©picture by scribbles (Marye McKenney)

Friday, May 4, 2012

Lilacs in Lilac Season

I just finished reading Where Lilacs Still Bloom by Jane Kirkpatrick. I recently got "into" Jane Kirkpatrick books. I had seen her works and had been intrigued, but for some reason, her writing didn't capture my interest.

I like lilacs--my husband doesn't--and the thought of hybridizing the lilacs captures my interest. I guess it stems from a field trip I took to a tree farm in tenth grade, where the owners demonstrated grafting techniques. That's why I chose this book to review.

I loved the story of this book, the biography of Hulda's quest for something more to come from her lilacs, but I found the writing somewhat disjointed. In Jane's quest to show how Hulda touched many lives, she added other stories of other people in a way that confused me more than they added to the story. Hulda's basic story is touching, she is a woman who lets nothing stand in her way, who fights the whims of nature, and who doesn't let grass grow under her feet. She is a woman who knows triumph and sorrow, and a woman I can admire. She is humble, faithful, and gracious. She loves passing on her love for plants to young men and ladies who come to work for her. Her influence is widespread and when her gardens are totally flooded out, she is rewarded by people sending her starts and seeds from lilacs she had given away.

Overall, I did enjoy the book in spite of my confusion, and I am not sure how this story could have been written better.

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