Two sickly, arrogant, lonely neglected little children from wealthy families both ten, cousins, live continents apart Mary Lennox in hot, steamy colonial India and Colin Craven, he in rainy, cold, Yorkshire northern England a cripple just before the start of the First World War, they don't even known the other exists but will soon both like to show contempt to servants by yelling at them, while giving orders . Mary is spoiled unhappy and angry her beautiful mother loves parties, doesn't look kindly at the plain offspring , father too busy also helping govern the enormous colony, truth be told they dislike the unlovable girl. Cholera strikes and both parents fall, the little orphan child, is not emotionally attached to either one, and never a single drop of tears is shed...Shipped off as quickly as possible by the authorities, to her uncle Archibald Craven in England, Colin's father owner of an ancient family mansion, ( 600 year- old) Misselthwaite Manor with a hundred mostly unused rooms a decade previously, Mr. Craven lost his wife (Mary and Colin mothers were sisters ) he adored in an accident and never recovered emotionally his face always sad and mournful. The lord of the manor is a frequent traveler abroad, he must get away from his bedridden weak boy, it pains him to look at the pitiful sight and mostly does when Colin is asleep....Mary after a long, boring, escorted sea voyage arrives eventually and lives alone in an isolated part of the mansion, Martha a teenager her servant, the only person she talks to gives information about a secret garden, Mrs. Medlock the housekeeper, like everyone else ignores the unattractive girl and hides her far from others just the hired hands are there, after a quick visit to see her strange uncle he leaves for foreign lands. Poor little Mary, nothing to do but stare at the furniture... exploring the the grounds of the estate the nearby unnatural moors, outside and somehow finds the secret garden... later after hearing again weird wailing sounds, coming through the walls in her room the rather frightened Mary gets up in the middle of the night, down the dark, long , sinister corridors enters an unknown room and discovers a pathetic, depressed boy in bed her cousin Colin that no one mentioned....They become close friends after a few minor disagreements life begins in reality, for the two children at Mary's urging, she gets Colin outside for fresh air, with the help of a third Martha's younger brother Dickon, 12, who animals love, a hidden door , opened showing the eerie, gloomy, mysterious, dying secret garden locked for ten years by Mr. Craven, something dreadful occurred there brave Mary is delighted though, she wants a beautiful garden with colorful roses, live trees, growing plants birds singing and flying bees humming, butterflies floating, rabbits jumping, squirrels climbing, crows cawing brilliant flowers springing up in all sections of the Secret Garden.. and people lying on the green grass, sightseeing looking at the bluest of the blue the sky above. They have hoes the children, let the plowing and weeding begin...A children's classic that can be read and enjoyed by adults, rejuvenation of the human spirit with a simple act of planting a few seeds in the ground, yet more than just exotic flowers coming above the dirt the most precious commodity on the Earth may also spring into existence, life for the soul.

I wondered why I never read this book as a child; now I am very glad I didn't. Exposing children, especially ill or unattractive ones, to this dreck would constitute abuse. It is pure religious propaganda, thinly disguised as a magical tale for children.

I began reading it knowing very little about it -- in other words with an open mind. The trouble is as I progressed, my brain threatened to fall out. It began charmingly. It reminded me of The Chronicles of Narnia, which I still love though I am no longer a believer. But as it descended into silliness and then stupidity, I became increasingly annoyed.

What would a child learn from this book? Where to begin. If you are ugly, sick, bad-tempered, and nasty, you can become beautiful, healthy, happy, and nice, and all it takes is the fresh clean air of the Yorkshire moors and the companionship of people of an inferior class (as long as they are white and very, very clean). Bad thoughts made you sick, and good thoughts, brought about by the aforementioned conditions, will make you well. (Conversely, if you don't get well, it's your own fault and you're gonna die, 'cause dontcha know they hadn’t discovered the germ theory of disease in 1910?)

And there's Magic! Magic (or "The Big Good Thing") explains everything we don't understand, including the rising and setting of the sun and how plants grow. I am not making this up – the book was published in 1910, but this author simply ignores all scientific discoveries. And yet, she has these children with no formal schooling performing what they call "scientific experiments." Who needs to read books and learn about science when there's Magic?

There is also racism: Mistress Mary says Indians ("blacks") aren't people and no character in the book contradicts her. This seems perfectly acceptable, or at least explicable, to reviewers, too.

If you believe this book, ten-year-old children are likely to found their own church, complete with worship, prayer, and hymns, all without adult guidance. Adult characters are bumbling idiots, but children, with the help of Nature, are very wise. The only adult who is an exception to this is Susan, but she appears to be a goddess or perhaps the almost virginal Mother of God (and her son Dickon is a Jesus metaphor, or maybe an angel or Saint Francis).

I think today's "intelligent design" proponents probably read this book as children. It could help explain their apparent inability to think critically.

