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The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Waterstones Synopsis:

Mary Lennox was horrid, selfish and spoilt, and was sent to stay with her uncle in Yorkshire. She hated it. But when she finds the entrance to a secret garden a change overcomes her. With a local boy and her cousin the three children work magic in themselves and those around them.

I absolutely loved this book. Mary starts this book as a spoilt little girl who didn’t know joy nor love. Coming to England and discovering nature does her the world of good – and it changes the lives of others too.

This is a beautiful book. The descriptions are breath-taking and the story line is lovely. The book is rich with characters and flowers. I did like Mary. I felt sorry for her as she wasn’t loved by her parents, and when everyone in her household died she was left alone for days before she was found. It was no surprise she was horrid. I loved watching her discover the wonders of the outside world – enjoying fresh air and flowers, and how to be happy. It was a lovely journey and I really enjoyed experiencing it.

The descriptions are gorgeous. The secret garden is wonderful and I would love to have sat there alongside her and the boys watching the garden grow and flourish. Hodgson Burnett wrote a beautiful book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The only downside for me was that I struggled to read the Yorkshire dialect. However, that does not spoil the book much, although it did slow down the reading for me a bit.

Overall this is a must-read book, even if it is a children’s book.

4.5/5