A review by calli_the_flower
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is one of my all time favorite books that I've reread a dozen times since I was ten. In my opinion, it tells the Cinderella story that girls should know - about hope, family, perseverance and the power of kindness. It doesn't end with marriage, the "evil stepmother" is just a head mistress jealous of Sara's knowledge of French and gentle likeability, and the "fairy godmother" trope we've come to be familiar with is actually just an old Indian gentleman with a soft heart. 

Some argue that this book has older themes, but while that's true, it also features moments unable to be timestamped. The turning point in this book, where Sara is starving and trying to survive by making up a world where she's safe and comfortable and then finds a fourpenny - she has a choice, and she makes the choice of a giver, a choice that weighs more on her than keeping the wealth would. The next chapters however, directly following after the event, seem to reinforce that doing good will result in good - and that is how the most magical chapter is reinforced. It's not just Sara's disbelief that makes it magical, but we've seen multiple times that she's consistently done good and she deserves warmth, food, and security. The idea and the reminder that good will be rewarded not only is a trope I love, but an important thing to remember even when we are facing challenges just like Sara.

This story has stayed with me since I was a little girl, and each time I read it, I relive some of its magic. No matter how old I become, Sara Crewe has always inspired me and I will reach for this book a thousand times more.
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