I absolutely adore this author. Her first historical fiction novel, The Illness Lesson was superb, and this one – though clearly in the horror/psychological suspense and magical realism realms – is still historical fiction set in the mid 1940s. And it’s so beautifully crafted.

Beams is one of those authors with the skill of a poet: able to say so much with few words, able to fully develop character relationships and reactions in mere pages, but able to do so with beautiful language and metaphor. She also threw off unsettling vibes in her depictions of the garden grounds, the doctors within the home, the women’s relationships with their husbands. I started reading this during Halloween, and it was perfect for the creepy vibes.

But most importantly, this book very subtly shed light on the lifelong plight of women: always trying to prove their worth, to be the best, to work harder than male counterparts, to be counted instead of discounted, to be enough, to be more than their reproductive abilities.

The ending may be unsatisfying to some (in fact, I see it has been to many readers), but I feel that very likely, the ambiguity at the end was the whole point of the book. And that felt splendidly delicious in a world where too many books are tied up with happy, pretty bows that don’t give the reader the pleasure of some really good contemplation.

To the point of the book’s ending being deliberately written this way: It leaves the reader wondering: Did the garden possess supernatural abilities, did the baby girls born under such strained circumstances – again, lives dictated by the hands of men (the influence of Grandpa’s ghost in the garden) – really end up with reproductive abnormalities? Did the woman, Dr. Bishop, who strove so hard to rise from under the thumb of men really win, if she lost her mind and her business? Was magic the only way women could get what they wanted and deserved in their lives? Or were men always going to have the control?

For me, the open-ended questions equated to an apt metaphor for the place of women in the world in the 1940s. And it cleverly left room for comparisons to today’s women and their place in the world. Beams is emerging as a writer who doesn’t shy away from feminist writing. Loved.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Team for this Advanced Digital Readers Copy, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

3.5 stars

"The Garden" is yet another one of those reads where if I don’t think too hard on it, I can say I really liked it. It’s not until my mind starts to examine it that I realize Clare Beams didn’t quite pull the book off.

There seems to be a new subgenre in horror that’s evolved over the last few years – horror surrounding pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood. Beams’ latest book falls in this category, though the horror is more psychological than traditional fare. The story is set in 1948, at a private hospital where pregnant women who are prone to miscarry go to have their babies. The doctors promise a safe cure for miscarriage and that, under their care, a healthy baby will be born. The doctors are creepy, and there’s also a creepy garden involved that may or may not have supernatural powers.

The book is engrossing and a quick read, what with Beams’ loose and laid-back writing style, and I enjoyed being in the mind of Irene, a pregnant woman at the hospital. She’s a bit of a pill – she doesn’t like people much and has a cruel tongue – yet her caustic personality works well as the voice of the story. I found her interesting, too, because I was unsure as to how much she even wanted a baby. She never refers to her child as "the baby," instead calling it "the weight" and other various names, all of which are relevant to the story but seem to distance herself from what is happening to her body

The end is where the book falters. Beams doesn’t quite bring it together in a satisfying way, and she leaves some of the supernatural elements dangling so much I was left wondering what was the point of it all. I also think she could’ve used the story to say a lot more than she did about how the female body has always been a vessel of control for men and the government. It’s somewhat there in the pages, but I wanted a deeper dive into it, not a hollow, surface-only look.


My sincerest appreciation to Clare Beams, Doubleday, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

Pretty creepy, but it was too slow a build for me and I had a hard time finishing. It's horrifying how women were (and are!) treated by the medical community, so the premise piqued my interest. And the palpable tension of this book is rewarding with perseverance, but I think I was expecting and hoping for a more viscerally exciting gothic horror right from the jump.

The Garden really scared me. I mean, really scared me. You're never completely certain what's going on, but one thing I did know while reading was that I felt every bit of the terror and uncertainty the women in the book felt. I find books like this, that deal with the way women, especially pregnant women, were treated in the medical field during this time, to be very frightening. The women in this book were not listened to and weren't trusted to know what their own bodies were telling them, so no wonder they took things in their own hands. There was a constant thread of suspense in this book that I really enjoyed.

