52 Books in 52 Weeks - Book 16: Winter Garden

The house was like something out of a Russian fairy tale, with its turretlike two-story veranda and elaborate fretwork trim, especially this time of year when the eaves and railing glittered with Christmas lights. The hammered copper roof was dulled today by the gray winter weather, but on a bright day it shone like liquid gold. Surrounded by tall, elegant poplar trees and situated on a gentle rise that overlooked their valley, this house was so famous that tourists often stopped to photograph it. 

So is the beautiful setting of this family story. After the death of their father, Meredith and Nina spend time with their mother, who has always been cold and distant from them. As she promised her father, Nina does everything she can to get to know their mother by insisting their mother finish a fairy tale that she began long ago. Far different than the typical family reunion story line, this book will cause you to ponder the complexities of life, the things that keep us apart and draw us together. After a slow start, this book truly has a fairy tale ending. Due to a minimal amount of content surrounding the love life of Nina, this book should be read by adults only.