sandraagee's review
5.0
Wow, that was intense. Fantastic.
Super creepy. I'm not usually a big scary story person, but this book was pretty much brilliant. The scary stuff was balanced nicely with well-rounded and nuanced characters, and I loved how in many ways the horror elements served as a reflection of the characters' own personal struggles. I loved how Molly and Kip's backstory was developed slowly, with just enough information provided for things to make sense to the reader, but enough held back to maintain a sense if mystery.
Super creepy. I'm not usually a big scary story person, but this book was pretty much brilliant. The scary stuff was balanced nicely with well-rounded and nuanced characters, and I loved how in many ways the horror elements served as a reflection of the characters' own personal struggles. I loved how Molly and Kip's backstory was developed slowly, with just enough information provided for things to make sense to the reader, but enough held back to maintain a sense if mystery.
turrean's review
4.0
A very well-told horror tale! The Gardener is a supremely creepy character. #bookaday
afro8921's review
4.0
The Night Gardener is a fantastically creepy story about to two orphan children sent to work for a family in a Gothic house. The family doesn't seem to bothered by a large tree that is slowly merging with house. As the story progresses, each character becomes a washed out caricature of the talisman of the own choosing. The two orphan children fight hard to find a way to protect themselves from y magic of the house and it's effect on the inhabitants. Great read in the dark, stormy night book for tweens.
elle4352's review
4.0
“The Night Gardener” was a chilling middle grade read that’s sure to leave readers on edge. Irish orphans Molly and Kip find work in England at a mansion far from town with a haunting reputation. As the siblings settle into life there, they find the family living their is growing sicker and more lifeless due to a ghost gardener that sucks the life right out of them. In return, a grand tree that grows on the property grants their wishes.
The book itself crosses over well into the YA world. The descriptions are vivid and put the reader right in the middle of the creepy setting. Molly and Kip have a sweet budding sibling relationship that remains strong and resilient throughout the story.
I’d recommend for anyone wanting a good spooky read or for a Halloween themed readathon
The book itself crosses over well into the YA world. The descriptions are vivid and put the reader right in the middle of the creepy setting. Molly and Kip have a sweet budding sibling relationship that remains strong and resilient throughout the story.
I’d recommend for anyone wanting a good spooky read or for a Halloween themed readathon
wombat_88's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
annakim's review
4.0
I devoured this book in a couple of hours. The storytelling is well-paced and the characters are interesting. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of good old-fashioned Victorian-style gothic horror.
britaharris's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
alexagarbiel's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
lunasea0526's review against another edition
5.0
It's rare that I give a book 5 stars but this one ticked all the boxes for me, as a splendid example of a gothic ghost story. Molly and Kip, two siblings who have fled Ireland during the Great Famine, have lost their parents during the voyage to England, where they were hoping to have a better life. Desperate and on the verge of starvation, feisty and resourceful Molly has secured a position for herself and her younger brother as servants at the Windsor estate. Rather than being the blessing that Molly originally thought, as the children approach their destination, it becomes clear that there is something menacing about their new situation. When they arrive at the decrepit mansion, they discover that not only is the house in bad shape but there is something terribly off about the family. A strange tree and a terrifying night-time presence seem to rob the family of their energy and it eventually begins to affect Molly and Kip, as well. The children realize that they need to use all their cunning and strength to save themselves and the family, not only from the evil that surrounds the estate, but also what comes from within.
There are so many layers to this book. It reads like a Brothers Grimm fable and contains the bit of morality lesson that you come to expect in this kind of story. In this case, it's a cautionary tale about greed and what a slippery slope it is. What begins as a small wish can quickly seduce you to make larger wishes and before you know it, you're hooked and the consequences are devastating. This is also a wonderful story about the power of storytelling. Molly and Hester Kettle, a wonderful character that pops in and out of the story, each demonstrate how storytelling can change lives.
Auxier uses evocative language to create a vivid setting and dreadful situation that pulls you in from the very beginning. The characters are so fully developed that you feel something genuine for each of them, whether it's good or bad. It's also really effective how the tension and feeling of dread continue to build and build throughout the story until you find yourself gripping the book and racing through the words to find out what happens next.
This book is listed as a young adult novel but I feel that any adult would enjoy it, as well. If you enjoy stories such as Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury, the Turn of the Screw by Henry James or stories by Susan Hill or Washington Irving, this is your kind of book. The Night Gardener is a thoroughly atmospheric and creepy tale that will stay with you long after you've finished reading it!
There are so many layers to this book. It reads like a Brothers Grimm fable and contains the bit of morality lesson that you come to expect in this kind of story. In this case, it's a cautionary tale about greed and what a slippery slope it is. What begins as a small wish can quickly seduce you to make larger wishes and before you know it, you're hooked and the consequences are devastating. This is also a wonderful story about the power of storytelling. Molly and Hester Kettle, a wonderful character that pops in and out of the story, each demonstrate how storytelling can change lives.
Auxier uses evocative language to create a vivid setting and dreadful situation that pulls you in from the very beginning. The characters are so fully developed that you feel something genuine for each of them, whether it's good or bad. It's also really effective how the tension and feeling of dread continue to build and build throughout the story until you find yourself gripping the book and racing through the words to find out what happens next.
This book is listed as a young adult novel but I feel that any adult would enjoy it, as well. If you enjoy stories such as Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury, the Turn of the Screw by Henry James or stories by Susan Hill or Washington Irving, this is your kind of book. The Night Gardener is a thoroughly atmospheric and creepy tale that will stay with you long after you've finished reading it!