Winter Garden

When their father falls ill, sisters Meredith and Nina Whitson return to their family home in California, where they are forced to confront their emotionally distant mother, Anya. As the father nears death, he extracts a promise that Anya will finally tell the Russian fairy tale she has shared with her daughters since childhood, but this time she must tell the entire story. The narrative alternates between the sisters' present-day reconciliation and Anya's harrowing past in war-torn Leningrad during World War II.

Kristin Hannah’s novel explores the complex, often painful dynamics of the mother-daughter bond, revealing how secrets and survival shape identity across generations. The prose is accessible and emotionally direct, blending domestic drama with historical tragedy. By framing the historical account within a family saga, the book examines the enduring links between the past and present, ultimately challenging the sisters to understand the truth of their mother’s life and the foundation of their own family.

Description adapted from Open Library ↗.