From the Bookshelf of Never too Late to Read Classics…

The Secret Garden

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Start date: March 15, 2017

Finish date: April 14, 2017

Discussion: Children's Classics Buddy Reads

Discussion leader: Robin

Why we're reading this: YA Classic
British-American novelist
Genre: Children's literature…more
[close] YA Classic
British-American novelist
Genre: Children's literature

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What Members Thought

Jul 07, 2016 Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... rated it it was amazing

Shelves: childrens, read-in-2022, classics, historical-fiction, favorites, canadian, coming-of-age

Somehow I made it to the age of 53 without ever reading this lovely story. I am so glad that I finally made the time! It is a beautiful & magical story that shouldn't be reserved only for children.

Yes, the book is a bit too predictable and perfect. The snippy and sassy little girl softens; the sickly and angry young boy grows healthy, strong and forgiving; the lonely man learns to love again. Normally I do not like characters who are too good, storylines that are too predictable, or resolutions ...more

12 likes · Like · see review

Mar 23, 2010 Laura rated it really liked it

Shelves: british-literature, children-ya, audio-books, fiction, read-2010, book-and-movie

From IMDb:
A young British girl born and raised in India loses her neglectful parents in an earthquake. She is returned to England to live at her uncle's estate. Her uncle is very distant due to the loss of his wife ten years before. Neglected once again, she begins exploring the estate and discovers a garden that has been locked and neglected. Aided by one of the servants' brothers, she begins restoring the garden, and eventually discovers some other secrets of the manor.

In Frances Hodgson Burne ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Jun 03, 2016 Douglas Beagley rated it it was amazing

Like Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden is another book that I was not allowed to read as a child because I was a boy. (It is important to note that the person who would not allow me to read these books was myself... I can distinctly recall being drawn by the title of this book, "SECRET? Garden. So... is there an alien, or magic, or a dragon, or some infernal machine in the garden? Looking at the cover... probably not. Nope! Not going to risk it.")

The most interesting thing about this book Like Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden is another book that I was not allowed to read as a child because I was a boy. (It is important to note that the person who would not allow me to read these books was myself... I can distinctly recall being drawn by the title of this book, "SECRET? Garden. So... is there an alien, or magic, or a dragon, or some infernal machine in the garden? Looking at the cover... probably not. Nope! Not going to risk it.")

The most interesting thing about this book is that it has none of the things we think books need to have to be successful. There's almost no conflict. After the opening incidents, almost nothing goes wrong. The book is supposedly a series of adventures of some children overcoming hardship... but there isn't any hardship. Every chapter is just a list of things *going right*, and almost nothing going wrong, and that should mean a very dull and pointless book. Even the starving moor children are depicted as quaint and happy, ignoring their likely miserable state. Despite the opening chapter of disease and death, life is inherently wonderful for everyone in this book, which renders the children' accomplishments as nil, and should make the plot hollow and pointless.

So why did I cry so much while reading it? Why did I care? Why did I enjoy it so much?

It has a lot of spelled-out philosophy, which I am a sucker for. Even done imperfectly, I love it when a book takes that risk. The book also has joy and happiness, which is hard to find in a modern novel. It has redemption. It acknowledges both that the father has neglected his duties but also explains his point of view and what he has suffered, without beating it over our head. The book believes in life and in magic. There is never any doubt that everything is going to work out and be wonderful, that kindness is going to win. And despite how boring that ought to be, it mostly works. How often do we get to read something like that?

Finally, it is possible that this book contains a message that I, Douglas, need to hear. Something particular about trust--or about the inevitability of growth, that nature pushes us along, that green shoots *always* pop up from the dark soil. Because they do--it's true. And humanity is not in conflict with that spirit... we actually embody it, mostly. This book says that things are going to be okay, and it teaches us some of what we can do to help things be okay. Trump might be president, my children might hit each other, but things are going to be okay. And I can help. In our culture, it is a tremendous bit of bravery to consider that point of view, even for a moment.

I've seen clips of television or movie versions of this story, and I've sat through the musical, and I have to record here that I hated all of it. Watching them was like eating food that someone else had already chewed on for a while. I feel the same way, though not quite as strongly, about Anne of Green Gables. These are really interesting, good books, and they've been made *less* accessible to the world by adaptations.

The book isn't perfect. Besides the aforementioned bizarre lack of conflict, and the sweetness that is almost cloying, there are some passages that were poorly written or poorly imagined. It is almost as if the author were learning to write, and so she tried a series of different styles and techniques as she created a book. Some of the things she tried worked brilliantly, like the first paragraph of chapter 21 (XXI), or indeed many of the exploratory tone changes that the author uses when starting a new chapter. But some passages demonstrably fail, like Mr. and Mrs. Crawford's conversation in chapter 2, which almost made me drop the book. I can't make up my mind about the robin's point of view passage, and the section from Archibald Craven's point of view towards the end... does it work? Yes? Maybe? But I am impressed and inspired by the commitment and creativity used in crafting all of it.

Will re-read. ...more

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May 16, 2011 Karla rated it liked it · review of another edition

I maybe one of the few adults who have never read this story as a child. I really liked the beginning of the book and overall the message of positive thinking and exercise that can make you feel good and give you a sense of accomplishment. I found the part about chanting and magic a little weird but perhaps I would not think this if I was a child reading it. Overall I think this is 3.5 stars.

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Feb 07, 2012 Pamela(AllHoney) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, children-fiction-young-adult, books-to-movies

I can easily see why this one is considered to be a favorite children's classic. It is easy to read but not childish. I've seen several movie versions and I loved them all. I feel the movies stayed pretty loyal to the book though I did notice a few differences. This is a book I feel all children should have the chance to read. ...more

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Mar 08, 2008 Becca rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: my-childhood-books, middle-reader, fiction

For whatever reason, I get this book and The Doll in the Garden confused. For that reason, The Secret Garden has always had a creepy feel to me. ;)

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