Review: The Garden Before Eden by Les J. Whitmore

A touching tale of true love, despite all odds, The Garden Before Eden by Les J. Whitmore is a clever new take on destiny and the unexpected fates that control it.

Keller is an unassuming IT specialist with little chance of landing a date with Ashley the super-agent, but his authenticity, wit, and oddball charm catch her eye. He is completely different than Jack, the brash man she represents, who seems determined to sweep her off her feet with all the grace of a charging linebacker. Meanwhile, in a heavenly waiting room called the Garden, Ashley’s future children are waiting to be called down to Earth, observing her movements in the world like a television show in which they will soon guest star.

The three children have very different personalities and desires for life, namely football, followers, and family. Rather than let fate play its course, these mischievous kids work their way into the cosmic system of surveillance and control, hoping to improve their own chances at gridiron glory and social media clout. As they discover, the power of true love is formidable, as is the strength of a family, even before it takes shape.

The process of being chosen and sent to this world, including Passthroughs and Presentations, is an original aspect of the plot that is both whimsical and well-crafted. This pre-life space has just as many emotional highs and lows as the real world, but there is also a pervasive innocence that keeps the mood light, for an intriguing mixture of contemporary fiction and fantasy.

Despite having a spiritual element, the book rarely feels preachy or heavy-handed with religious messaging; the Garden refers to Eden, but it is more like a divine daycare with limited oversight. The way that the characters in the Garden speak, it is almost as if they are orphans hoping for a family to choose them and take them home. The balance of the narration means readers can watch both sets of characters experience similar trials – uncertainty, impatience, fear, excitement – making this an unusual family drama, despite the cosmic gaps between the Garden and Los Angeles.

While the premise is wholly unique and engaging, the quality of the writing does leave something to be desired; the descriptions are often superficial, and generally reductive ways of discussing female characters. The dialogue is frequently stilted and unbelievable, particularly when Jack is talking, although Whitmore does a very good job of stretching the tension out between Keller and Ashley. A general tightening of the prose would be beneficial, especially in areas where the informality of the writing feels more sloppy than purposeful. There are also misspelled words, grammatical errors, fragmentary sentences, and tense disagreements, showing the need for a final proofread.

That said, the novel moves along quickly thanks to cliffhanger chapter endings, and equally strong chapter beginnings, for a fast-paced and engaging read overall. Despite some technical slips, Whitmore clearly knows how to craft a whirlwind romance with a sharp turn of phrase, for a novel that is deeply original, thought-provoking, and entertaining.