I have read several books by Salley Vickers including ‘The Cleaner of Chartres’, ‘Miss Garnet’s Angel’ and ‘Mr Golightly’s Holiday.’ I enjoyed them all: imaginative, well constructed stories. This book is the author’s latest offering and continues in a similar vein, just slightly fey, just a touch of magic realism.
‘The Gardener’ is a novel of redemption and that redeeming power comes from nature, from connecting with other people and simply from the healing quality of time.
Two sisters use inheritance money to buy a large run down house in Shropshire. While Margot continues her life in London with infrequent visits west, Hassie sinks herself into the life of the village and gradually rids herself of a broken heart and the hurts and misunderstandings of her childhood family life.
I particularly like the character of Miss Foot, the well read spinster with a sharp tongue but a kind heart. She is pivotal to the narrative and from what I read she appears in other books by the author. I will search them out and hope to get to know Miss Foot better.
Gardening is often regarded as therapy these days and this could be a handbook for the activity. It is a gentle read but there are a few thorns along the way to prevent it being too sugary. These thorns take the form of some hard reality about moving to the country in post-Brexit Britain and the prejudices that may be found there.
‘The Gardener’ is a numinous novel full of psychological insight and worth reading.