The Secret Garden Vol. 1 Review

 

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: Based on the book by classic British children’s novelist Francis Hodgson Burnett (which I have not read), The Secret Garden follows 10-year-old Mary who moves to her uncle’s English mansion from India after her parents’ death. There, she finds a door leading to the titular enchanted garden where whimsy adventures ensue.

 

My Thoughts: Plot (5/5) – As a child, I’ve always had idyllic flight of fancies concerning nature and the seemingly magical beauty it beholds which I dreamed of indulging in as a respite from harsh, unforgiving urban life. While my view on the likes of naturalism has shifted towards a more jaded angle since then, the premise combined with the cozy-feeling art appealed to my nostalgic sensibilities, so I had to jump onto this title.

Characters (5/5) – I loved Mary’s evolution throughout. She starts as a pretty spoiled and bitter child who carries on an irate demeanor towards her new environment before gradually displaying more compassion and an uptick in mood as she is surrounded by more positive figures in her life. One of the most admirable characters in that respect is the house servant Martha who is one of the few adults who is patient to Mary and sympathetic of her plight even showing an affinity for child-like activities such as jumping rope. The children Mary interacts with later in the story including Martha’s little brother Dickon and Colin, Mary’s incapacitated cousin, are also some lovable personalities I wish I could give a hug.

Dialogue (5/5) – The usage of various English dialects by the lower-class denizens made the setting more convincing and added an element of linguistic diversity to the exchanges without ever being too difficult to understand.

Art and Composition (5/5) – The lineart applied smooth strokes and thin lines which, along with the soft pastel watercolors, complemented the whimsical atmosphere of the book seamlessly. The same can be said for the composition which utilized scenic features to construct the frames during some of the garden scenes, melding it into a symbiotic entity in relation to the action. Meanwhile, the dialogue within the speech bubbles feels appropriately spaced never taking up too much space in a single panel.

 

 

Final Thoughts: This was a wondrous adaptation I would recommend to both children and adults looking for a beautiful, whimsical read. I’m definitively looking forward to part 2’s release.

 

 

Thanks to Europe Comics and NetGalley for providing me with my first advance ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.