Book Review by Aadrita Ghose
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodges Burnett is a children‟s fiction novel and a very popular classic. Several films and theatre adaptations of it have been made.
Mary Lennox is a 10 year-old selfish and spoilt girl. After her parents pass away, she is sent to live with her wealthy uncle, Archibald Craven. She meets a friendly maid named Martha who tells Mary about her late aunt, her beautiful garden, and how after she passed away, Archibald Craven locked up the garden and buried the key somewhere. Intrigued, Mary tries to find the garden herself and makes friends with the workers. She soon finds the key and the door to the garden. One night, she hears a cry echo through the house. She finds a boy named Colin, who turns out to be her cousin! He is the same age as Mary, and has a problem in his spine so he can‟t walk or get out of bed. Mary tells him about the Secret Garden and he asks to see it. She takes him in a wheelchair to the garden. Ben, the gardener gets angry seeing them there. He calls Colin a cripple, and Colin stands up from the wheelchair in anger. They are shocked to realise Colin is cured. When Mr Craven visits the garden, he is shocked to see Mary and Colin running around and playing, and the garden blooming beautifully. What happens after that is a surprise!
This book is one that I can read again and again. It teaches us a simple but beautiful lesson that everything blooms and flourishes under love and care, and wilts under neglect. A truly wonderful book meant for all ages; I would definitely give it 5 out 5 stars.