The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Secret Garden

by Frances Hodgson Burnett

What secrets lie behind the doors at Misselthwaite Manor? Recently arrived at her uncle's estate, orphaned Mary Lennox is spoiled, sickly, and certain she won't enjoy living there. Then she discovers the arched doorway into an overgrown garden, shut up since the death of her aunt ten years earlier. Mary soon begins transforming it into a thing of beauty--unaware that she is changing too.

But Misselthwaite hides another secret, as mary discovers one night. High in a dark room, away from the rest of the house, lies her young cousin, Colin, who believes he is an incurable invalid, destined to die young. His tantrums are so frightful, no one can reason with him. If only, Mary hopes, she can get Colin to love the secret garden as much as she does, its magic will work wonders on him.

Reviewed by Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews on

3 of 5 stars

Share
The Secret Garden is a novel of Mary Mary quite contrary, whose parents die due to cholera and is sent off to live with an uncle. The house is old, dusty and filled with secrets. At first we all learn to hate the little brat.

Anywhose, a little bird tells Mary of a secret garden planted by her late aunt being "shut down" after her death. Of course Mary begins to revive it along with her disposition. Lonely Mary also acquires friends, a boy Dicken, brother of a maid at the manor and can "speak" to animals; Mary's second friend is Colin her invalid cousin, a supposed hunchback and even more obnoxious than Mary, but of course the garden fixes that too, along with his ailment. It was all very Heidiesque

I'm not sure what I was expecting upon downloading it to my Kindle, maybe a childlike Midsummer Night's Dream? Anyway, I should have know considering the title is the Secret Garden, but it was mostly about flowers and finding one's inner beauty. I have no green thumb and think "inner beauty" should be left to Oprah and The Hallmark Chanel. I did like the book, it just wasn't my taste (but hey it was free). I can understand why this is a childhood classic and I probably would have loved it but as an adult I got annoyed with touching definitions for each variation of flower Mary was planting. A small complaint I know, but there it is.

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 28 October, 2012: Finished reading
  • 28 October, 2012: Reviewed