4.5 STARS.

A truly magical story, entertaining for kids and adults alike. The beauty of this book is how you can allow your imagination to run away with you, just as Tom does. I will for sure pass this story (probably this exact book because THAT COVER THOUGH and it has cute illustrations) onto my kids as I think it's a great classic kids story.

I know this story well, I had the audio book on tape (yes tape, I am 21, kids) when I was a little girl but it was an abridged radio-play dramatization style so it was such a luxury to be able to actually read the words, as if for the first time again. It was a great nostalgia trip and I found myself feeling the tension I felt when I was tiny, WISHING Tom to go back to the garden and other such spoilery things. A true delight, if you're a grown up like me, pick it up, read it, love it and hang onto it for your kids.

(I knocked of .5 of a star because THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIES. Imagine it, Tom spending entire summers there, growing up and still going back, maybe falling in love in the garden!? I'm thinking a Narnia/Famous Five vibe. This story is SO good that I'm rating it down for only being 227 pages long...Also Aunt Gwen is SO annoying and whiny so yeah .5 off.)

This book is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

*This book was read as part of Middle Grade Madness’ 2022 TBR Challenge*

Whilst this was intricately and beautifully written, it also managed to be quite a bore with its slow pacing and often excessive descriptions. Ironically, for a book focused entirely on a garden, it was sad that I found the garden rather boring because it was just a regular garden. The mystery surrounding the appearance and disappearance of the garden was much more interesting, but that mystery was often shoved aside in favour of childlike playtimes.

It wasn’t as though this book was without merit because there was something so touching about certain scenes and the childlike innocence and power of time played greatly throughout it, I just felt as though it could’ve been condensed so much more so that the impact of poignant moments weren’t lost by being sandwiched inbetween dull ones.

It has been several years since I last read this beautifully enchanting and somewhat haunting time-slip tale about childhood, friendship, adolescence and the ocean swept passages of time.

This being not only my favourite time travel book but perhaps my favourite stand alone novel of all time, I thought its about time I wrote a little something about it. To be honest, I'm triggered to writing this in a hope of promoting its position in a poll for our next time travel book of the month group read. See, just as our protagonist, 12 year old Tom, longs to share his discoveries of the Midnight Garden with his sick bed ridden friend, I long to share this book with others around me.

One of the many reasons for its ultimate impact is that it has the most profoundly moving revelation last act that brings the whole journey to an emotional crescendo.

When I was a young early teen reading this, I would relate to the protagonist Tom and his mission to play, having been dispatched to "boring" uncle and aunt for the summer, to avoid catching measles from his bed ridden little brother at home. Knowing how important it was to make the most of the summer holiday to play, I would feel for his plight and hope he finds this midnight garden quickly that the book title promises and so I would be enchanted at his magical discovery and the intriguing new found friendship in a girl called Hattie. Then I would be bewildered at where the main story was going exactly, yet still be enraptured in the journey and then be stunned by its powerful conclusion. At the time, the book became one of my instant favourites despite my love for more fast pace action adventures and fantasies.

However, as an adult, the book resonates in a much different way, more deeper layers emerge about childhood innocence, growing up, and reflections on the passing phases of time, both good and bad. Most of all, I marvel at how so well written this is, how the narrative effortlessly sweeps along with haunting effect and how wonderfully clever the time travel plot device had been woven in. What is masterful about the narrative is how you know what is going on with some of the characters and their thoughts without the book spelling it out. Its all in the expressions and that's where the narrative's power lies. Though this book is written for YA, I feel adults would most likely pick up on these deeper unspoken layers.

There isnt much to criticise about this book at all. Just know this is a gentle paced novel with a quintessentially English setting.

It is a masterpiece of young adult literature but as the cliché goes, this is a timeless book for readers of all ages. Its not long, only 240 pages. So friends, take a tiny break from your modern fiction, your fast paced thrillers, schools for wizards, vampires, spaceships or shades of grey. For the next 2-3 days, let this book sweep you back in time, a time of simplicity, innocence, enchantment and poignant reflection then prepare to dab at your eyes for the knock out revelation ending.

5/5

I remember having to read this one at school. Fast forward a few years and I'm reading it again for my Uni course. When the majority of books you read are romance, it's a little hard to get your brain into reading children's literature, which is perhaps why I found this one a bit of a slog. The first few chapters were very difficult to get through, but then the story started to pick up a bit, and then I loved the ending.

