Shocking, tense and sharply written, The Poison Garden is the gripping new novel from the international bestseller and Edgar award-winning Alex Marwood.
Where Romy grew up, if someone died you never spoke of them again. Now 22, she has recently escaped the toxic confines of the cult she was raised in. But Romy is young, pregnant and completely alone - and if she is to keep herself safe in this new world, she has some important lessons to learn. Like how there are some people you can trust, and some you must fear. And about who her family really is, and why her mother ran away from them all those years ago. And that you can't walk away from a dark past without expecting it to catch up with you... My thoughts: There is a good reason why the book blurb describes this novel as 'shocking and sharply written' - the writing in 'The Poison Garden' is beautiful, multi-layered and emotional. As the book delves into the strange and fascinating world of cults and brainwashing, we learn what it's like to live 'normal' life after you leave behind your dark past and face unfamiliar future. The protagonist of the book Romy is a fascinating character. She is young, vulnerable, and unusually observant, as she needs to learn who she can trust and who she needs to be wary of if she wants to continue surviving. Romy's story alternates between present and past and we find out how the Arc cult appeared. There is also another narrator: Romy's Aunt Sarah whose point of view lets us see where Romy's mother Alison/Somer was coming from and how she ended up in the cult. Believable, albeit uncomfortable and disturbing, The Poison Garden is a compulsive read. I will definitely be looking forward to Alex Marwood's future books as she is clearly a very talented storyteller. Thank you to Edelweiss and Penguin Books for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. Comments are closed.
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