The Garden Angel

This was a pure delight to read - so much so that I barely know where to begin the review. It has been a while since I have read a "Southern" novel, and when I started reading The Garden Angel I realized how much I have missed. Mindy Friddle has created a truly touching, heartfelt debut in this, her first novel. I enjoyed it so much I am anxiously awaiting her next. I won't bother to go over the plot as it has already been done by other reviewers but I can say that this is a story about friendship, family, and roots. I related to Elizabeth who suffers from Agoraphobia as I had to overcome the same many many years ago. Unless you have experienced a full-fledged panic attack accompanied by agoraphobia, you have no idea how terrifying it is. Agoraphobia means literally, "fear of the market place", but basically means you are afraid to go anywhere or leave the comforts of your home because you're afraid of having panic attacks in public. You can't explain what you are afraid of, or the reason for your panic, but it is very real. It is caused by nerves that have become sensitized by fear and is a very debilitating disease. Mindy Friddle captured the feelings so well when she was describing the feelings Elizabeth was having and why she was so afraid to leave home. When Elizabeth and Cutter develop a friendship, Cutter does so much to help Elizabeth overcome her problem simply by helping her to get out and not to make an issue of her problem. I also identified with Cutter . . . a friendly, outgoing person who knows everyone in town and who loves the family homestead so much she is terrified of losing it. Her love for her heritage and her home are so real and her desire to keep it in spite of having no money to do so is heartbreaking. I would have read this book in one sitting if I could have. Once I began reading I did not want to stop. Do yourself a favor and read The Garden Angel. You will not be sorry!

Just finished reading The Garden Angel.....and really dragged out those final pages, because I didn't want it to end! Wonderful debut novel with prose that flows, characters that made me feel like I knew them personally and Friddle displayed a terrific sense of place. I highly recommend this novel and honestly have to say it's been ages since I enjoyed a story as much as this one. Down-to-earth and believable. Do yourself a favor and read this one. My only regret is I'm going to miss Cutter, Elizabeth, Alfred and the rest of the cast. Very much looking forward to Friddle's next novel.

Thank goodness I found this novel -- it's pure delight, and hard to believe it's a debut novel, to boot. The Garden Angel was total refreshment from beginning to end. I stayed up all night to finish it, and the well-crafted story deeply resonated. I was moved by the ending. This novel examines the layers of "home" and what home means to different characters -- interesting, complex, funny, and appealing characters. Poignant yet humorous in places, it's a delightful piece of literature that deserves the praise it's getting. It is SO MUCH BETTER than other novels out there right now on the NYT list. Thanks, Mindy, and keep writing!

This is a wonderful book, written by someone who knows how to tell a story! I picked this book up on a rainy afternoon, found myself wrapping up the words and the story all around me, like a warm blanket, and I couldn't quit reading until the end. Which by the way, I was sorry to get to, I miss the people already. Read this book, you will be glad you did. Ms. Friddle, hurry with your next book, I can't wait.

The Garden Angel is such a special book that after I finished it in one night, I wanted to just curl up with it and go to sleep. Lovely, wise, funny, interesting, unique ... this writers really knows how to please her readers. I love how the author plays around in all the gray areas of life, reminding me that life is to be lived and not judged. This is a superb book club book, by the way!

Mindy Friddle has written an unforgettable novel filled with sharply drawn characters and well-crafted prose. This is a must-read for fans of Southern fiction. A stunning debut!