Galley Talk: Gardens of Water

Gardens of Water (Random House, Feb.) starts with fascinating detail, as a family prepares for their son's rite of passage ceremony. First-time novelist Alan Drew takes you just outside of Istanbul, where a massive earthquake hits shortly after the ceremony and changes the lives of several neighbors forever. The neighbors are an American family living abroad as teachers, and a conservative Muslim family, led by a man filled with Kurdish tradition and a longing to see his children raised with the same isolation that he grew up with. The earthquake brings circumstances that will bind the families together in ways none could have dreamed of, only to tear them apart with devastating results. The longing, the hope, the betrayal and the familial themes that fill each page with deep characterization will have you anxious to turn the page. Rich with emotion, this unforgettable story will leave you dying to talk about it with everyone. Above all, Gardens of Water is simply breathtaking.