Reviews

Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards

nasty_pancake's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted slow-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? No

2.0

angiec13's review

hopeful 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? No

4.0

I LOVED this book as a kid. And then, as often happens, I completely forgot about it until a few months ago when someone casually mentioned it on a podcast. So I tracked down a copy (this is when I learned that Julie Andrews wrote it, and I'm still recovering from the realization that Julie Andrews was even more steeply rooted in my childhood than I thought) and really enjoyed revisiting it. All I remembered about this book was all the gardening and keeping house at a secret cottage in the woods, which was my favorite part to revisit, too.

kellijbotelho's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

Loved this - very whimsical

peyton_vernon's review

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

nic_blake's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

annemarie246's review against another edition

5.0

My mom gave me this book in my Easter basket when I was 9(49 years ago). I loved it then and found it recently in a box of old books. Just as good as I remember. The paperback I have was $1.25?!? I wrote a funny note in the front that seems appropriate “This book is not an orphan, so do not adopt it”. There’s also an index card with a written excuse from my mom saying I was home sick with a sore throat.

lydiadrodgers's review

4.0

I can’t remember how many times I read this book as a little girl. I absolutely loved it. I just read it again as an adult and felt all the warm nostalgic fuzzies. So sweet!

hnbb's review

4.0

This was such a sweet book. It was reminiscent of Pollyanna or Anne of Green Gables. Julie Andrews is multi-talented it would seem. I good book for elementary school kids.

themoonphoenix's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

underwaterlily's review against another edition

5.0

Mandy is a treasure! Of course, try being twelve and explaining to a priest that you chose “Rose” as your confirmation name because, when you were ten, you read a book about a lonely little girl who discovers a cottage in the woods and decides to fix it up. Mandy pilfers seeds from the orphanage and plants a beautiful English garden to call her very own.

“You don’t think ‘Mary’ or ‘Bernadette’ will suit you better?”

“No, I love flowers! The book of saints says Rose of Lima is the patron saint of gardeners?”

“Do you want to be a gardener, then?” I had no idea how to tell the priest what I’d realized: a children’s book about a garden had made me want to be a writer.