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True magic is found among the bluebells and brambles.
Harriet Hunt is completely alone. Her father disappeared months ago, leaving her to wander the halls of Sunnyside house, dwelling on a past she'd rather keep buried. She doesn't often venture beyond her front gate, instead relishing the feel of dirt under her fingernails and of soft moss beneath her feet. Consequently, she's been deemed a little too peculiar for popular Victorian society. This solitary life suits her fine, though – because, outside, magic awaits.
Harriet's garden is special. It's a wild place full of twisting ivy, vibrant plums, and a quiet power that buzzes like bees. Caring for this place, and keeping it from running rampant through the streets of her London suburb, is Harriet's purpose.
But a woman alone in the world is vulnerable. Soon, a sinister plot involving her father's disappearance begins to take shape, with Harriet herself at its center. Everything she holds dear – from the thorny roses she tends to her very freedom itself – is at stake. To save herself, Harriet will have to unearth her past, discover the secrets of her garden, and finally embrace the wild magic inside of her.
"Iversen writes compelling historical fiction that is both a fantastical story that also one that realistically conveys the horrors of domestic violence. Readers will cheer for Harriet as she discovers her own agency and seeks freedom to make her own choices. Comparisons to authors like Alice Hoffman or Sarah Addison Allen are apt, and Harriet would fit right in with those authors' magical women. Highly recommended for all fiction collections." ―Booklist (starred review)
"A haunting gothic tale of madness and aspiration set in a Victorian London suburb...Iversen leisurely unfurls a sweeping tale of a woman on the edge...The slow accumulation of spooky atmospherics makes it work...plenty to enjoy." —Publishers Weekly
"Iversen's novel will appeal to fans of character-driven historical fantasy with feminist themes and just a touch of magic." ―Library Journal
"Iversen's latest takes the closed world of a sheltered young woman in 1860s London and with magic, crisis, persistence and power, cracks it wide open. Fans of Rowenna Miller and Rena Rossner will particularly enjoy this coming-of-age tale in which the magic that surrounds Harriet Hunt provides both her greatest vulnerability and her greatest strength." ―Greer Macallister, author of The Magician's Lie and The Thirteenth Husband
"An endearing tale with a heartfelt heroine trapped in a cruel world of men and a sentient garden where magic, vengeance, and second chances bloom. The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt will shock and delight readers at every page." ―Ava Morgyn, author of The Witches of Bone Hill
This information about The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Chelsea Iversen has been reading and writing stories since before she knew what verbs were. She loves tea and trees and travel and reads her runes at every full moon. Chelsea lives with her husband and Pepper the dog in Colorado. The Witches at the End of the World is her debut novel.
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