You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
“How is it that animals understand things i do not know, but it is certian that they do understand. Perhaps there is a language which is not made of words and everything in the world understands it. Perhaps there is a soul hidden in everything and it can always speak, without even making a sound, to another soul.”
I really wanted this to hit the same as the secret garden (my ultimate favorite children’s book); however, something about this story felt missing. Throughout my reading i contemplated what unsettled me about this book and i think i can now articulate the reason: The characters.
For a story which is so character driven, i expected the many characters in this book to create an impressive mark on me, have individualistic qualities that distinguishes them and makes them worthy of being appreciated beyond being a tool to uplift the main character (Sarah). However, every girl in Sarah’s boarding school was just a backdrop for Sarah’s inner monologue’s and self contemplations. Like what happens to Ermen and her personal struggles with her weight and sadness? why is the doll Emily tossed away from the plot by the third of the book?
Every side characters only seem to serve showing us the virtues of Sarah, and how altruistic she is. They then vanish or fade into the backdrop, which is the biggest issue with this story for me.
This story would have been so much more investing if other characters had room to breath and be seen, that is the way the world of a story is fleshed. Without interesting characters, all we get is a beautiful world with a useless existence. Just like this little cute book; Beautiful, yet empty.
I really wanted this to hit the same as the secret garden (my ultimate favorite children’s book); however, something about this story felt missing. Throughout my reading i contemplated what unsettled me about this book and i think i can now articulate the reason: The characters.
For a story which is so character driven, i expected the many characters in this book to create an impressive mark on me, have individualistic qualities that distinguishes them and makes them worthy of being appreciated beyond being a tool to uplift the main character (Sarah). However, every girl in Sarah’s boarding school was just a backdrop for Sarah’s inner monologue’s and self contemplations. Like what happens to Ermen and her personal struggles with her weight and sadness? why is the doll Emily tossed away from the plot by the third of the book?
Every side characters only seem to serve showing us the virtues of Sarah, and how altruistic she is. They then vanish or fade into the backdrop, which is the biggest issue with this story for me.
This story would have been so much more investing if other characters had room to breath and be seen, that is the way the world of a story is fleshed. Without interesting characters, all we get is a beautiful world with a useless existence. Just like this little cute book; Beautiful, yet empty.
I still prefer The Secret Garden to this one, but I really enjoyed the story. I was surprised to know the ending is so different from the movie, but in some ways, it was better. It's touching to see a child remain kind when faced with so much adversity. I really liked that her kindness seemed to rub off on those she interacted with as well. A very good message. I'm so glad I finally read it!
One of my all-time favorite books! I'm rereading it right now. Just lovely!
One of my all-time favorite books when I was growing up. Not sure which I loved the most - this one or a Secret Garden.
The heartbreaking yet moving story of a young girl named Sara who is forced to become a little princess of her own. This is hands-down my favorite classic, perhaps because of the lack of romance. It is, in its simplest form, the story of a girl's unswayable character. Timeless.
This was a movie (the 1995 one) that I used to watch all the time as a kid and I read the abridged version of this book when I was a kid. This was the first time I’d read the full version of this book and it was pretty good.
Generally the book fixed the plot holes left by the movie. The attic transformation and Captain Crewe’s absent fortune are explained much better in the book then they are in the film. I thought that the characterization of all of the characters was pretty effectively done given how short the book is and served the purposes that needed to be served. I also thought that the giving/charity aspect was explored much better throughout the book, especially throughout the end when Sara’s cycle of goodness comes to a satisfying conclusion that nearly made me cry.
The writing is typical Frances Hodgson Burnett (she wrote The Secret Garden, a Sam cult classic) in the sense that she overexplains a lot of things to her readers. She drills it into your head over and over how nice and kind Sara is and how stupid Ermengarde is etc etc which can get very tiresome. Her prose and dialogue for the most part though is pretty good and readable, especially since children are the target audience.
I’ve given it 4 stars mostly because it is so nostalgic and I did genuinely enjoy it for the most part (barring the period-typical racism, fatphobia, and takes on classicism).
Generally the book fixed the plot holes left by the movie. The attic transformation and Captain Crewe’s absent fortune are explained much better in the book then they are in the film. I thought that the characterization of all of the characters was pretty effectively done given how short the book is and served the purposes that needed to be served. I also thought that the giving/charity aspect was explored much better throughout the book, especially throughout the end when Sara’s cycle of goodness comes to a satisfying conclusion that nearly made me cry.
The writing is typical Frances Hodgson Burnett (she wrote The Secret Garden, a Sam cult classic) in the sense that she overexplains a lot of things to her readers. She drills it into your head over and over how nice and kind Sara is and how stupid Ermengarde is etc etc which can get very tiresome. Her prose and dialogue for the most part though is pretty good and readable, especially since children are the target audience.
I’ve given it 4 stars mostly because it is so nostalgic and I did genuinely enjoy it for the most part (barring the period-typical racism, fatphobia, and takes on classicism).
I think I preferred the movie. The movie felt more magical. I admit I haven’t seen it in years so I think I need to rewatch it so I can sort out my opinion more.
"she was always dreaming and thinking odd things and could not herself remember any time when she had not been thinking things about grown-up people and the world they belonged to. She felt as if she had lived a long, long time."
I wished Frances Hodgson Burnett stopped explaining about Sara at this point. Because at this point, I like her already. Because at this point, I wish I read this book when I was a child. Because at this point, I start to think that Sara and I have similarities.
Sadly though, couple pages later turned my feelings to Sara 180 degrees. She is perfect. Far, far, far too perfect. Not as a child, as a human being. Whimsically pretty, kind, selfless, rich, adored, and different. Boringly perfect. Unlovable perfect.
The kind of perfect that leaves me with a feeling:
"okay, she got everything, everyone love her, life will turn perfect for her yadda yadda yadda. So why should I give a damn about her?"
But of course, this is just temporary. I'm not even halfway reading it. Time will tell, hopefully.
*shrugs*
I wished Frances Hodgson Burnett stopped explaining about Sara at this point. Because at this point, I like her already. Because at this point, I wish I read this book when I was a child. Because at this point, I start to think that Sara and I have similarities.
Sadly though, couple pages later turned my feelings to Sara 180 degrees. She is perfect. Far, far, far too perfect. Not as a child, as a human being. Whimsically pretty, kind, selfless, rich, adored, and different. Boringly perfect. Unlovable perfect.
The kind of perfect that leaves me with a feeling:
"okay, she got everything, everyone love her, life will turn perfect for her yadda yadda yadda. So why should I give a damn about her?"
But of course, this is just temporary. I'm not even halfway reading it. Time will tell, hopefully.
*shrugs*
My all time fave classic. All the stars in the universe 🌌