives life to the survivors, their children and their grandparents. Warning: some of the experiences of these women are difficult to read.
Kristin Hannah uses her god-like author powers to finish the book on an upbeat note.
Nina is a conflict photographer and chases crises around the world, with her boyfriend Danny. Her passion is to publish a book on strong women (and sex with Danny).
The book includes Russian dishes (and even recipes at the end), as well as lots of vodka shots and tea from the samovar.
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