By Frances Hodgeson Burnett
256 Pages
Easy Read
Classic / Children's Book/ YA
7/10 Stars
SPOILERS BELOW BEWARE! + character list, general story overview, random notes, more something for memory or school (not that i'm in school but... meh).
Mr. Archibald Craven - He owns the Manor
Dr. Craven - Mr Cravens brother, Collin states that he thinks his uncle wants him to die so that he can inherit the Manor, the opposite is actually shown there is no hint of ill will from uncle to nephew
Dickon Sowerby
Mrs Susan Sowerby - Dickon and Martha's mother. 12 children
Mary is living in India, her mother and father are uninterested in having a child so she is cared for by nurses and maids. An outbreak of Cholera leaves her parents dead, so she is sent to Yorkshire, England to live with her uncle. She is the only child in Misselthwaite Manor.
Mary's maid, Martha refuses to wait on her hand and foot, pushing Mary to learn and be self sufficient. Mary plays each day outside in the garden looking for the Secret Garden that has been locked up for ten years and the key hidden (later it is explained that while pregnant Mrs. Craven fell from a rose tree she often sat in, causing an unknown injury/complication that resulted in her death).
Mary discovers the key and hidden door into the Secret Garden, she brings Dickon in on the secret and they begin tending to the garden each day.
Enter Collin, hidden in the Manor because he is believed to be a cripple, Collin is Mr. Craven's son. His character is nearly identical to Mary on page one, spoilt, self centered and rude. Mary had heard a child crying several times in the house and went to investigate. As Mary and Collin become friends she tells him about the Garden, Collin joins her and Dickon in tending for the garden (there is a revelation that there is nothing wrong with Collin it was all psychological, he goes from being wheel chair bound to walking).
Ben finds the children in the garden (he had been climbing over the wall and tending it in secret)
Collin and Mary "play act" that Collin is still sick and unable to walk so that he can surprise his father (who left at the beginning of spring).
The Growth of the garden from winter to spring to summer = Mary's transformation. just like the garden it was gradual, took time, effort, care, help.
The people with the most money in the book are the unhappiest, money cannot buy joy.
7/10 Stars
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| This is my mothers copy given to her by her parents |
I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this book, its a classic so it was on my TBR, but I wasn't really sure when, or if I was going to get around to it. After deciding to do the #rainbowthon, and making up my mind that I wanted to read paper copies (meaning I have to library or borrow) it was honestly the only green book I could find on my mother brother sisters shelves, it looked short so even though I wasn't thrilled about reading it I figured I could boogie through it and just be done with it.
I am not sure why I though this book had something to do with fairies but when I picked it up I thought it was some lame Alice in Wonderland, rip off... separate world something to do with fairies.. Bottom line I was really expecting to find this a dull boring tedious read, 2 star book.
I was pleasantly shocked obviously, I was drawn in almost right away, one of those books that are frustrating but aren't at the same time. I disliked Mary's character.. honestly most of the characters actually in the beginning but you where supposed to, the author justified why they where the way they where it really well and it all just made sense.
I will definitively be recommending this to people who have never read it, especially people with children. It is a fantastic children's book there are so many lessons and morals everything. This book has layers, its quick read, just read it.
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| I like this cover better |
Characters
Mary
Martha Sowerby- good natured Yorkshire maid, sister to Dickon
Martha Sowerby- good natured Yorkshire maid, sister to Dickon
Ben Weatherstaff - cross,sulky, sallow, disagreeable cranky old man . Gardener for the Manor. Said he had much in common with Mary in the beginning. I wondered if Ben was not Mrs. Cravens father a few times.
Mr. Archibald Craven - He owns the Manor
Dr. Craven - Mr Cravens brother, Collin states that he thinks his uncle wants him to die so that he can inherit the Manor, the opposite is actually shown there is no hint of ill will from uncle to nephew
Dickon Sowerby
Mrs Susan Sowerby - Dickon and Martha's mother. 12 children
Story
As we are introduced to each character in the book I found that those with money where the unhappiest ones where as those with lMary is living in India, her mother and father are uninterested in having a child so she is cared for by nurses and maids. An outbreak of Cholera leaves her parents dead, so she is sent to Yorkshire, England to live with her uncle. She is the only child in Misselthwaite Manor.
Mary's maid, Martha refuses to wait on her hand and foot, pushing Mary to learn and be self sufficient. Mary plays each day outside in the garden looking for the Secret Garden that has been locked up for ten years and the key hidden (later it is explained that while pregnant Mrs. Craven fell from a rose tree she often sat in, causing an unknown injury/complication that resulted in her death).
Mary discovers the key and hidden door into the Secret Garden, she brings Dickon in on the secret and they begin tending to the garden each day.
Enter Collin, hidden in the Manor because he is believed to be a cripple, Collin is Mr. Craven's son. His character is nearly identical to Mary on page one, spoilt, self centered and rude. Mary had heard a child crying several times in the house and went to investigate. As Mary and Collin become friends she tells him about the Garden, Collin joins her and Dickon in tending for the garden (there is a revelation that there is nothing wrong with Collin it was all psychological, he goes from being wheel chair bound to walking).
Ben finds the children in the garden (he had been climbing over the wall and tending it in secret)
Collin and Mary "play act" that Collin is still sick and unable to walk so that he can surprise his father (who left at the beginning of spring).
Random Notes
Mary and Collin where raised wrong, more like pets than people.The Growth of the garden from winter to spring to summer = Mary's transformation. just like the garden it was gradual, took time, effort, care, help.
The people with the most money in the book are the unhappiest, money cannot buy joy.
Child who is not childlike like an old lady (about Mary from Martha)
Flashes of goodness on the inside that are not expressed on the outside (about Mary)
"Indifference of ignorance"
Beautiful inside and out
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