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A review by ipomoea
Into the Bright Open: A Secret Garden Remix by Cherie Dimaline
4.0
I received an advance copy from the publisher and Netgalley.
The Secret Garden was one of my favorite books as a child, but I haven't read it in at least 25 years. Cherie Dimaline's take on it was a breath of fresh air, while staying true to the story. Mary Craven's parents are power players in Toronto politics, but when they're lost at sea, she's sent to her uncle's house near Georgian Bay, to the north. When she arrives, her uncle is gone, and Mary's only companions are the house servants, including the forthright Metis girl Flora. When Mary tentatively pitches a fit, Flora lets her do it until she burns herself out, and through patience, boundaries, and good humor, Mary comes out of her shell and begins a friendship with Flora, as well as Flora's intriguing sister, Sophie. As in the original book, there is a sick child, but this time, Olive is held in the attic, dosed by her stepmother with "medicine" that seems to help more than it hurts. While the stepmother/aunt gets her justice in the end, the last few pages of this book wrapped up awfully quickly, to the point it felt rushed. That being said, it was still a deeply enjoyable read (finished it within 24 hours), and now I'd like to read other books in the remixed classics collection.
The Secret Garden was one of my favorite books as a child, but I haven't read it in at least 25 years. Cherie Dimaline's take on it was a breath of fresh air, while staying true to the story. Mary Craven's parents are power players in Toronto politics, but when they're lost at sea, she's sent to her uncle's house near Georgian Bay, to the north. When she arrives, her uncle is gone, and Mary's only companions are the house servants, including the forthright Metis girl Flora. When Mary tentatively pitches a fit, Flora lets her do it until she burns herself out, and through patience, boundaries, and good humor, Mary comes out of her shell and begins a friendship with Flora, as well as Flora's intriguing sister, Sophie. As in the original book, there is a sick child, but this time, Olive is held in the attic, dosed by her stepmother with "medicine" that seems to help more than it hurts. While the stepmother/aunt gets her justice in the end, the last few pages of this book wrapped up awfully quickly, to the point it felt rushed. That being said, it was still a deeply enjoyable read (finished it within 24 hours), and now I'd like to read other books in the remixed classics collection.