Synopsis
Mary Lennox, a spoiled, ill-tempered, and unhealthy child, comes to live with her reclusive uncle in Misselthwaite Manor on England’s Yorkshire moors after the death of her parents. There, she meets a hearty housekeeper, her spirited brother, a dour gardener, a cheerful robin, and her wilful, hysterical, and sickly cousin, Master Colin, whose wails she hears echoing through the house at night.
With the help of the robin, Mary finds the door to a secret garden that has been neglected and hidden for years and decides to restore it.
Review
The Secret Garden is a movie that I have always loved, but I had never read the book, so it was wonderful to step into Mary’s Secret Garden in book form. And I was not let down by the movie or book.
It’s wonderfully sweet, playing with the innocence of childhood while also dealing with grief and loss. Frances Hodgson Burnett creates a rather charming story with beautiful descriptions of the garden and characters. There is some ‘old-fashioned’ language that some people in the 21st Century may find challenging, but generally, it’s written in a way that can transcend time.
I can very much recommend giving The Secret Garden a go. Just be warned, you may put the book down and wish you had your own secret garden.
