Meet Me in the Garden
A Creole family saga beginning in New Orleans during World War II, this story is told by Odette, youngest of the three Honore sisters. She is the only one who does not want to be a wife and mother, which she confides to her cousin Delphine in the secret garden where they meet.
Odette wants to be an artist and is in love with a woman, and Delphine loves a white man. “What does it matter, anyway, what anyone thinks of us?” she asks, and for a while they believe that will be their key to freedom and happiness. Then, pregnant, Delphine vanishes with her lover. After the war, Odette finds herself on a very different path than she imagined—now a widow and mother—and travels with her family to California for opportunities away from the racism of Louisiana. Despite the bigotry they discover in Los Angeles, the husbands of Odette’s sisters get jobs at Columbia Records, as does she, living in Compton and sharing childcare.
This complex story reflects the realities of L.A. and social attitudes from 1948 to 1965 for the three sisters, their husbands, children, a wild younger brother-in-law, and those they love. Their lives are challenging, and each person’s heart is even more so. Everyone is conflicted or yearning in one way or another, especially Odette, who creates a unique family of her own but fears following her heart.
LaCour is a brilliant writer, depicting the Watts riots of August 1965, which were motivated by anger at the racist, abusive practices of the L.A. Police Department, employment discrimination, and residential segregation from her characters’ experiences. Their engaging portrayals and the twists of familial connections add to the strength of this novel. Highly recommended.
