In a Garden Burning Gold

Book One of the Wind-up Garden series

By: Rory Power

Narrated by: Jesse Vilinsky

“Fresh and original . . . full of lush writing and detailed worldbuilding . . . [with a] rich fantasy landscape and an almost Shakespearean feel.”—Paste

Twins imbued with incredible magic and near-immortality will do anything to keep their family in power—even if it tears the family apart—in the first book of a mythic epic fantasy duology from the New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls.

ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2022—BookPage

Rhea and Lexos were born into a family unlike any other. Together with their siblings, they control the seasons, the tides, and the stars, and help their father rule their kingdom. Thanks to their magic, the family has ruled for an eternity, and plan to rule for an eternity more.

But Rhea and Lexos are special: They are twins, bonded down to the bone, and for the past hundred years, that bond has protected them as their father becomes an unpredictable tyrant—and his worsening temper threatens the family’s grip on power.

Now, with rival nations ready to attack, and a rebel movement within their own borders, Rhea and Lexos must fight to keep the kingdom—and the family—together, even as treachery, deceit, and drama threaten to strand the twins on opposite sides of the battlefield.

In a Garden Burning Gold is a vividly written, atmospheric saga that explores the limits of power and the bonds of family—and how far both can be bent before they break.

©2022 Rory Power (P)2022 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Tremendously surprising . . . beautiful language and developing mysteries . . . a very smooth and enjoyable read.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Alternating points of view between Rhea and Lexos highlight the emotional arcs of children wanting to both secure their parent’s love and remove themselves from his control. Immersive prose, Greek-inspired worldbuilding, and political machinations . . . Power constructs a world of magical families with layered secrets.”—Library Journal

“Power creates a distinctive magic system and has a steady hand with the complex geopolitical intrigue, building a fascinating, lived-in world.”—Publishers Weekly

Fabulous listen

The story was absolutely mesmerizing. The ending was so suspenseful I couldn’t stop listening the last 2 hours. I cannot wait for the sequel! At first, story was a little slow, and it was difficult to keep track of the many names and places listed, but the interesting way the story read and the superb performance of the narrator kept me listening. So glad I did! I am enthralled! This is a book you will certainly remember- unique and vibrant! If I were to criticize at all, it would be inconsistencies in some of the characters’ behaviors. I can’t specify further here as it would give spoilers away. Regardless, I am in love with this book and will likely go on to check out some of the author’s other existing novels.

good but takes a long time to get there

The first quarter of the book is pulling teeth The next quarter is not much better but the last half is fantastic.

the ending

the whole book was a bit of a drag but that ending?!

wow I'm shook

Damn could’ve been so good

Weird rushed ending to me, sorta don’t know why I listened to this whole story?

So Much Potential (is there a sequel?)

This book has so much potential but squanders it.

I was enchanted by the magic system in the story and the different characters we’re presented with. I loved that the author subverts common tropes and stereotypes at every possible second, keeping you on your toes. Each character, although god like in nature, seems incredibly human in their decision making and thought process; it was refreshing! It showcased a very realistic view of an abusive father and how it can be in small ways and in larger ways. Both perspectives in the book were fun to follow and I never found myself wishing I could skip to one character’s viewpoint instead of the other.

This book also did a great job at having absolutely everything that could go wrong for the main characters (AND I MEAN EVERYTHING) go wrong right up until the last 20 minutes of the book. But that’s the problem. There’s no resolution. The book finishes with a very abrupt epilogue that hints at a sequel but I’m unsure if that is to come. And if so, why not just skip the epilogue and end it with a bang? I found myself at the 50 minute mark, screaming to myself, “But how will this be resolved???”

Perhaps the author wanted to create an ominous, lost hope, no explanation, “that’s how real life works” ending. And if so, cool, but I hate endings like that. Personal preference.

HOWEVER, if the author was gearing up for a sequel… I could make some allowances.

Characters: All of the characters in this book are fully fleshed out and fun to follow. I hate the main characters but in a fun way. I both want them to succeed and want them to fail. They feel so human because they make mistakes (but not stupid ones). I’m not really sure if the author wanted us to root for Rhea but I found her brainwashed and annoying half of the time (once again, I’m a fun way). I think it’s cooler to think that the author was just so good at writing that you don’t really want to root for either of the main characters because they both make bad and good decisions. That’s what made the book feel realistic.

Magic System: I LOVED the lore and magic system in this book. So unique and fun to discover throughout the story. I wish there was a little bit more revelations of different children’s or parent’s powers but if there is a sequel that does this, I’m okay with that.

Pacing: I read a review that mentioned the beginning was slow. I can’t agree. I appreciate when a story takes time to show, not tell, you about the character’s predicaments. I don’t need to immediately jump into the action. The beginning really shows you all of the family dynamics, powers, and situations in a way that felt organic and engaging.

Performance: The narrator was incredible and really breathed life into the different languages presented in the book. They also did a great job at creating different, distinct voices for each character. Really built up the magic in this book.

Main Problem: My main issue with this book is whether or not there will be a sequel. Either author could have made it blatantly obvious that there would be one by cutting the book off right at the end of the action, ditching the epilogue. Or the author could have ended it in a dreary way that makes it clear that although things in the story haven’t been resolved, there’s nothing left to write.

Read the Sequel?: Oh definitely, I’m excited to see where Rhea goes and how Lexos has faired.

Re-Read?: I want to preface this by saying I don’t reread a lot of books until a couple of years have passed. However, this is not a book I would enjoy re-reading simply because it wouldn’t add anything new to my experience.

Ahhh

This should have had another book! So good! I’m upset, there should have been more.

Couldn’t finish

Rarely stop books midway through but it is so boring I cannot continue! Don’t waste your time or money!

I'll remember this book for all the wrong reasons

the narrator did the best she could with a nightmare of a book. the most interesting part is between the ending of the book and the beginning of the epilog epilog. "off screen"