The Secret Garden

i loved this book so much I can’t even describe

This was honestly a really lovely read. The old language combined with the Yorkshire dialect was a bit difficult to get into and understand as a non-native, but you do get used to it. I didn’t think I’d end up liking the book at first, and the beginning was a bit slow with unlikable characters, but as I continued reading and got to learn more about them and their development, I really fell in love with the plot and the message of this book and how magical and beautiful it makes everything seem. Wonderful book, I’d really recommend it.

i would want to reborn as this specific book without the racism

it was alright, but it was that kind of book I'll totally forget about in a month

my feeling is all over the place while reading this book :___)

neglected children finding comfort and growth in the beauty of nature. what a lovely, lovely story.

4.5/5!!! It was such a warm hug

I remembered enjoying an abridged version of the Secret Garden as a child and let me tell you I'm very glad I read the unabridged story as an adult. The Secret Garden follows Mary Lennox, a girl born in English-occupied India who was largely neglected by her parents until their sudden deaths at which point she is sent to live with a reclusive uncle in England. There are a variety of mysteries at her uncle's estate: There's a garden which was shut up ten years ago and the key buried; she sometimes hears someone crying in the halls but when she asks after it, she's told she's hearing the wind. Mary makes up her mind to find the secret garden and befriends an old gardener, a robin, a boy who lives on the moor, and eventually, the source of the mysterious crying. In searching for, finding, and tending to the secret garden, Mary brightens her own attitude on her life, viewing it as Magic. This is an incredibly sweet, uplifting story in which orphaned Mary gets a little found family. When I initially closed the book I was a bit perturbed that the closing image was on Colin and his father instead of Mary but upon reflection I think Colin healing his relationship with his father is a kind of symbolic unification of Mary's found family--Mary will never get a chance to improve her relationship with her parents, but Colin gets to with his father. Both Colin and Mary found a mother figure in Susan Sowerby, and friendship in each other. Idk like I get how the ending is a little bit, um, of it's time in it's approach to mental health but I don't care I really love this story. (though that is what is keeping this from being a five star read for me) I listened to Carrie Hope Fletcher's audiobook rendition on audible while reading along and I can not recommend it enough. Her performance brought so much life to these characters it's unreal. Yeah, yep, good book, do recommend.

a perfect read for warm spring days

Love it

I love this book.

If I were given a chance to trade my life with a literary character, perhaps I would choose Dickon from 'The Secret Garden.' Full review here: https://worncorners.wordpress.com/201...

Very sweet little tale. You can predict exactly what's going to happen, and I don't think that there's anything wrong with that so long as it is good reading along the way.

While I found the story to be charming, I did notice a few repetitive words that were a bit distracting. However, the overarching message I gleaned from the narrative is the importance of altering our perspective at times to recognize the kindness within people and to treat them with greater compassion. Life presents challenges to everyone, and it serves as a reminder that being unkind or rude does not contribute positively to anyone's journey.

A classic I fell in love with.

4.5 ⭐️ This book made me reminisce about my childhood, which was great for my idealistic mind. I did lose motivation towards the end as I felt it becoming a bit repetitive. Otherwise, it was a beautiful and enjoyable story! I recommend.

4.5 Stars I’ve been revisiting a few old classics lately. The Secret Garden was a favorite of mine growing up. While this time I viewed the story through different eyes, I nonetheless enjoyed it. It truly is a classic for the ages. While rereading this, the first thing that popped out at me was that the main character, Mary Lennox, was described in such unflattering ways. Literally from the first page, it is mentioned repeatedly that Mary is sour in looks and disposition. She is described as ugly and unpleasant and spoiled rotten. Far from being insulted by this, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Literature these days is so inundated with gorgeous Mary Sues that a plain and unlikely heroine was an absolute delight. And yes, the book certainly carries lessons about true beauty coming from inside, but I found I rather enjoyed sour little Mary is spite of (or perhaps because of) her faults. Another thing that I didn’t see clearly before was that The Secret Garden has a lot of Gothic flavor to it. The tragic backstories, an orphan, a desolate, old mansion on the English moor, family secrets, hidden locations… all that was missing was a ghost. This book definitely peaked my interesting in the setting, and now I can see how it subconsciously led to my like of other Gothic stories. Yes, the language is dated, and the phonetic writing of the Yorkshire accent is a bit over the top at times. The message that children thrive best out of doors gets a bit heavy-handed at times. That’s something I never noticed as a child because – other than reading – my parents were very much of the “playing outside is best for child” mentality. So that was a normal sentiment to me. But I think there is still some useful food for thought in The Secret Garden. Sadly, parental neglect and child inactivity is still an issue today. Although I do also have to admit that Mrs. Medlock didn’t seem nearly as villainous to me now as she did when I was little. I may have unfairly judged her. Rereading books is such a good way of showing you differences in yourself. A garden is such a simple thing, and yet there is a sort of magic in them. This book captures that magic and the magic of imagination. It is definitely a story that I will continue to treasure. A story that makes me think of Spring and second chances and the joy that a flower or a book can bring. RATING FACTORS: Ease of Reading: 5 Stars Writing Style: 4 Stars Characters and Character Development: 5 Stars Plot Structure and Development: 4 Stars Level of Captivation: 5 Stars Originality: 5 Stars

This story was a beautiful middlegrade tale. It had a darkness to light element, a touch of magical realism with lush descriptions of nature and character development some other books could take a note on. It did feel a bit ‘childish’ at times and I felt a bit distant from the characters. Therefore I personally wouldn’t reread, yet I would recommend it to anyone looking for a light and young spring read - thus the 3 stars. Audible narration was impeccable though, Yorkshire accents and all.

