Scan barcode
vezreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
reflective
slow-paced
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Ableism, and Child abuse
Moderate: Death of parent
ellenravioli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Ableism, and Child abuse
hedyharper's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Colonisation, Death, Racism, Confinement, Grief, Mental illness, Classism, Death of parent, Abandonment, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Chronic illness, and Child abuse
vagorsol's review against another edition
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Child abuse
dalek_caan's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
This book was okay, I had been meaning to read it for a while and I thought a light classic children's book would be kind of fun. It was definitely boring in a modern context but given its intended original audience I feel like in a historical context it might have been a good book. I'm glad I tried it but probably didn't need to sit through the whole thing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Medical trauma, and Forced institutionalization
xandra_lyn's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I had never read the secret garden before, but I absolutely loved it! The themes of people - and things - growing and blosso ing when shown a little bit of love are so appropriate for this day and age.
There are some inappropriate remarks about Indians (from India), and also a casual mention of a wife getting beaten. I hated to see those in an otherwise wonderful story. I know it was fine for the time, but it's hard to see thosw things thrown in so casually.
There are some inappropriate remarks about Indians (from India), and also a casual mention of a wife getting beaten. I hated to see those in an otherwise wonderful story. I know it was fine for the time, but it's hard to see thosw things thrown in so casually.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Child abuse
Minor: Domestic abuse
It's clear that both Mary and Colin were neglected emotionally which constitutes abuse in my mind. Domestic abuse: an older gardener mentions that a villager beat his wife, and nothing is said about this being wrong (in fact there is some victim blaming along with it) Racism: some derogatory things said about Indiansfifth_magpie's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Child abuse
Minor: Racism
a_bloom's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a reread from my Childhood and it made me realize why I loved this book so much. While the beginning has some questionable language about class and race (as to be expected of an older book) it's message is beautiful. Reading at different ages and phases in life reveals extra messages and the beautiful complexity of these characters stuck in a partially unknown time of our modern day... Yet the events and lessons and feelings and conversations doesn't feel that outdated besides the language shift.
I adore the characters and the magic they bring to the story. I adore the descriptions of nature and growing friendship. I adore the hope in the impossible and the magical. I adore a feel good story in the midst of everyday tragedy. No wonder I would read this year after year growing up... It was beautiful and gave me hope. Very few books actually make me emotional to the point of crying, but if I'd taken the time to read it straight in one sitting I probably would have.
If you don't know if you'd like classics or think they're too hard or boring then I BEG YOU TO READ THE SECRET GARDEN. Because at first it is a cruel indifference that quickly turns to kindness. God I love this book and hope that everyone gets the chance to read it. Devour it. And let it sit within your soul as you grow.
I adore the characters and the magic they bring to the story. I adore the descriptions of nature and growing friendship. I adore the hope in the impossible and the magical. I adore a feel good story in the midst of everyday tragedy. No wonder I would read this year after year growing up... It was beautiful and gave me hope. Very few books actually make me emotional to the point of crying, but if I'd taken the time to read it straight in one sitting I probably would have.
If you don't know if you'd like classics or think they're too hard or boring then I BEG YOU TO READ THE SECRET GARDEN. Because at first it is a cruel indifference that quickly turns to kindness. God I love this book and hope that everyone gets the chance to read it. Devour it. And let it sit within your soul as you grow.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Ableism, Body shaming, Grief, Terminal illness, Abandonment, and Mental illness
Minor: Slavery, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
mathildem's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
3.75 ⭐️ - I liked it
Or so I think, at least. I'm a bit up in the air about it, because for the most part I really like the story, the gorgeous writing and the slight magical realism; but at the same time there are (outdated) things throughout the story that really drove me crazy and made me not love the book. Such as the conversations around race and ugliness, and also as a chronically ill person the way the ending suggested that all illnesses kind of stem from the psyche didn't sit right with me. If at least that point didn't feel so much as general advice to the reader/listener, but more as something that spoke to Colin it would feel better. Because it is good advice to not scare yourself sick, but at least I felt it insinuated more people could get healthy if they wanted too, which isn't always true and can put a lot of blame on the victim.
All in all, I kind of wished throughout the entire book that was reading a reworked version of it, made to fit today's conversations better. I wished it didn't have the obvious racism and ableist beauty standards (read disfigured by Amanda Leduc if you're not sure what I'm aiming at). wished I had the same gorgeous storytelling, the same plot of the children finding each other and themselves, and the escapism without the infuriating small details that always brought me out of the story.
Carrie Hope Fletcher did a fantastic narration job.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Death of parent, Ableism, Child abuse, and Chronic illness
bookish_bry's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This was a very enjoyable read and came at a point in my life where I needed it. In particular, the message of getting up and doing things to make you feel better instead of languishing in your own self-pity came at a good time for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Chronic illness, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent and Child abuse
There is a good amount of casual racism against people from India. This lessons later in the book when the main character is out of India, but it is uncomfortable when it's there.