A review by josiespages
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

4.0

This book is one of my childhood favorites, and one that I still find myself re-reading or thinking about at times. It's well-written and well-structured, though at times the story does feel a tad bit severe. I do think it was all added as a support of the tension in the book, which obviously keeps the reader engaged, and maybe this comes from the perspective of someone who first read this book at 12, but some of the elements are really dark and sort of linger.
This book absolutely made me want a secret spot as a child, and I think that really speaks to how well-rounded the characters are. Even though I definitely found myself slightly annoyed at the main character in the beginning, as an adult I can recognize her trauma and way of acting out as what it is, and the garden as her way of healing that neglected part of her. Beautiful.