"There is nobody left to come."
Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden tells the classic tale of an unpleasant little girl who uncovers forgotten secrets in her new home and brings them back to life. When Mary Lennox moves from India to England in the wake of her parents' deaths, she is a sour child with a stern expression and a perpetual air of disagreement. She's never known affection from anyone, and is contrary to everyone who expects children to be playful and self-sufficient. Even her Ayah didn't think overmuch of her. So she's shocked when the dusty old mansion, with its endless empty rooms and locked-up garden, piques her interest. After much exploration, she discovers secrets no one is meant to know... secrets with the power to save her childhood, if only she lets them.
The Secret Garden is beautifully sculpted. Mary is just as unlikable as she's described, unhappy with anything she's given. Her world is described with simple, detailed strokes of color that breathe life into whatever they touch. From the robin in the apple-tree to a boy who charms animals and another who is convinced he is dying, the author splashes a variety of unbelievably real personalities onto the page. Yorkshire, Misselthwaite Manor, and the nearby moor are immersive and almost photographic in their similarities to the actual settings they represent.
Worldbuilding isn't the only trick up Burnett's sleeves, however. Mary's internal arc is dramatic, her character slowly developing her into someone entirely different than the morose little girl who opens the tale. Though she starts out a grumpy old lady in a young body, fresh moor air and outdoor exercise quickly changes her, inside and out. She lends her newfound energy to Colin, a sickly boy whose outlook on life is pathetically morbid. With the help of a Yorkshire boy named Dickon, the two build each other up, shaping themselves into friendly, interesting people well worth knowing. Nobody emerges from The Secret Garden untouched by this Magic, even the servants, and it is that kind of character crafting that makes Burnett's story so fascinating.
There is little to look out for in Burnett's novel. The only profanity comes from a grown up who calls gossips a rude name, and the only violence is a reference to Mary's history of slapping servants who displeased her. The conflicts the protagonists face are primarily internal, with just enough external problems to balance out the pacing. There are several racial comments made, few of them unkind and most made out of ignorance. Colin is often likened to an Indian Rajah for his regal manner and tendency to command those around him. As the youngest of the main characters is ten and the eldest, twelve, it follows that there is no romance whatsoever, and the story is better for it.
I would recommend this book to anyone, young or old, interested in an outdoor adventure where nature and unpleasant personalities work together to create beautiful things. The character development is great, the arcs even better, everyone fleshed out enough to be mistaken for real people. The settings Mary explores are breathtaking in their complexity, whether they are the creaky hallways of a neglected mansion, a Yorkshire moor fresh with spring growth, or a walled-in garden haunted by years of abandonment. Frances Hodgson Burnett did a fabulous job overall with The Secret Garden, which fully deserves five stars.
The Secret Garden is beautifully sculpted. Mary is just as unlikable as she's described, unhappy with anything she's given. Her world is described with simple, detailed strokes of color that breathe life into whatever they touch. From the robin in the apple-tree to a boy who charms animals and another who is convinced he is dying, the author splashes a variety of unbelievably real personalities onto the page. Yorkshire, Misselthwaite Manor, and the nearby moor are immersive and almost photographic in their similarities to the actual settings they represent.
Worldbuilding isn't the only trick up Burnett's sleeves, however. Mary's internal arc is dramatic, her character slowly developing her into someone entirely different than the morose little girl who opens the tale. Though she starts out a grumpy old lady in a young body, fresh moor air and outdoor exercise quickly changes her, inside and out. She lends her newfound energy to Colin, a sickly boy whose outlook on life is pathetically morbid. With the help of a Yorkshire boy named Dickon, the two build each other up, shaping themselves into friendly, interesting people well worth knowing. Nobody emerges from The Secret Garden untouched by this Magic, even the servants, and it is that kind of character crafting that makes Burnett's story so fascinating.
There is little to look out for in Burnett's novel. The only profanity comes from a grown up who calls gossips a rude name, and the only violence is a reference to Mary's history of slapping servants who displeased her. The conflicts the protagonists face are primarily internal, with just enough external problems to balance out the pacing. There are several racial comments made, few of them unkind and most made out of ignorance. Colin is often likened to an Indian Rajah for his regal manner and tendency to command those around him. As the youngest of the main characters is ten and the eldest, twelve, it follows that there is no romance whatsoever, and the story is better for it.
I would recommend this book to anyone, young or old, interested in an outdoor adventure where nature and unpleasant personalities work together to create beautiful things. The character development is great, the arcs even better, everyone fleshed out enough to be mistaken for real people. The settings Mary explores are breathtaking in their complexity, whether they are the creaky hallways of a neglected mansion, a Yorkshire moor fresh with spring growth, or a walled-in garden haunted by years of abandonment. Frances Hodgson Burnett did a fabulous job overall with The Secret Garden, which fully deserves five stars.
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