The Victory Garden Summary
Rhys Bowen

The Victory Garden Overview

The Victory Garden is a novel by Rhys Bowen. The story follows 21-year-old Emily Bryce, who leaves the comfort of her wealthy home to enlist in the Women’s Land Army. Set in 1918 at the end of the Great War, the novel follows Emily’s doomed love affair with a brave Australian pilot who dies a hero. Emily is determined to survive in a strict society when she finds she is pregnant out of wedlock. After working the gardens at a Devonshire estate, she settles into village life and forges a strong female community. When she discovers a long-lost herbal recipe book and assumes the role of a local healer, her life is given new meaning and purpose. The novel explores themes of class, nature, independence, war, and female empowerment.