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theremightbecupcakes's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Nina Bawden was one of the authors of my childhood. Greatly enjoyed revisiting her during my DST hangover/flareup. This would be an excellent gateway to horror for young people--scary without too much peril and no death or bloodshed.
sarahthornton's review
When the aunt melted, so did I. Best of luck to Been, the boy of means.
balancinghistorybooks's review
4.0
The more work of Bawden’s which I read, the more I am beginning to favour her children’s stories over her adult offerings. The last couple of the latter which I have read have been thoroughly disappointing. I was a little apprehensive when I began The Secret Passage, but I very much enjoyed it. The story is relatively short (only 155 pages in the lovely old Puffin edition I have), but it is so well written. The relatively simple story – three children living in Africa suddenly have to move to England to live with her aunt after their mother passes away and their father is taken ill – has somehow been rendered unpredictable in terms of what one might expect will happen. It reminded me a little of Tom’s Midnight Garden, The Secret Garden, and Enid Blyton’s mystery stories. A lovely, lovely book which brought a smile to my face, and which is sure to delight even the fussiest young reader.
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