The Moonlit Path is an American work by author Peter Goodman, written in a dramatic literary style. At Christmas in 1913, a young woman named Katharine is given a diary to keep for the year ahead, intended to record the plantings of the year for her garden. But the artistically minded Katharine goes beyond mere function, using the garden journal to document every detail of her life as the year 1914 kicks off. What follows is a biopic look at one of the most interesting years of world history, told from California, and a highly emotional journey for one young soul amid that background.

Peter Goodman writes with a highly transporting style, never once deviating from his commitment to putting Katharine authentically onto the page. From the start, her musings are artistically put, genuinely feminine and highly appropriate to her age and gender at the time, as she stands on the very edge of a world about to be rocked forever by global unrest. Katharine’s own journey is one in which we learn about her life in the garden and what that represents, as well as examining her personal history, family life and connection to the wider world around her. I felt totally immersed in another world whilst I was reading, and the dramatic impetus of the tale just kept growing the more I went on. Overall, literary fiction fans will find a deeply immersive personal narrative in The Moonlit Path which is hard to rival, along with an unraveling history that reflects back on our shared past.

The Moonlit Path by Peter Goodman is a compelling literary work with a social and political setting in 1914, written as a journal against the backdrop of the war and exciting events in California. Katharine W, a thirty-two-year-old gardener and artist receives a blank garden journal from her sister at Christmas. She decides to use it as a personal journal but thinks that a garden journal would be a silly idea for there would be little or nothing to write about, except the wind-blown rain beating against the window panes or the warmth of the fireplace inside. She couldn’t be more wrong for the year turned out to be filled with exciting events, with the war having varied and powerful effects on the lives of the people around her.

This journal captures the day-to-day events that happened in the life of the protagonist and features social and political commentaries that give readers the feel of a historic event that marked the lives of many people in many ways. From the beginning, the narrator states: “I cannot quite say I am resolved to accomplish anything more than to create very fine gardens here.” That is on the 31st of December 1913, the eve of New Year, and the reader will be taken on a rollicking ride from the New Year's Eve celebrations through the entire year.

As the entries make their way onto the pages of the journal, a powerful, compelling narrative takes shape and pulls the reader into an exciting world. The language is engaging, and the author blends the epistolary style, prose, and exciting dialogues to craft a beautiful story for readers. The first-person voice is skillfully done and it gives an intimate character to the narrative, pulling readers into the worldview of the narrator. The Moonlit Path showcases Peter Goodman's creativity and gift for storytelling, a worthy read, indeed.