Scan barcode
maddim's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
plagiarizzim's review against another edition
5.0
“Where you tend a rose, my lad,
A thistle cannot grow.”
I’ve been feeling a little lost and sad recently, and picking up a childhood favourite was so healing for me. I used to listen to The Secret Garden on a CD, narrated by Thora Hird, at night as a child, and I can still hear it so vividly. I can still see the same images I imagined as a child. A true testament to how much I love this story (and how often I listened to it). I took my time with this book and really savoured it. A lovely experience with a lovely book.
ninnicannotspell's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I always love her books, somthing wery old fairytale about them. I feel like I can see Dickens and the Moor
babagardener's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
rhi_xo's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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
3.0
this was a really sweet book with some lovable characters in it (especially Dickon). I really liked the message of how you can expel bad thoughts with good ones & the positive effects of using your body & being outdoors. the story itself was different than what I expected it to be & I don’t know how I feel about the focus shifting from Mary to Colin. It would have been cool to get a glimpse into the kids’ futures to see how they turned out, but all in all it was a very sweet story.
leaterary's review against another edition
fast-paced
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Death of parent
juliacornejo's review against another edition
5.0
Obviously, some things didn’t age well, but on the whole this was cute and wholesome
piasta's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.0
Hat Elemente aus Heidi und Alice im Wunderland, aber britisch und herbstlich
rceparski's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Grief
deep_in_the_reads's review against another edition
3.0
The Secret Garden's first half promises a really fun, fleshed-out coming of age story. Mary Lennox, the 10-year old protagonist, subverts a lot of tropes of the down-on-their luck child from books of the period. Rather than being a starry-eyed saintly kid a-la Oliver Twist, she's pig-headed, entitled and prone to tantrums. Frances Burnett does a great job of making her believable, especially given her colonialist upbringing. It makes it all the more heartwarming when she begins to be drawn out of her shell. Her early interactions with Colin and Martha are highlights. Coupled with Burnett's ability to bring the magic out of even mundane things (for example, the scenes leading up to the discovery of the garden and her first meeting with Colin), The Secret Garden has a lot of charm and heart. Sure, it's a bit cheesy, but considering it's a children's book written only ten years after the end of the Victoria era, I mostly give it a pass.
My issues with the book mostly come from the latter third, after all the characters and settings have been established. Unfortunately, Mary Lennox, the child born into neglect, is pushed out of the story totally. She does very little in the final chapters of the book, and in the last scene she's literally absent. I've never seen an author sideline their own main character so totally before, and I can't help but feel let down, as she is one of the few characters with any depth. It's not satisfying that her role is played out long before the book ends. Colin's speeches about "The Magic" kind of come across as a little embarrassing to read as well.
Overall The Secret Garden is probably worth a read if you're interested in landmark children's novels. It isn't as strong as, say, Charlotte's Web, but it's still pretty good.
My issues with the book mostly come from the latter third, after all the characters and settings have been established. Unfortunately, Mary Lennox, the child born into neglect, is pushed out of the story totally. She does very little in the final chapters of the book, and in the last scene she's literally absent. I've never seen an author sideline their own main character so totally before, and I can't help but feel let down, as she is one of the few characters with any depth. It's not satisfying that her role is played out long before the book ends. Colin's speeches about "The Magic" kind of come across as a little embarrassing to read as well.
Overall The Secret Garden is probably worth a read if you're interested in landmark children's novels. It isn't as strong as, say, Charlotte's Web, but it's still pretty good.