I find myself faced with trepidation when writing a review of Leota's Garden. A little info on my perspective may be helpful. I am a public librarian--I read a ton, and a mammoth variety. I even do some reading because I "should"....some of you librarians in the crowd know what I am saying. I feel a need to be well-read and to have a basic knowledge of most genres. While I dig a ton of different types of books, genres and information, of course, I do have my favorites. And I certainly am not afraid to read things that may offend gentler sensibilities, although another, defininig aspect of my life is that I am Jesus loving freak . Do what you want with that. Yup, I love Jesus. Some of you are moaning now. But, do let's TRY to be friends. ;-)Anyway, here's my deal. I think a lot of Christian fiction is heavily LADEN with mediocrity, and it pains me to say and think so. It makes me groan with its cheesy and/or pollyanna factor, and I'm even on the same team!! (That's not to say there are not some gems. There certainly are). Some of it would not even come close to appealing to a non-believer....a much smaller portion may. Leota's Garden definitely falls in the former. I think it has some strong points -- the storyline is appealing, and you wonder how things ultimately are going to work out. And, to the author's credit, she does not tie things up all smooth and nice like one may expect. I often felt throughout that yes, there was a Velveeta factor; and yet, I was eager to get back to the book and see what was happening next. I don't know --- I want to like it (I enjoyed Redeeming Love by Rivers!), but I don't think it's great. :-( If you like Christian fiction AND you're a woman....you're already familiar with Rivers as she is wildy popular and prolific, so it's probably redudant to say you very well may like it.
Another profoundly applicable book to our lives. Leota's heart sold out the Jesus Christ and yet she like myslef struggles with so many family dysfunctional relationships. Leota 84 years young is abandoned by her two older children (Nora and Micheal)...both self serving/self centered people who believe they are intitled to have had a 'normal' life...Leota lives in a run down neighborhood though she is easily loved by neighbors....a young man, Corben, is a university student. He comes to her with the intent on 'studying' Leota and writing a paper for college about how old people need to live in government housing. Leota's grandaughter is the whole story! She is everything Leota had always wanted. Annie is everything everyone wants...or wants to be. She is a picture of Christ's love....Annie loves and becomes a mega source and force in Leota's life and Corbon's as well as her mother Nora's reconstruction. All the dysfunction is exposed and it was tough at times to get through some of the parts in the story....too much to identify with. Leota's garden is the center piece- the place in which hearts change....it brings what garden's do; peace, tranquility, wholeness, strenth, perserverance, and healing to all who enter. A highly recommended reading. If I could give more than 5 stars,I'd give it another and another and another!
What do You think about Leota's Garden (1999)?
If you've read Redeeming Love, you know what a gifted storyteller Francine Rivers is and the wonderfully mult-faceted characters she creates. Leota is 84-years-old and facing the end of her life. She is alienated from her children and grandchildren, lives alone in a run-down house full of "history", mourns a garden that once thrived with creativity and life is now neglected and overgrown, a heart full of regrets and a heartfelt prayer and desire for reconciliation with her family before she dies. Then, one day a young male college student comes into her life to help her (but with a mission of his own in mind) and Leota's once alienated granddaughter comes back into Leota's life. I've always had a heart for the elderly so Leota's Garden captured me from the first pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel as it deals with being forced to face the fact that someone's perception of the past may not be the whole truth; that someone can poison others with their bitterness, resentments and agendas; that life is precious from beginning to end and that reconciliation is always possible if you take down the walls and barbed wire YOU put up in order to be able to see the other side. The sanctity of life is an issue Rivers brings into this story and in ways that aren't neatly packaged or completely addressed. In fact, I wish she'd gone a bit further, especially as it applied to Leota's life. But, I'm not giving anything away! Rather than a spoiler, I'll create a teaser!! ;)
—Debby
This book was really, really good with the exception of two scenes that just didn't seem to fit. The first being when Annie is telling the children a scary story at Halloween and uses the fall of Lucifer for the tale. It was hard for me to imagine that everybody in the room was okay with it, and that the children even understood what she was saying.The second scene was the euthanasia twist. What was that about? I fail to understand the author's choice for throwing that in there on top of all the
—Amy
So this was my second of Francine Rivers books. It is different from anything I have ever read. I have shied away from many Christian novels because they end up being silly romances. But that was certainly not this book. It was about love, but not the romance kind. Family love, love for God, and the love God has for us all.Leota was my favorite. She was sweet, feisty, and deep. Annie was almost too sweet, but I really did like her. I was a bit disappointed where her story ends, but who knows what could happen later in her life?Rivers deals with serious issues while providing love and humor (but not a ton of humor.) I finished this book in two days!
—Maddie
