Reviews

This was actually quite sweet and won me over. It is very funny how a major plot point is that little Mary is so obstinate and misbehaved that she's able to counter spoiled Colin's tantrums and knock sense into him - and the way they're both continually described as sour, hysteric, bad-tempered, etc. is also quite funny - but the core of the story is uplifting and filled with all the warmth and sunshine of spring. The brutality of Mary and Colin's poor tempers turns into the joy of seeing them grow without losing their stubborn childishness, and there is so much tenderness here for the moving of the seasons and animals and the earth. Dickon-the-magical-Yorkshire-boy is a delight, of course. It was lovely but not saccharine, which is a real feat.

There are definitely people with more developed and informed perspectives than me on the colonial roots of Mary's upbringing and how the story interacts with British colonization of India, but for me those parts are indeed uncomfortable. The quasi-fetishization of the working-class Yorkshire was more funny than anything.

raemow's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

nostoneunturned's review against another edition

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medium-paced

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

2.75

mullemit's review against another edition

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4.0

There are at least two ways of reading this book. One way puts the needs of children at the center, their innocence justifies the means with which they learn to thrive. Mary and Colin are awful but neglected children who become happy and agreeable with the proper food, mental and physical stimulation, and care (also christianity?). It’s a portrayal of physical but also (perhaps mostly) mental recovery from severe illness framed by the changing seasons and the magic of childhood and the Earth. At times almost a modern perspective.
In other ways it’s a very poorly aged perspective. Colin’s physical health is tied to his mental health to the degree that he mostly thinks himself well. And in his attempts to surprise his father he deceives everyone responsible for his care, the people feeding him, wheeling him about in his chair, and his doctor into thinking he is ill when he is not. Mary has her perspectives challenged by meeting her cousin, by watching him be rude and entitled she wields those very same qualities over him and they mellow each other out, but neither ever really gets rid of their sense of superiority. Their support cast who’re primarily servants are just as much a part of the Magic that Colin wishes to go out into the world to study. From food to laundry to the amount of time they are encouraged to play and relax it is all provided by hardworking servants and enjoyed by Mary and Colin who take full credit for their own recoveries.
It is true that without motivation or hope or whatever it is the narrative describes as a lightness and a desire for life it is very possible to go years or one’s whole life feeling weighed down or even ill. But the people around you whether they be servants or loved ones deserve partial credit in your improvements. And it is a harmful message to send to people with disabilities who no matter how hard they hope or try will never get up and out of their chair. They (as is everyone) are still complete and worthy of parental love and attention.

admiralteaa's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted 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

4.25

The story and narrative shows it's ages in places, but it's hasn't lost its timeless charm from when I was a child, even if it's abit more whimsical than I remember.

Content Warnings

classicsarecool's review against another edition

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inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-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? It's complicated

4.75

ambernagel's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.25

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