“Where you tend a rose, my lad, A thistle cannot grow.”

A simple and lovely story with a bit of adventure and mystery in it. It is quite difficult for me to point exactly what made this book gave it five stars, yet there is something really engaging about this book.

"Sometimes I think p’raps I’m a bird, or a fox, or a rabbit, or a squirrel, or even a beetle, an’ I don’t know it.”

The length of the story was perfect on my opinion, not too short or not too long, and nor any part lacking sufficient description or any part being over-descriptive. An interesting read.

"At first people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done—then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago."

I got the beautiful MinaLima Edition!

This book is so magical! I love it so much!!

Un libro infantil/juvenil con su moraleja y buenas enseñanzas de lectura agradable, que te hace sentir relajada y con final feliz. Para pasar un rato.

Hasta que punto nuestra actitud y forma de ver las cosas actúa como lastre impidiéndonos progresar. Hace falta un cierto equilibrio entre el cuerpo y el alma y estar en comunión con la naturaleza.

Por cierto, hay varias ediciones. Me han comentado (y me han enseñado algún párrafo) de la edición de Siruela, donde no todos los personajes utilizan el mismo lenguaje e incluso se adapta su forma de hablar en función de a quien se dirijan. En mi caso leí otra edición y me ha parecido un poco "plano". Por tanto, si puedes lee la edición de Siruela.

Valoración: 5/10 (de mi edición)
Lectura: noviembre 2020

No me ha aportado mucho, pero por la sensación de relax y el final feel good, le pondré 3 estrellas.

Impresa ardua trovare parole per descrivere una tra le letture più significative della propria infanzia. Trovare parole per il libro che abbiamo più amato quando da bambini leggevamo sulla terrazza o il lettone di casa dei nonni, d’estate, con l’atmosfera magica del tramonto. Quando non ci chiedevamo come fosse possibile essere trascinati in un altro mondo grazie alle parole di un libro, come fosse possibile preoccuparsi, arrabbiarsi, piangere per delle persone che esistevano solo nella nostra testa.

Prendo in prestito le parole di chi, meglio di me, ha saputo rendere il senso di nostalgia che ci invade quando guardiamo, tocchiamo, sfogliamo o addirittura solo pensiamo a un libro che ci è appartenuto (nel senso di letto, divorato, adorato, amato) nell’infanzia:
“Non vi sono forse giorni della nostra infanzia che abbiamo vissuto così pienamente, come quelli che abbiamo creduto di aver trascorso senza viverli, i giorni passati in compagnia di un libro prediletto. Il gioco per il quale un amico veniva a cercarci durante il brano più interessante, l’ape o il raggio di sole fastidiosi, che ci costringevano ad alzare gli occhi dalla pagina o a cambiare di posto, le provviste che ci avevano dato per la merenda e che lasciavamo accanto a noi su una panca, senza toccarle, mentre sul nostro capo la forza del sole andava diminuendo nel cielo azzurro.
Il pranzo che ci aveva costretti a tornare a casa e durante il quale pensavamo solo a quando, subito dopo, saremmo saliti a terminare il capitolo interrotto, vale a dire tutto ciò che, a quanto sembrava, riempiva quei giorni per gli altri, e che noi respingevamo quale ostacolo volgare a un piacere divino, e di cui la lettura avrebbe dovuto farci percepire soltanto l’inopportunità.
Tutto ciò ce ne imprimeva invece un ricordo così dolce (tanto più prezioso, a nostro giudizio attuale, di quello che allora leggevamo con amore) che, se ci capita ancor oggi di sfogliare i libri di una volta, altro non vediamo in essi se non gli unici calendari che abbiamo conservato dei giorni fuggiti, e con la speranza di veder riflesse sulle loro pagine le dimore e gli stagni che più non esistono.” Marcel Proust

This book is an ode to love, friendship and the unsurpassed beauty found in nature that fills every one of us with hope. It is inspiring, tender and guarantees the reader is going to relive the magic when you delve into the pages of this tale and find it as enchantingly satisfying as you expected. The Secret Garden is unmissable. Listening to the (The Secret Garden - Audiobook Version), added a personal touch to the experience.

The lushness of the English countryside leaps off the pages of this classic tale, and the world weary, old-for-their-years children are very appealing. I remember being quite enthralled when I was a child by this story, and I can see why it has been a child's favorite for over eight decades.

This bookstudies the synergy between natural and psychological well being in a way few others have. In gardening, Mary blossoms into the figure of joy and delivers a life to the overall ensemble of characters. Though the novel does not overlook the evils of life, it is thoroughly optimistic and believes in the possibility of rebirth and self improvement in every situation.

I wish I could give this 1,000 stars.

I read this book as a very young girl, and I remember only snippets of it. I also think it's likely that the edition I read then was abridged. So, while I knew the premise of this novel going in, I was not prepared for the incredible and emotional journey this book would bring me on. Perhaps it's because I'm currently at a major crossroads in my own life, this novel was exactly what I needed. It focuses on the magic of nature, and the importance of friendship, fresh air, and good exercise in life. This book is the definition of light-hearted, and if you're looking for pure escapism, this is the novel for you. Set on a picturesque manor, surrounded by moors and meadows and the most curated gardens imaginable, it draws you into a world that is beyond beautiful. Burnett's writing amazingly does the setting justice, and his long descriptions of nature and beauty truly recharged my soul. The three main characters who occupy the length of this novel are mere children, and while they certainly do much growing-up, they are likeable all the way through. This novel will be one I return to for years to come, and just like The Wind in the Willows, I will most certainly be reading it to my future children should I be lucky enough to have them. I highly recommend this one to you guys - five stars.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Classic + Middle Grade

Frances Hodgson Burnett's "The Secret Garden" is an enduring work of literature that has mesmerized readers for more than a century. The plot centers on the adventures of Mary Lennox, a young orphan who, at the beginning of the novel, is sent to live with her uncle in a gloomy house in the middle of the English countryside. Mary is a spoilt and lonely kid who, with the assistance of a robin, finds consolation in her secret garden. Mary discovered her garden by following the bird. The garden is obscured from view by a locked door, and it appears to have been abandoned. Mary becomes resolute in her mission to resurrect the garden, and with the assistance of her newly made acquaintances, she brings the garden back to its former glory as a stunning and enchanted location.