This is the Last Book You Will Ever Need to Read

Imagine, a children's book that discourages reading! Mary, the heroine, is bored and restless and needs to be reminded that she can read by an illiterate servant who tells her that there are books in the house. Later she and Colin (who can also read) find the books, but they just look at the pictures! I find it astonishing that an author would place so little value on reading and learning that she would convey that in a children’s book. I suppose the only other books she thought a child would need to read were the Bible and Mary Baker Eddy's book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Her message is "There's so much wisdom in Magic, or The Big Good Thing, that it is all the education you need! Why, you can even do scientific experiments! Who needs what science has to tell us when we have The Big Good Thing? Whatever you ask, it will give it to you."

This is new-age metaphysical drivel, but make no mistake, it's grounded in Christian theology. I did some research and discovered the author, Frances Hodgson Burnett, was inspired (brainwashed?) by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science (and one serious fruitcake judging from Wikipedia).

I think "The Secret" is based on the same baloney. That's an idea promoted by one Rhonda Byrne (she was on "Oprah," a show I am happy to say I have never watched). The concepts are remarkably similar. To me, the idea of the "law of attraction" -- that our thoughts and feelings send a frequency out to the universe that comes back to us in the same frequency -- so we can somehow manipulate reality -- is incredibly arrogant. It makes us "god" in a way, doesn't it? And it's even more damaging than the concept of the power of prayer. At least with prayer, when your wishes don't come true you have the "mysterious way" of god to fall back on. With the law of attraction, you have only yourself to blame when things go wrong. I wish someone who believes that would explain natural (and unnatural) disasters. For instance, the crowds who were bombed at the Boston marathon this year must have been spewing enormous amounts of negativity to bring that about. Anyone care to volunteer to suggest that to the victims?

Watch this video by The Skeptics Society for a lighter look at "The Secret Law of Attraction" http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Nf3Blm...

Is there anything better than cocooning in bed on a cold and rainy night, listening to The Secret Garden?? Just PURE BLISS.

Martha & her mother & Dickon & Colin & Mistress Mary... How very charming!


Seriously I got serious deja vu reading about Dickon. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Dickon were to grow up to be Edmund!! (from How I Live Now)



Audiobook narrated by Karen Savage

I loved this book when I was little, and I still love it now! I do appreciate different things about it, but from all the times I read it when I was younger I still get that warm and fuzzy feeling you get from heart-warming books. I think all children should read it, honestly.

I am now confused. I do not know anymore what is my preference when it comes to books.

When I was a kid, I wanted to read only books with pictures like the illustrated "Alice in the Wonderland" or "Rip Van Winkle". Until I read "Silas Marner" with no pictures and I said, wow, books with no pictures are also great!

When I was a teenager, I said I don't like to read books that are hard to understand and read by adults until I read "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov and I said, wow, I did not know that there are authors who write this way!

When I was a young man, I said I do not want thick books because I do not have time for them until I read "War and Peace" and "The Fountainhead" and I said, wow, thick books can be really engaging and finishing them can give you a different high!

When I became a husband, my sex life became busy, I stopped heavy reading and concentrated on my job (not on copulating you silly) so I just grabbed some easy-read bestsellers like "The Da Vinci Code", "The Kite Runner" until my daughter came and I had to read some children's books to her and she loved them but I secretly hated them until I read to her "The Little Prince" and said, wow, there are still children's books that can speak to me even if I am a grown up man!

When I became a middle-aged man, I discovered Goodreads. There is an option to screen members who apply to become your friend by asking the applicant a question. I thought then that the choice of genre was important so I chose this question: What is your favorite literary genre?" and from then on, I have been accepting and ignoring invites based on his/her answer. I generally don't accept invites from people who say they don't have any preference. I thought that that kind of answer is wishy-washy or indecisive that reflects his or her not being a serious reader.

Prior to last year, I said, I don't want to read fantasy books. I am too old for that. Until, I read the whole series of J.R.R.Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and I say, wow, wow, wow, I did not know that I could still be amazed by a fantasy book about wizards, trolls, flying horse, monsters and little creatures!

This book, The Secret Garden is a kind of book that I would not even consider reading. It is neither a 501 nor a 1001 book. The reason why I read this is that it is one of the Top 100 Favorite Books of The Filipino Group here at Goodreads. We challenged ourselves to read all the chosen books so I gave this a try.

Story-wise, it is too sweeet. Saccharine corny. Predictable. Inappropriate for a middle-age man like me. Almost insulting to intelligence: feisty girl turns sweet girl. Sickly unwanted boy turns healthy. Then the boy and father embrace each other and profess love for one another. Hu hu hu. Books can just hit you without any warning. I was sad yet happy when I closed this book this morning. I think I am going crazy reading different books and experience all the different emotions while reading them.

So I don't know anymore. I don't know what I like in books. No more preferences. Ask me now, what is my favorite genre. I don't know.

