The Secret Garden

Name of the book: The Secret Garden
Author: Frances Hudgson Burnett
Reviewed by: SoundaryaLahari Murari

At first Mary Lennox hated anything and everything and was the most disagreeable-
looking child ever seen. You would agree with this fact if you read the book The Secret Garden.
Mary Lennox had been moved to Misselthwaite Manor, because her father, mother and everyone
else had died of the cholera in India. Not that she cared because her parents didn’t want her and
hated her. This story is about how she and her friends at Misselthwaite Manor - Dickon, Colin,
and Ben Weatherstaff try to save an old, beautiful, secret garden that had been locked up for ten
years.

The owner of Misselthwaite Manor, Mr. Archibald Craven (Mary’s uncle) had a wife
who was very beautiful and they loved each other very much. His wife loved gardening and the
secret garden was her own garden, but sadly his wife died while she was giving birth to a small
boy named Colin and due to this Mr. Craven shut the garden door and buried the key. When
Mary came to Misselthwaite Manor she was curious and a friendly robin led her to the key and
the next day, led her to the door.

Soon Dickon came around and Mary let him in on the secret. Dickon is a boy who loves
the outdoors and knows everything about plants and animals. He brings so many animals home
and all animals love him and trust him to keep their secrets. He has a turned up nose and his eyes
are so round and the brightest blue color you have ever seen and he has a big mouth.

Colin is the son of Mr. Craven. He is very nasty if he doesn’t like you, but if he likes you
he can be nice to you most of the time. Surprisingly, he took a liking to Mary. He thinks he has
a lump on his back and will become a hunchback like his father. He hears people say that he is
going to die and is proud of it. Mary hates this.

Ben Weatherstaff is a co-gardener of the Misselthwaite Manor gardens. He is kept on
favor because Mr. Craven’s wife liked him. Martha, another person she liked, waits on her and is
Dickon’s sister. She works for Mrs. Medlock who works for Mr. Craven

F. Hudgson Burnett used a very broad Yorkshire language like “Aye that we mun,”
(which means “Yes indeed, we must,”). The genre of this book is realistic fiction because the

book isn’t too fictional and it has its share of fun and mystery. Other books that F. Hudgson
Burnett wrote are Little Lord Faunterloy, A Little Princess, and The Lady of Quality. Though,
her most famous book is The Secret Garden.

I liked this book because it has a mixture of all the genres and it is one realistic book
you can read without getting bored. If you want to know what happens to the garden and if Mr.
Craven finds out that they found the secret garden or not you’ll just have to read the book!