The method in which Burnett depicts the garden is one of the parts of the book that, in my opinion, has one of the most intriguing aspects. The author paints a realistic picture of the garden's flora and fauna, giving the reader the impression that they are really strolling around the garden themselves. The garden is a metaphor for the characters' personal development as well as a sign of renewed optimism and fresh beginnings throughout the story. Mary goes through a personal development process while she works in the garden, which results in her being more self-reliant and independent.

The characters in "The Secret Garden" are intricately crafted and feature a high level of development. Mary is a compelling protagonist who begins the story as a self-centered and miserable child, but during the course of the story, she develops more empathy and compassion for others. The secondary characters, such as Ben, the grouchy gardener, and Colin, the ailing boy, are depicted just as accurately as the main cast. Additionally, the relationships between the characters have been thoughtfully developed, especially the bond of friendship that exists between Mary and her cousin Colin. Their companionship is very charming.

In its entirety, "The Secret Garden" is an enchanting and heartfelt tale that is certain to strike a chord with readers of all ages. This book is a moving tribute to the strength of human friendship, the beauty of nature, and the resilience of the human spirit. I liked it a lot.

I really the book in its audio version. The depiction of characters is really memorable, and from the first moment got trapped by these two little children that have been abandoned, in a way or another, by the parents.

The story is simple. A girl comes from India after the death of her parents to a Manor house in England and there, she looks for a secret garden that is full of promises.
I loved the way magic is used, and the effects on the members of the family, and I enjoyed the simplicity and wonders of nature as the childrens did.
A little piece of literature that still catches my heart.

1 star for a popular and beloved classic?
What a scandal.
Well, I think this is the first classic that I'm giving a 1 star for so it’s a fairly big deal.
Although I did not finish this, I already know how the book wraps up. Take a guess. Bratty kid. Mean uncle. Sick kid.

n  Here's the thing:n
Many classics deal with universal ideas. The Secret Garden deals with kids who have been neglected emotionally by their parents, and even though it's overdone now days, I can understand why it was so popular a century ago. I already know the character will have some self-realization about the fact that she’s a little bitchy, ungrateful kid (of course, she will still be racist), and she will live happily ever after with her uncle, never attending school because she’s a stupid female. “Oh, she doesn’t need school, she needs to jump more rope!”

I just can't connect with a story about a spoiled little rich kid who finds out that they can actually be nice, but it warms my heart to know everyone is capable of such emotion.

I also believe the message of the book was loud and clear: if you grow up in a environment like India instead of England then expect yourself to be a bad and mean person too. The message was not: be a nice person even if you're rich or don't be rude and bratty.

And if I have to read one more line of Martha talking, I'll lose it. Can the women speak properly? I don't care if it’s some accent. It’s goddamn annoying reading it. I also believe her brother was on meth because he would go around the field saying, “ahahaha canna tha’ can you hears the birds and smell the honey…”

Classic? Please!

EDIT: No need to point out to me that racism was the norm in the early 20th century. I held no illusion that was contrary to that. However, I also believe that it was not necessarily something everyone subscribed to even back then. There are people born far earlier than Frances Hodgeson Burnett and held far more progressive beliefs and were not so easily led by society to subscribe to such notions. What of men such as William Lloyd Garrison and Wendell Phillips after all?

Their code of morals were above a novel whose main purpose was to teach about morals. This is what essentially annoys about this novel. I don't care for the racism in other books. H.P Lovecraft's racism doesn't disturb me. After all, his stories weren't written to teach kids about morality or goodness.

It's the fact that this book is dedicated to correcting the behavior and morals of a child at every instance. However, when the child says, "blacks are not people" and no one bothers to contradict her then whatever message this book was attempting to deliver about morality is lost.

The author is a "product of her time." Sorry, I didn't realize that you had to be born at a particular period of human history to see others of different appearance as human.

One of my most cherished books.

4 stars!

I like to start off every new year by reading a classic novel. Sometimes it’s the only one I’m able to read all year because I am such a mood reader. I know I read Burnett’s A Little Princess when I was a child, but I don’t remember if I read The Secret Garden or not. I was obsessed with the 90’s movie growing up, it’s still one of my favorites.

The Secret Garden is about a young girl named Mary living in India with her family. Neglected by her parents her entire life, she is sick, ugly and a spoiled brat. When both of her parents die from cholera, she is sent to England to live under her uncle’s care. There she is also somewhat ignored, but this time the serving staff encourage her to play outside, leading to a rejuvenation in Mary’s health and spirit.

One of the things that really stood out to me in this book was the importance of children playing outside, as well as the mind healing the body. Here we have two neglected children who used to stay indoors all the time, but when they wander outside and learn to play and just be children, it changes them in body and soul.

There is definitely racism of the time included in this book, most prominently how the characters speak about Indians and their culture. I think if a child is going to read this book, it’s a great opportunity to discuss racism with them and at least make sure to have that conversation with them.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can see why it holds up as a classic. There’s something very magical about this story and these characters that remain with the reader a very long time.