But, the writing in this book is flawless. I have attended a novel-writing workshop last year and all the ingredients of a good novel are here: well-developed characters, each of them has his/her own distinct voice and transforming towards the end, milieu (the garden) is clearly described and very significant in the story, the internal and external conflicts are arranged like small-to-tall majorettes in a parade, the hooks at the end of each chapter, the climax, the falling action, the denouement ties up the loose ends from the conflicts. The theme is solid. The lessons, though corny, are school-textbook-kind of reminders: that love is important to make this world a better place and nature is beautiful so we have to take care of it.

I guess my realization is this: yes, at some points in our lives, we tend to prefer some literary genres over the others. However, the genre is secondary to the writing. If the writer is good, no matter in which genre the book belongs, he/she should be read.

n  It is not the genre, it is the writing.n

This is a book I have read over and over again. With the lovely characters that grow in stature, strength, and wisdom through the book, it is a wonderful progression. From the moment you meet pinched faced Mary, you come to love the little girl that has lost so much. Her sadness has become a part of her and one that she struggles to throw off. Her curiosity is lovely and brings Colin and Dicken into the picture. What a lovely lively trio they are. Each one overcoming great sadness, pain and solitude. This book gave my heart wings. I was a sad child until I read The Secret Garden. Then I began to search for happiness just as Mary had taught.

This book was life changing for me as a small child and continues to raise the bar in my search for happiness.

I remember reading "The Secret Garden" during the early 1990s when I was a kid, and found the book rather bleak and unsentimental and didn't much understand that the book riffed on the Brontes and the Romanticism of the early 19th century. I did enjoy the 1987 and the 1993 film adaptations as a kid and should watch them again one day.

However, revisiting this text over 25 years later as an adult, I found its powerful tale about orphaned cousins, Mary and Colin quite relevant in a Trump presidency filled with uncertainty and loneliness.

Both cousins become a makeshift family of their own: Dickon, his sister Martha, Ben Weatherstaff Susan Sowerby, and even curmudgeon Mr. Craven and Mrs. Medlock become a part of their world.

Riffing on "Jane Eyre" with parallels to Thornfield Hall, and Colin Craven to that of the enigmatic Bertha Mason, Archie Craven, Colin's father is a lesser sadistic Mr. Rochester; just sad and gloomy.

With its story of death, abandonment, grief and finally using the garden as a symbol of sex, repression, chosen families and rebirth, the story still holds true.

I can't believe it's taken me so many years to finally read The Secret Garden! I remember loving one of the film adaptations when I was younger, but I wanted to read the book before the new adaptation this Spring. I buddy read this one with Alexa, who's been encouraging me to read it since we met. I listened to this one on audiobook, narrated by Karen Gillan, and half read along in the Minalima illustrated edition. I really love the message of the story and how Mary helps to motivate Colin to overcome some of the mental boundaries he's set for himself. Mary is a very spoiled child and after facing a tragedy, she's sent to live with her distant uncle in Yorkshire. I love Mary's character arc over the course of the novel and the way she works to amend her manners when she's finally met with some resistance to her outrageous requests. The scenes in the garden were obviously my favorite and I love that Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote the book after loving her own garden on Long Island. The story is not perfect- there are some problematic lines about race and India in general, but overall, I enjoyed it.

3.5 Stars - Yes, Yes, Getting Fresh Air is Important

I am glad I finally read this classic children's novel. Personally, I preferred Burnett's other novel, The Little Princess. I grew a little tired of reading the importance of fresh air and healthy appetites. The author's moral themes felt a little heavy handed in this story.

The Secret Garden has been such a delightful read during the cold, dreary winter months. Who else is looking forward to the wonder of spring, the greenery, and warmer weather?

The title "The Secret Garden" almost overshadows the magnificent characters. Colin always had at his disposal the grounds and fresh air, but he needed someone new to come along and offer him encouragement, someone to believe in him, someone who was willing to take him outside.

Burnett does an incredible job with character development. We can see the characters progress and mature. We see imperfect parents and doctors. There are quite a few characters with a loud bark but no bite.

The Yorkshire is a bit difficult to understand at times, but The Secret Garden is an enchanting read, one that I look forward to rereading.

Charming hearts since 1911, The Secret Garden is a whisper of a dream long remembered and the magic of spring and new beginnings.

Note to self: The next time that you are in New York, remember to check out The Secret Garden fountain in Central Park in the Conservatory Gardens.

2025 Reading Schedule
JantA Town Like Alice
FebtBirdsong
MartCaptain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
AprtWar and Peace
MaytThe Woman in White
JuntAtonement
JultThe Shadow of the Wind
AugtJude the Obscure
SeptUlysses
OcttVanity Fair
NovtA Fine Balance
DectGerminal

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The racism/Orientalism definitely didn't age well but I love the 1993 movie.

Jeden z moich ulubionych klasyków. Bardzo lubię wracać do tej historii, kiedy w powietrzu już czuć wiosnę.