The Evil Garden

Great-Uncle Franz, beside the lake,
Is being strangled by a snake.

The peaches, apples, plums, and pears
Are guarded by ferocious bears.

Alexa watches while her aunt
Is pulled feet first inside a plant.

A happy, naive family enters the Evil Garden (free admission!) to spend a sunny afternoon in its inviting landscape, lush with exotic trees and flowers. They soon realize their mistake, as harrowing sounds and evidence of foul play emerge. When humongous hairy bugs, famished carnivorous plants, ferocious fruit-guarding bears, and a sinister strangling snake take charge, the family’s ominous feelings turn to full-on panic—but where’s the exit?

Edward Gorey leads us through this nefarious garden with a light step. His unmistakable drawings paired with engaging couplets produce giggles, not gasps. Perhaps The Evil Garden is a morality tale; perhaps it’s simply an enigmatic entertainment. Whatever the interpretation, it’s a prime example of the iconic storytelling genius that is Edward Gorey.


Praise for The Evil Garden by readers at LibraryThing:

A wonderful thing. Cannot recommend it enough... For lovers of Gorey's works this is a must, and for those unfamiliar with him then The Evil Garden makes one of the best introductions possible. Edward Gorey at his most grimly humorous. Charming to read, a delight to hold. Recommended for: people who appreciate "vaguely ominous" situations happening to perfectly nice Edwardian families. [A] wickedly fun book! The Evil Garden is in typical Edward Gorey fashion: Starting out with a beautiful day and devolving into mayhem! If you know anyone with a vivid imagination, an oddly skewed funnybone, a touch of Victorian drama and Georgian-through-flapper fashion sense, do them a favor and introduce them to the world of Gorey.

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