It is a very beautiful book and wonderfully written. It is brings me a feeling of joy and wonder reading it.

The Secret Garden is a story that has been with me for almost as long as I can remember. I don't remember how small I was when I first saw the movie (1993) but it has instantly become one of my long time favourites. When someone says garden I can only see the secret garden before me. I think it thought me more than I ever realised. But for long years it only stayed with me as a movie. I think I only realised it's a book about 2 years ago and I just couldn't wait to have my hands on a copy. And about a month ago I've got this beautiful copy as a present from my Mom. I still have a laughing fit when I remember how afraid she was that I wouldn't like it. Never in my life was I more in love with a book. While reading I just fall more and more in love with an already very loved story. I even learned to love Colin. I love how Hodgson Burnett descripes Magic, how she makes me forget the real world around me and takes me to a places filled with joy and laughter, how she makes feel like I'm standing in the Secret Garden. This is a book I recommend to everbody and one that I'll be sure to read to my future children and any nephews or nieces I might have.

Ahh, the all-time classics about a sickly child discovering a garden and realized how cool it was to socialize and be surrounded by nature. I think part of me will always be in love with Dickon, because I keep looking for his qualities in a guy - a green thumb, kindhearted, animal expert, and people expert (friendly). I wish I could strangle Colin when he had tantrums (I know I'm horrible), but the kid had the best character development in the history of character developments, so there's that. Ahh, Mary Lennox, the protagonist. I love her determination and stubbornness. I could identify her loneliness well, since I'm also an only child myself. It took me ages to find a bestfriend, so I was happy ats fuck when she came across Dickon and the garden. The girl glowed up awesomely. I dreamed of discovering such gardens in my backyard when I was younger, but I live in a suburban home with no garden. Damn. It's my 4th-5th time reading this (I lose count). I listened as an audiobook and got annoyed a bit by the children's dialogues (also the over-the-top Yorkshire accent). I think I like reading it myself better.

This is the most beautiful book I’ve ever read

While Mary Lennox's adventures in "The Secret Garden" are cherished by many, the book sadly missed the mark for me. The slow pace, heavy descriptions, and characters I didn't connect with created a reading experience that felt stagnant. Though I recognize its classic status, the unlikable protagonist and lack of suspense made it difficult to maintain interest.

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Title: The Secret Garden

Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett

Pages: 352

Published: 1911

Rating: 4.7/5.0 stars

If I had to describe The Secret Garden with one word, it would be wholesome. The Secret Garden is a sweet story about friendship and a shared love of nature.

The protagonist of The Secret Garden is Mary Lennox. After the death of her parents, she is shipped from India back to England to live in the countryside manor of her uncle. Since her parents had little attention or love left for little Mary (she is around ten years old), she is quite a sour and bitter little girl. From the moment she arrives at Misselthwaite, she undergoes significant growth physically and mentally. In that aspect, the plot was character-driven. Furthermore, I loved the friendship Mary develops with both Dickon and Collin. Their friendship came across as realistic and genuine through their shared love of the secret garden. Through their friendship both Mary and Collin developed more compassion for the people in their surroundings. I loved that the secret garden was not only the connecting factor for the friendship but was also a metaphor for the character growth of both Mary and Collin. As the secret garden came to live and blossomed, so did Mary and Collin. Lastly, I loved the sweet ending. It fitted the story well and it tied up the story nicely.

The children were the stars of the story. Their characterisation and character development felt realistic compared to their respective ages. For example, Mary and Collin become kinder and happier, but they remain spoiled. Everything about them including their friendship radiated wholesomeness. The author did an excellent job of describing the giddiness, the adventurous nature, and the boundless energy of children. Moreover, I loved that all three children had a positive influence over each other. There were also adult characters in the book, but they were the supportive characters. The adults created a safe and healthy environment for the children to grow.

I thought the writing beautiful. The descriptions of nature, spring particularly, and the weather were masterfully done. These descriptions added much atmosphere to the story. Furthermore, the writing had that unique quality of the writing a lot of classics authors had, while the personality of Burnett also shines through the writing. I particularly loved the chapter written from the perspective of the robin. It was hilarious.

Rating breakdown: plot (4.4/5), characters (4.8/5), writing (4.8/5), worldbuilding (5/5), overall enjoyment (4.5/5)

Trigger warnings: Negative references to the native people of India, death of parents, child neglect.