Reviews

The Secret Garden on 81st Street: A Modern Retelling of the Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Ivy Noelle Weir, Amber Padilla

kasmi22's review

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing fast-paced

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

4.25

nakedsushi's review

4.0

I loved this retelling more than my vague recollection of the original book. Theres a palpable sense of freedom and discovery in the middle sections where Mary discovers New York on her own.

directorpurry's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Death of parent

missmeganmann's review

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? No

4.25

I absolutely LOVED this modern retelling of The Secret Garden! It tackles grief and mental health so beautifully and gives younger readers a more in depth understanding of anxiety and panic disorder. I really loved that. And it was just such a great retelling! I loved it.

emilyrbedwell's review

4.0

To say I adored this retelling would be putting it lightly. The Secret Garden has been a favorite story of mine for a long time, and this updated version retails all the joy, heartache, mystery, and love of the original, while giving it a modern twist. Our updated Mary is living a life of detached luxury before her parents are killed in a tragic accident and she’s moved to New York City to live with her mysterious uncle Archie. Instead of Archie, she meets the people who surround his life – his housekeeper, his cook, the mysterious Ben and Dickon, and eventually her cousin, Colin. Together, they discover the garden on the roof, abandoned since the death of Archie’s husband, a relic of a time of love and hope that doesn’t seem to exist anymore.

Author Ivy Noelle Weir updated this story with more than just a location, eliminating some of the darker parts of the original story, giving Archie a husband instead of a wife, and Colin now has anxiety instead of his hunched back and other illnesses. All of these changes help streamline the story and make it more accessible to younger readers – the people who are the target audience for this book. The illustrations are simple but vibrant, and it’s a truly beautiful way to tell the story of a forgotten garden brought back by love.

4.5/5 stars!

ladyalireadsalot's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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

4.5

princesspanda18's review

emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective 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

3.0

mehsi's review

5.0

I received this book from the publisher/tour organiser TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange of an honest review.

My review is all GIFs as that is what I signed up for. XD I will post a link to my Blog when the blog tour stops at my blog on the 18th.

Short review I wrote for NG to come around that time. :)

slencho's review

4.5

Such a fun and heartfelt read!

bibliogirl0511's review against another edition

informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.0