A review by carrymey
When Marnie Was There by Joan G. Robinson

4.0

I got interested in the book because of the Ghibli movie, like many others. It was really moving. I was pleased to discover that the movie and the book were very much alike, apart from from minor or obvious changes. That goes to say, the changes that did happen were: Mrs. Pegg was not as layed back as in the movie. Once she even got really upset, what made me frown because I liked her attitude in the movie more. I liked how the relationship between Anna and THe Lindsays was portraied and that we saw much more of her time there, than in the movie. It was sweet to see how she gradually became one of their children, almost. I found it a pity that the part where Anna calls her Auntie "Mother" wasn't in the book, because it made it all a bit more touching.
Anyway My theory of How Marnie Was There is, that Anna, as well as Marnie had made up imaginary girls, because they were lonely. Anna drew the image unconciously from her memory, while Marnie projected her loneliness on other people, such as the beggar girl.