There's a facility in the Berkshires that helps couples experiencing lost pregnancies. The doctors, a married couple, claim to have a regimen that will help women carry to term. Pregnant women are dropped off by their husbands and left alone in the remote facility. Three women, total strangers, form a bond over a sinister discovery in a secret garden on the property.

What a strange ride this was...in a good way, I think. The writing style felt a little jumpy and unfocused at times but I think that spoke to the character. Nevertheless, sometimes it felt muddled and hard to follow. But I enjoyed it overall, important commentary on motherhood.

Immersed in gothic, haunted-house ambiance, "THE GARDEN" captivated me from the start and held my emotions tightly.

The narrative centers on Irene, who finds herself at a vast estate where a married couple of doctors conducts a medical program aimed at aiding women in healthy childbirth.

Tackling the psychological weight of multiple miscarriages, Irene grapples with the peculiarities of the estate, her isolation, the presence of other patients, the doctors' authoritative demeanor, and a mysterious garden rumored to hold mystical powers.

"THE GARDEN" delves into pertinent contemporary themes, exploring concepts like doppelgängers, ghosts, the blurred lines between life and death, societal expectations on women, motherhood pressures, nature's dark allure, and the ethical compromises made in the pursuit of desired outcomes.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This gothic-y/creepy vibe book may be the first I have read along these lines that is outside of actual horror books. I got sucked right in and read this one very quickly. I wasn't fond of the main character, but that didn't detract from me enjoying the book as a whole.

There were a sense of creepiness in the whole book that made me wonder what was going to happen and I wasn't disappointed.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of the E-book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was absolutely creepy and dealt with so many triggering topics for myself and others, I'm sure. The story features pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth, maternal death,animal death, and reanimation. That needs to be said first and gotten out of the way before I talk about my opinions.

I enjoyed many aspects of this book. The half seen reanimated animals, and the glimpses of the house's past were creepy and a great addition. This story seemed to have good bones but wasn't completely fleshed out. The characters outside of Irene were a little one-dimensional, and Irene herself wasn't very likable at all. It's understandable that she would be bitter and angry, but her antagonistic nature was off-putting.

Ultimately, this book had a ton of potential but left so many unanswered questions. Because of this, I'm giving it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

"The Garden" by Clare Beams is a mesmerizing and haunting novel that kept me spellbound from start to finish. Beams' exquisite prose and intricate storytelling transported me to the isolated house-cum-hospital in the Berkshires, where the secrets of the garden and the quest for motherhood intertwine in a tale of gripping suspense and emotional resonance.

Irene Willard's journey, fraught with the pain of past miscarriages and the desperate desire to fulfill her husband's dreams, captivated me from the very beginning. Beams delves deep into the complexities of motherhood, childbirth, and the female body, exploring themes of control, manipulation, and the longing for autonomy in a world where women's bodies are policed and manipulated.

The atmosphere of the novel is rich with tension and mystery, reminiscent of the works of Shirley Jackson and the eerie suspense of "Rosemary's Baby." The discovery of the secret garden with its unknown powers adds an additional layer of intrigue and enchantment to the narrative, drawing readers deeper into the story with each turn of the page.

"The Garden" is a masterful blend of psychological thriller and literary fiction, with its thought-provoking themes and compelling characters leaving a lasting impression. This is a book that kept me up at night, pondering its profound insights and unraveling its mysteries long after I had finished reading.

Clare Beams has crafted a five-star masterpiece that is sure to resonate with readers and linger in their minds for years to come.

When I read this book's comparison to <i>The Secret Garden</i> I was sold. A darker, grown up, and creepy version of a favorite childhood book? Yes, please!

Unfortunately, however, my final impression was lukewarm. This almost mash-up between Frances Hodgson Burnett's <i>The Secret Garden</i> and Stephen King's <i>Pet Semetary</i> teases creepy but delivers strange. The horror factor of this book rests on the insect and small animal apparitions, a ghastly spectral grandfather, and an old garden where those things that once were live again on the cusp of reality. However, the greater horror is the knowledge that these women are gathered in a hospital after suffering multiple miscarriages and stillborn deaths. They live in silent hope that their current pregnancies will stick and hang the entirety of their hopes on experiments and advice from the wife and husband team - Dr. Bishop and Dr. Hall - without knowing that the cure for their troubled pregnancies will produce far greater woes down the line. That is the horror. The insects and bloody mice, ghostly figures, and secrets buried in the garden were a distraction from the more stirring terror right in the reader's face.

