Scan barcode
krystyne88's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Moderate: Racism and Death of parent
allisonleora's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Chronic illness, Racial slurs, and Racism
Minor: Death of parent and Pandemic/Epidemic
clarney12's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, and Terminal illness
repunzee's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Eating disorder and Death of parent
whimsical_adelaide's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
alexbooksandmore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The secret garden it's a children classic that I am happy i've read as an adult.
The book starts with Mary, a very spoiled girl who's parents didn't even get involved in her life but gave her the mony and people to care for her, who found herself alone in the world after her family passed away from cholera. As spoled as she is, she is a very mean and rebel girl until she arrived at her forgotten uncles Manor.
After a while she starts having conversations with people from the manor, and undestands a bit of the world. She meets a robin, Dickon and finds the secret garden. Slowly becomin more alive, happy and nice girl.
I think this book is more psychological than I thought to be... it shows how our minds and thoughts can change the way we feel and act: having negative thoughts, excluding ourselves from the life can get to severe sickness while positive mind, few good people around you, passion and hobbies can make you feel better.
Moderate: Body shaming, Miscarriage, and Slavery
Minor: Death of parent
lawbooks600's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Score: Seven points out of ten.
I wanted to read this book for a while, and not long after, I got my hands on this story from one of the two libraries I go to. Again, I didn't know what I would get as I went in, except that the book is a classic. The beginning is not the best, but the rest of the novel is outstanding due to its age; the library I got this from might remove this book. It starts with the main character, Mary Lennox, or Mary for short, and at the beginning of the book, Mary moves to an entirely different house and country; some people say that Mary has behavioural issues, which I could see within the first few chapters. That only improved from there. Mary gets herself used to this new house, Misselthwaite Manor, and I saw her meeting new characters, being unique and having distinct voices. Only a few pages in, Mary meets this other critical character, bedridden Colin, and agitated that he might have a hunchback and die. Also, I noticed that, in India, Mary is used to people doing jobs for her, but now, in England, she must do everything herself. One aspect that makes this book stand out is its character development, which affects Colin and Mary, and that's not an aspect I see in many books. I'm glad I got that when I read this story. But wait! I haven't discussed the most significant section of the book, which is when Mary discovers a garden that the house owner has locked off for ten years after someone died there and when Mary opened it, it was all dead. But somehow, toward the end, the garden, let's say, restored itself, then Colin realised there is no hunchback to worry about then it cuts to the house owner now living in a different location. That ends the book.
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Minor: Death of parent
savage_book_review's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
To get the book/film comparison out the way, while I do love the extra layers the film brings (I recall there being some quite dark moments, Colin's underlying jealousy of Dickon and so on) which make it a more rounded and immersive experience, I actually also love the simplicity of the book! It feels like a stripped back version of the film, with everything being driven by the premise of the Secret Garden. And it doesn't need anything else!
The story is primarily one of growth; the straightforward pleasure of children discovering their own little world and the Magic it can create is wonderful, as is the character development, both of the children and some of the adults! I love the fact that the author has taken the time to illustrate the dark place children and adults can find themselves in, and that it's possible to change your mindset and allow positivity and light back in. Equally, despite the fact this was originally published over 100 years ago, the arguments that fresh air, exercise and taking time in nature as an aid for depression, anxiety and various other health issues (physical and mental) still hold true today.
I'm also a huge fan of the descriptions of the garden itself. Whether or not I'm imagining it in line with the words on the page, the descriptions pull you straight into that little Eden, and it's so easy to see Mary, Colin and Dickon tending to the plants, doing their exercises etc. It really is a beautiful idea for a setting.
Likewise, while I don't usually enjoy books that "spell out" the accent of the person speaking, in this case I actually got into it. For the most part it's nor that difficult to understand, and it adds something more to the character development when first Mary, and subsequently Colin, start adopting the Yorkshire accent! It also helps that the author has included a couple of notes and asides to explain unfamiliar words and phrases, but even they don't interrupt the narrative flow.
The book is a product of its time; while it is far from the worst-aged book I've read, there are moments mentioning race, particularly early on, which don't stand up to scrutiny today. For the most part they are inkeeping with the context of the period, place and time in which the story is set, but there are a couple of occasions where a character's ignorance about other racial backgrounds which feel a bit unnecessary. But that's looking with 21st Century eyes, and I can appreciate that this was "normal" at the time of publication.
Something light and lovely to enjoy of an evening.
Minor: Chronic illness, Racial slurs, Racism, and Death of parent
akane_readsyt's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
thatchickengirl23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic