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emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
It is a really beautiful book that displays how important nature connection is to our health. I love an author who can name a specific bird species and just the descriptions of spring were so vivid. It felt even more meaningful given how old the book is (1911?) that the skylarks are still doing their same song and dance and the daffodils and snowdrops are still popping out through the frost. It just gave me so much hope at nature’s resilience and how it continues its routine year on year in the face of adversity. It made me realise I need to find more books where nature is a character.
The main deduction for me is for the phonetically written Yorkshire accents which was oof, hard to read - especially when all the main characters were picking up the accent! It really slowed down my reading comprehension which given that the pace already felt quite slow, made getting through some of it feel like it was an age! Also the racism was oof at the start and is obviously of its time, that was only really present in the first third.
The main deduction for me is for the phonetically written Yorkshire accents which was oof, hard to read - especially when all the main characters were picking up the accent! It really slowed down my reading comprehension which given that the pace already felt quite slow, made getting through some of it feel like it was an age! Also the racism was oof at the start and is obviously of its time, that was only really present in the first third.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Abandonment, Colonisation
Moderate: Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic
Pandemic only at start and causes death of some parents (yes everyone has dead parents here)
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
Re-reading as an adult the racisim, classisim, ableisim and parental neglect are a big challenge as being in the time it was, they are never addressed.
However I do love the character arcs and personal growth of Mary and Colin as well as the healing bemefits of nature on your wellbeing. So the moments i enjoyed with the garden and cousins relationship i still enjoyed.
However I do love the character arcs and personal growth of Mary and Colin as well as the healing bemefits of nature on your wellbeing. So the moments i enjoyed with the garden and cousins relationship i still enjoyed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Racism, Xenophobia, Classism
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Medical trauma, Colonisation
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A beautiful inspiring little audio book. The perfect Spring pock you up story, loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Death of parent
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Just a good book and a fun read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Death, Death of parent
Minor: Racism
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'm not much into Victorian literature, but this was a cute little book I read for a book club.
I especially liked the first half, where Mary's curiosity and the gothic atmosphere reminded me sometimes of Jane Eire. I also enjoyed the Yorkshire spoken by Martha and Dickon. We see less of Mary in the second half, as it's more focused on Colin and his transformation thanks to spending time in the garden. I found this second half less compelling.
The comments about our thoughts being responsible for our health rubbed me off the wrong way. I can't say that being optimistic may help your well-being, but blaming individuals for their health issues is just an ableist vision that I can't abide. Also, the Magic mentioned in the book sounded too much like god and intelligent design. It may not have sounded like that if didn't it start with a capital letter.
There are also a lot of issues typical of their time, like classism and racism, but this is something expected in English literature around this time.
I especially liked the first half, where Mary's curiosity and the gothic atmosphere reminded me sometimes of Jane Eire. I also enjoyed the Yorkshire spoken by Martha and Dickon. We see less of Mary in the second half, as it's more focused on Colin and his transformation thanks to spending time in the garden. I found this second half less compelling.
The comments about our thoughts being responsible for our health rubbed me off the wrong way. I can't say that being optimistic may help your well-being, but blaming individuals for their health issues is just an ableist vision that I can't abide. Also, the Magic mentioned in the book sounded too much like god and intelligent design. It may not have sounded like that if didn't it start with a capital letter.
There are also a lot of issues typical of their time, like classism and racism, but this is something expected in English literature around this time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Racism, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Classism
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Het is een mooi, hoopvol boek. Eén boek dat laat zien dat verandering mogelijk is en dat het niet altijd in de grote dingen hoeft te zitten. Zolang je er zelf in geloofd en jezelf blijft aanmoedigen kom je een heel eind.
Dit zie je vooral in de veranderingen die Mary en Colin mee maken door het verhaal heen.
Ik ben begonnen in de Engelse versie en uiteindelijk geëindigd in de Nederlandse, zodat ik het boek op tijd uit zou hebben. Wat ik in de Engelse versie geweldig vind is het Yorkshire accent dat voorbij komt. Als het kan lezen terwijl je dat accent ook hoort voegt dat echt iets toe aan je leesplezier. De Nederlandse versie daarentegen had deze mooie platen erin staan, waarbij ik ook niet kon ophouden ernaar te kijken.
Dit zie je vooral in de veranderingen die Mary en Colin mee maken door het verhaal heen.
Ik ben begonnen in de Engelse versie en uiteindelijk geëindigd in de Nederlandse, zodat ik het boek op tijd uit zou hebben. Wat ik in de Engelse versie geweldig vind is het Yorkshire accent dat voorbij komt. Als het kan lezen terwijl je dat accent ook hoort voegt dat echt iets toe aan je leesplezier. De Nederlandse versie daarentegen had deze mooie platen erin staan, waarbij ik ook niet kon ophouden ernaar te kijken.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Grief
Moderate: Death, Violence, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
Lots of problematic content, considering it was published 1910-11. Its messages of hope, care, love, and emotional healing are all beautiful, though. If you haven’t read it, or it’s been a while since you have, I definitely recommend reading it! I read it many years ago and there was a lot I had forgotten about. I love just how active Martha and Dicken’s mother is in the story, for instance. If you’re giving it to a child to read, I recommend reading it along with them and being prepared for discussing racism, colonialism, corporal punishment, domestic abuse, and things like that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Classism
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation