Garden by the Sea

The most refreshing book I've read in quite some time is set in 1920’s Spain, by a famous author I’d never heard of. The gardener is the unnamed narrator who chronicles the happenings of a couple who owns a beautiful seaside villa and their gorgeous, creative, wealthy friends who come and go over six summers. They swim, ride horses, dine on the veranda and play chess. One guest brings unlikely houseguests, first a tiger, then a monkey so as you can tell, things are lively. One day an incredibly wealthy Brazilian buys the lot next door and up comes a very prominent villa, and with it, the daughter and son-in-law of the new owner. This is where the dots connect, and things get very interesting. 'Garden By The Sea' is the novel that defined Mercè Rodoreda's career and is finally available in English for the first time. Considered by many to be one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century, Rodoreda has captivated readers for decades and will do the same for you in this enchanting novel.