Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

27 reviews

yrlaevelyn's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, and Colonisation

Moderate: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Abandonment

Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Slavery, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent

strawbibble's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful 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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Classism

books_r_cool's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. The characters, the descriptions, the wholesomeness, the idea of magic being created in your thoughts ugh everything was so perfect. It made me smile and almost cry and I loved the story and the characters so much at the end <3
My only problem is the sporadic racist and misogynistic comments that were so unnecessary (however, explained by the time period).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Racism, Xenophobia, and Abandonment

prideandparchment's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring 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? No

3.5

The Secret Garden was a childhood favourite of mine and I reread it to refresh my memories about it and see if it still touches my feelings. It is still beautiful and I even found some things I haven't realized as a child, for example the magic and God parallel. 
The audiobook is really good as well.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness and Death of parent

Moderate: Abandonment

nicolewhopickedthisbook's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional 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

It was so hard to get through this book. If I didn’t have the audiobook, I don’t think I would have. It’s slow and dry as really all classics are but also these characters are racist as heck! Holy moly! 

I did enjoy that these kids came together as a found family and became well adjusted because they were spoiled brats in the beginning. 

The only nice and likeable character in this book is Dickon. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Abandonment

laurenleigh's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted 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

5.0

I love getting to read the classics I missed as a kid. I certainly appreciate them now on a different level than I might have as a child! The Secret Garden was so sweet and heartwarming. It felt very soothing to listen to, and Carrie Hope Fletcher did a fantastic job with all the Yorkshire accents. I’d argue that healing is the main focus of this novel:  recovering from past trauma, growing out of bad habits, and physical improvement too. Watching these characters heal especially through the wonder of nature was so sweet. There’s also a great focus on the power of words and thoughts, and how purposeful positive thinking can have a truly magical affect. I found a delightful illustrated edition with a map of the garden and the grounds of Misselthwaite Manor, and I can’t wait to gift it to a young cousin this Christmas!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Medical content and Death of parent

tr_born's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Racism, and Death of parent

Moderate: Racial slurs and Abandonment