lindsaynixon 's review for:

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
4.0

I LOVED the film adaption of this growing up (I watched it so.many.times) so for my birthday I decided to read the book. I loved the book--loved it--and also loved the film. It might be one of the best book-to-film adaptions. (THe audiobook for this is fantastic--check it out from your library)

Having recently rewatched the entire Downton Abbey series (to prepare for the movie--squee!) I felt that show gave me an education/new context that allowed me to catch a few of the more subtle and finer aspects in this story that I missed as a youth. For example, as a child, I couldn't understand the references to "who will dress me" or why the 'maid' who was her only friend/family/human in Mary's life, seemed to care but also be so distant--I did not understand those dichotomies and even after I was old enough to "get it" it was something else to witness those fine lines in all the seasons of Downton.