This is another one of those titles that remember from school days but cannot remember reading - Along with the rats of NIMH and the secret garden there were a list of books we had to read at school which I think at the time I dreaded or hated in equal measures but now look back with fondness and curiosity.

Well I had the chance to get a copy (okay this copy) for free and leapt at the chance to read it (again I think).

And I must admit the memories all came flooding back - yet the book reads both at times quaintly and a little out of date - rather like the times I re-read Porterhouse Major - but then again this book was first written in the 50s so I cannot really hold it accountable for all my adult reservations.

Anyway the book is a great tale of loneliness and discovery put in a fashion only a rather frustrated and at times angry boy can put it. The tale is delightful and one of hope which I think sometimes is missing in the world.

I also know this has been dramatised many times and I remember it even being on TV - which ironically many of my friends know the story from rather than the book (oh how my heart sank). But if you get the chance I will always say to read the original - its always the best way.

Perskaičiau, nes vaikas pasakė, kad labai patiko, ir paklausė, ar nėra kitų dalių. Be to, norėjosi užpildyti išsilavinimo spragą, nes ši knyga priskiriamai geriausiems vaikų literatūros klasikos kūriniams. Pusė knygos kažkaip nepadarė didelio įspūdžio, bet kažkur nuo vidurio veiksmas išsirutuliojo ir pradėjo kabinti, ypač kai Tomas pradėjo patekti į skirtingus Hetės gyvenimo laikotarpius, praeityje palikinėti daiktus, kuriuos tikėjosi rasti savo laiku. Pabaigoje irgi viskas įdomiai ir mistiškai susiveda, ir paskui dar reikia viską galvoje sau susidėlioti :) Kam patinka knygos su mistikos prieskoniu, tam turėtų patikti.

I love this book!!!

One of the first fantasy books I read as a child. Wonder if I should read this again?

A magical tale, this purports to be a ghost story, of a kind, but instead turns into something much sweeter.

First read in 2008

read August 2016

3.5

ช่วงแรกก็จะน่าเบื่อหน่อย
เพราะผู้เขียนดำเนินเรื่องด้วยบทบรรยายเป็นส่วนมาก
แต่พอเริ่มตื่นเต้น มันก็สนุกดีนะ
เราชอบพล็อต โดยเฉพาะในตอนจบ มันเซอร์ไพรส์ และน่ารักดี
อบอุ่น น่ารัก อิ่มเอม

3⭐
Un classico moderno per bambini davvero molto dolce e magico.
La storia non è originale, ricorda altri grandi libri di questo genere, come le cronache di Narnia (per il giardino di mezzanotte raggiungibile oltre la porta grazie al pendolo magico, che mi ha ricordato l'armadio) oppure a tratti, inizialmente, anche Coraline per l'atmosfera tenebrosa. Ma c'è da considerare che è stato pubblicato nel 1958, quindi è abbastanza datato, e altri libri per bambini vi si saranno sicuramente ispirati.
Mi sono piaciute le descrizioni del giardino, molto curate e dettagliate, forse potrebbero risultare pesanti ad un bambino, però io le ho trovate piacevoli e ben descritte.
Lo stile è molto leggero, con un'atmosfera magica, quasi onirica, che ti trascina nel racconto nonostante la storia sia lenta e non abbia una vera e propria trama.
L'amicizia tra Tom e la piccola Hatty nasce così, dal nulla, grazie al giardino.
È una storia che è un inno alla natura, al tempo che passa e all'amicizia, ai compagni di gioco, al rapporto genuino e spontaneo che nasce tra due bambini che non si conoscono, ma che hanno solo bisogno di giocare.
La seconda metà del romanzo risulta molto più scorrevole, infatti l'ho divorato velocemente curioso di sapere come andasse a finire.
Nonostante il colpo di scena finale l'avessi previsto fin dall'inizio, (anche se c'è stata una piccola sorpresa) mi è piaciuto e mi ha anche un po' commosso.
Leggere questo libro adesso mi ha fatto sentire dentro questa storia, come Tom nel giardino di Hatty, perché immaginare che i primi bambini che lo hanno letto sono nati negli anni '40 e' 50, che adesso sono anziani, e io che l'ho letto solamente ora, beh, mi porta indirettamente a pensare al Giardino di mezzanotte.
Un romanzo che consiglio a tutti coloro che hanno amato le cronache di Narnia, Coraline o anche solo a coloro che vogliono tornare ad essere bambini per qualche ora.