I wanted so much to love this book, but I didn't quite get there.

Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars.

This book had a unique and interesting premise, and I typically enjoy stories about motherhood, especially with a feminist perspective. However, the plot was slow and just not my cup of tea overall.

This is a historical fiction novel set in the 1940s about a group of women struggling with infertility and miscarriage who are sent to a clinic to help them successfully birth their baby. There are sinister elements with regard to the husband and wife physician pair who run the clinic, as well as paranormal plot twists, which were never really explained. It seemed like the author did not know what genre of book she wanted to write, so the story did not end up with a strong voice.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and DoubleDay Books for the e-book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the Southern Gothic feel of this book, however I could not get into it for the life of me. While I was still able to finish it, it definitely wasn't my favorite book that I've read. I definitely think you need to be in a certain headspace when reading this because of the dark themes, in fact there were many times I had to take breaks when reading this. The writing was elegant and precise, and I think the novel itself was very cohesive.

The Garden by Clare Beams is dark and bone-chilling. The story follows Irene when she enters an experimental medical house in the Berkshires, where women like her are making a last-ditch effort to carry a baby to term. Every move the women make are scrutinized and controlled by the clinic.

The story is a very slow burn that has the reader's mind wandering long after the book is finished. Beam's descriptions of the clinic and the garden are beautifully written.

Thank you to NetGalley and DoubleDay Books for the eARC.

TW: miscarriage, medical abuse

This was a really cool concept, and it was well done, but I couldn't finish the book. I didn't think I would be so affected by the description of miscarriage as I was, but that's a testament to Beams's writing! It was heart wrenching. I would recommend this book, but be aware of the triggers.

THE GARDEN is a tale of miscarriages, difficulties in pregnancy, hallucinations, experimental medical treatments, mental stress

I loved the first few chapters of this book: the eerie house, the gender dynamics, Irene's thoughts and memories, the horrible recollections of miscarriage, the desperation, the creepy crossovers between dead animals and Irene's pregnancy.

But overall, I felt like it didn't deliver on a lot of its promises. The ending of the book was far too straightforward for me; I felt like there were some suggested horror elements from earlier in the book that weren't delivered on ("delivered," lol). Irene had had a lot of ambiguous feelings about pregnancy and motherhood that ultimately weren't borne out ("borne," lol). I didn't think there was much of a payoff around Dr. Bishop and her grandfather, or Dr. Bishop and Dr. Hall. The house ultimately didn't... do a lot, or even feel like it was doing a lot? I don't know, it felt like there was a lot of setup with a lot of things that didn't go anywhere.

I LOVED Irene, though. Loved her for the whole book. Her prickliness, her motivations. Loved her the whole way through.

I would recommend this to anyone who's interested in a slightly offbeat, well written novel about the trials and tribulations of pregnancy, but overall I personally wanted it to be a lot more offbeat.

I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

TW: heavy, heavy trigger warning for pregnancy loss

Please be in the right mindset if you are sensitive to pregnancy loss.

This book is very different from what I normally read but it was so GOOD! From the very beginning I was sucked in. I didn’t trust anyone and let me tell you now- you’re not gonna wanna put this book down. A one sitting read FOR SURE! Thriller girlies you will love it!

Overall rating: 4 stars

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

If you are triggered by pregnancy, trying to conceive, or reoccurring pregnancy loss do not read further.

This was eerie and the synopsis made this one feel right up my alley. At the same time it was quite triggering and heartbreaking. It kind of gave the vibes of the handmaids tale in that it felt like men against women and experimental uses of getting women pregnant. With that being said, it was hard to swallow some of the content about stillborn babies.

This was graphic and had me fuming with hatred towards misogynistic fictional men. If you’d like to trigger your feminist rage please give this story a go and prepare to be captivated yet disturbed.

I’m going to say for now 3.25 stars - intriguing concept but I may not have been in the best mindset to digest the scenes in this one.