Lezersrecensie
Gardening along with Mary and Dickon
British-American novelist Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849) wrote over thirty books before she passed away in 1924. She was born in England, later migrated to America, and after marriage lived in Paris. She started writing in the year 1877, with the novel ‘That Lass o' Lowrie's’, after returning to live in America. She is best known for three children’s novels, including ‘The Secret Garden’. After her passing, a sculpture was erected in her honour depicting her famous characters Mary and Dickon from ‘The Secret Garden’.
India is where the reader first travels to meet Mary Lennox, a contrary girl who most of the time is inside the house. There is a panic in the house when cholera is breaking out, leaving the house quiet all of a sudden. Two men come to check the house, finding Mary who is the only one left alive there. She moves to another house, where the children call her ‘Miss Mary quite contrary’, before she gets to travel to her uncle Mr. Craven in England. Mr. Craven has a house at a moor, with a big garden and lots of room, also the house itself is big with lots of rooms. Mary goes out often, but also explores inside the house, finding strange things and a garden being locked for ten years. She wants to find the key and go inside this garden, making it her ‘Secret Garden’, but she doesn't know anything about gardens and how to maintain them. Then she meets Dickon, and also Mary has to give her attention to something mysterious in the house.
Frances Hodgson Burnett tells with passion about gardens, and gardening. Making the gardens come alive with the description of flowers, ornaments, and more. Also the joy that Mary has, along with Dickon, tempting, digging and planting came from every page. Burnett, however, did stretch some parts a bit too long to keep it interesting, so at moments it may feel dragging on. The parts within the house were the least interesting parts. Also Burnett used Yorkshire dialects in some dialogues, making it sometimes hard to understand what is said, although it adds to the story.
After reading this book, I want to have a garden myself. I really loved to read about gardening, the animals, and the odd group of friends. I never thought it was an old book, it is over 100 years old, and still fits now. I was kind of sad to say goodbye to Mary and Dickon.
India is where the reader first travels to meet Mary Lennox, a contrary girl who most of the time is inside the house. There is a panic in the house when cholera is breaking out, leaving the house quiet all of a sudden. Two men come to check the house, finding Mary who is the only one left alive there. She moves to another house, where the children call her ‘Miss Mary quite contrary’, before she gets to travel to her uncle Mr. Craven in England. Mr. Craven has a house at a moor, with a big garden and lots of room, also the house itself is big with lots of rooms. Mary goes out often, but also explores inside the house, finding strange things and a garden being locked for ten years. She wants to find the key and go inside this garden, making it her ‘Secret Garden’, but she doesn't know anything about gardens and how to maintain them. Then she meets Dickon, and also Mary has to give her attention to something mysterious in the house.
Frances Hodgson Burnett tells with passion about gardens, and gardening. Making the gardens come alive with the description of flowers, ornaments, and more. Also the joy that Mary has, along with Dickon, tempting, digging and planting came from every page. Burnett, however, did stretch some parts a bit too long to keep it interesting, so at moments it may feel dragging on. The parts within the house were the least interesting parts. Also Burnett used Yorkshire dialects in some dialogues, making it sometimes hard to understand what is said, although it adds to the story.
After reading this book, I want to have a garden myself. I really loved to read about gardening, the animals, and the odd group of friends. I never thought it was an old book, it is over 100 years old, and still fits now. I was kind of sad to say goodbye to Mary and Dickon.
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