Reviews tagging 'Classism'

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

14 reviews

theneighborhoodbookwyrm's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Classism, Ableism, Cultural appropriation, Body shaming, Racial slurs, and Colonisation

akane_shio's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Ableism, Abandonment, Classism, Confinement, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Sexism, and Terminal illness

melodyramirez's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

The book starts with awful characters but then it is beautifully hopeful. Theres a religious motif that I didn’t hate because it felt like more of  hopeful than religious 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia, Racism, Death, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Child death

soulwinds's review against another edition

hopeful lighthearted 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Classism, Racial slurs, Death of parent, and Racism

Minor: Bullying and Abandonment

nanc_282's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I revisited this story because I wanted a quick read and I remembered how it drew inspiration from the Bronte novels. However, I’d forgotten it’s affirmation about the powers of nature and the healing in mind and body spending time outdoors can bring. Though it is a children’s story, it is a complex and engaging narrative about parents abdicating responsibility and children finding healing in nature and in each other. It’s like a reverse version of the garden of Eden, though without a serpent. It reflects some of the attitudes of it’s time towards race, colonialism, and physical abilities.

There is a bittersweet element at the end when Colin says he will live forever but as a reader you know the First World War is only a few years away.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Colonisation, Chronic illness, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, and Classism

snsdpop's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Classism, and Racism

tea_at_mole_end's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective slow-paced

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness and Ableism

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Classism, Confinement, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death of parent

priscilla's review against another edition

hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A classic kids' story with a clear lesson. Parts of the story definitely didn't age well, but beyond that, it has definite charm, and this edition with all the art and interactive elements in it made it all the more fun. I also like how this book is basically all about manifestation.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Classism

questingnotcoasting's review against another edition

emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I found across this audiobook on Borrowbox and saw it was narrated by Indira Varma. I'd just finished Lords And Ladies which is also read by her and I thought she was so good I decided to listen to this as well. Her accents here were also brilliant and really brought the characters to life. I definitely read this book as a child but my memories of the story might have come mostly from the film because I didn't remember a lot of the details in this. It's still a nice story but it's very much of its time and it was impossible to ignore the way it handles class, disability and race, which did take away some of the charm. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Death of parent, Racial slurs, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Classism and Ableism

rworrall78's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I've upped my rating from 2.5 because my son loved it when I read it to him 

I did love the descriptions of nature and the scenes were all set brilliantly. I found Colin and, to a lesser extent Mary, tiresome and Colin's story became very repetitive and drawn out. I would have loved more about Dickon and Mrs Sowerby but they were thinly drawn.  There was also unquestioned colonialism and racism particularly at the start which was horrible. 

I think perhaps Colin's grandiosity was meant to be written for laughs but it didn't work for me. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Racism, and Classism