This was an interesting novel. Its the story of a town, a family, all centered around a garden. It begins with the founding of the town of Blackwell, originally Bearsville. It tells the 200+ year history of the descendants of Hallie Brady, who founded the two, and whose garden with blood red soil turned everything it grew red. Each chapter focuses on a different generation of Brady descendants, so it reads like a collection of short stories. Or an oral genealogical history of the family and town. It reminded me greatly of some of the little family stories that have passed down, except you get to see how some of the town legends originated in this. I found it well written and a quick read. ( )

The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman is a series of interconnected short stories about the founding, growth and development of a small town in the Berkshires of Massachusetts and the people who lived there or passed through. Originally named Beartown, it was eventually renamed Blackwell.

Reading about this small town is much like reading a condensed history of America as wars, epidemics, and politics frame each story but this is a book written by Alice Hoffman so there are touches of magic and the paranormal as well. I often felt like I was reading a fairy tale. In all there are 14 stories offered in chronological order that take us from the towns’ beginning in 1750 up to the present. Some of the stories had a greater impact than others, but overall I am in awe at both Hoffman’s imagination and writing ability.

Haunting and luminous, The Red Garden seems to be a bouquet celebrating New England. In rich and colorful words, Alice Hoffman gives us a vivid picture of the traditions and spirit that are to be found in this corner of America. ( )

Read by Nancy Travis.
group of stories the happens through the years. ( )

The Red Garden reads like a collection of interconnected short stories that weave together a generational tapestry of the Brady, Partridge, Starr, and Mott families in the small town of Blackwell, Massachusetts in the Berkshires. Each chapter is a treasure, and subtly communicates concepts of generational trauma, generational legacy, and something altogether a bit magical. The scenery isn't just a backdrop but an essential role in this drama, which is peppered with moments of light-heartedness. Hoffman is telling a tale of lives and while the stories of each person are interesting enough, it is the artful way in which she reaches the thread back to an earlier story and loops it in that made this book compelling. There are elements of magical realism: bonds with bears, a garden that turns all plants red, transformations, and ghosts, but it never distracts from the core humanity of the stories. On the contrary, these elements help illuminate the potential magic in our imaginations and maybe even our lives. ( )

These linked short stories followed the founder of a small town in the Berkshires of Massachusetts and descendants of the original townspeople. Bits of magical realism were interspersed to create a mythical mood to some of the stories. To fully appreciate the connections, I would need a re-read or a family tree. I wasn’t thoroughly on board as I read it, but it is sticking with me which is always a good sign.

Just found in another review that she did publish a family tree.

In February 2021 she published a family tree in a newsletter. Here are some visuals in case you can't get it:
1 of 2: https://gyazo.com/45702aa5d0c00d501898902717bb6856
2 of 2: https://gyazo.com/b87aee9cc54dd8fd93b82a17410f0f02 ( )