Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I think I would have loved this title when I was 8 or 9. A secret garden, with a bit of a mystery, a sort of Mary Poppins-esque or Paddington vibe to the family. A delightful little read.
I never expected this children fiction novel to be so deep... At some point I wondered if children could comprehend its depth in full. Loved it! Such a sweet story.
Would recommend it for when feeling down and gloomy.
Would recommend it for when feeling down and gloomy.
I reread this one several times as a kid, and it did not disappoint upon rereading as an adult. An almost mystery, almost ghost tale, the past/present/future are a jumble when Tom Long goes to stay with his aunt and uncle in their flat and the clock strikes 13.
mysterious
slow-paced
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
Though I haven’t read much in this genre as an adult, I enjoyed this magical children’s fiction novel and wish I had read it when I was younger. It was a calming change of pace. The characters jump off the page, and as with any good period piece, there is a strong sense of place.
I think as a whole this book doesnt hold up much by todays' standards. Slow moving. Not much happens. I suspect it will bore most children now... but,
The fact that it deals with a kind of time travel is cool for the time (not that this was the first time travel story by any stretch) and when the final act (if you could call it that) kicks in my interested was piqued.
As a kid, and heck as an adult, I love the ideas of this story. Secret doors to other times. Magical clocks hammering away. Is he a ghost? Is she a ghost? Is it all a dream? All of that really gets the imagination going... when you are thinking about it later, after; or when you are telling a friend the story, they will love it.
But as a read it was a bit of slog. I kept putting it down and forgetting about it for a week. It should not have taken me this long to read. It is 200 pages for crying out loud... but I made it through with no regrets exactly. But I am glad I am done. It felt like a job.
The fact that it deals with a kind of time travel is cool for the time (not that this was the first time travel story by any stretch) and when the final act (if you could call it that) kicks in my interested was piqued.
As a kid, and heck as an adult, I love the ideas of this story. Secret doors to other times. Magical clocks hammering away. Is he a ghost? Is she a ghost? Is it all a dream? All of that really gets the imagination going... when you are thinking about it later, after; or when you are telling a friend the story, they will love it.
But as a read it was a bit of slog. I kept putting it down and forgetting about it for a week. It should not have taken me this long to read. It is 200 pages for crying out loud... but I made it through with no regrets exactly. But I am glad I am done. It felt like a job.
Loved this book. Thoroughly enjoyed the writing.
Very dated. I can't see a kid today picking it up and getting very far. There was a quaint type of charm about the whole thing that I appreciate as an adult. Kind of a view of what life would have been like as a child 'back in the day'.
Summary: Tom finds himself in the midst of a strange adventure involving a garden that appears only at night and a girl from another time.
Summary: Tom finds himself in the midst of a strange adventure involving a garden that appears only at night and a girl from another time.