Tree of Lives by Elizabeth Garden is the story of Ruth, her family and her life. It explores the family’s connections, not just through genetics, but also describes how family history and secrets interconnect and affect future generations. The reader will be both horrified and uplifted by this story of a woman who is sublimated and abused by the men in her life and eventually, against all odds, succeeds in empowering herself and finding her own voice. The book transitions between the story of Raymond in the early 1900’s and the present day story of Ruth, his great-niece. The author weaves the emotionally charged threads of the two stories together, exposing the ghosts of the past. Raymond’s spirit walks with Ruth throughout the book. His tragedy was buried as the years passed and was never talked about again. Ruth, the fourth child of the family, is abused verbally and physically by her father a selfish, brutal alcoholic. Her mother is unable to stand up for her children. Ruth is barely able to keep herself together in this shocking heartbreaking tragedy. The author draws you into Ruth’s world with a painfully honest narrative and frank descriptions of the darker elements of human nature and mental illness. Telling the story gives Ruth perspective when looking at her own life and helps her put back together a spirit that has been shattered over the course of her life with the help from the imagination she harnessed as an artist and the grit she developed as a survivor. Your heart goes out to Ruth as the tragedy becomes a celebration of life and hope. This is an unforgettably vivid portrayal of a complex life. Beautiful illustrations compliment the story perfectly.