Reviews

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

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sarahp85's review against another edition

5.0

I never read this as a kid and didn't know what the book was about, but my sister told me to read it.

And it was so lovely! I think this is one of those short classics one should read every year to remind yourself to be a princess an the inside. Be kind, be generous, be helpful.

mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition

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4.0

Trigger warning: Period-typical racism, minor fatphobia

I am slowly making my way through the classics where young girls with plucky, intrepid spirits change the lives of those around them. Sara Crewe is number 5, but she is definitely one of the best.

A Little Princess is a gem. Sara Crewe is a sweet girl whose life gets turned upside down when her father suddenly perishes leaving her destitute. The horrible headmistress of the boarding school she attends uses this opportunity to take back the money she believes she is owed for housing Sara in the interim when they were unaware that her father would no longer be able to pay through the employ of Sara as a servant. The headmistress is a greedy, envious person who delights in taking Sara down a peg for the imagined slight of flaunting her superior status.

In reality, Sara is one of the most humble little girls there is and the headmistress is merely projecting. Regardless, for the next few years the headmistress succeeds in her mission to make Sara’s life as hard as possible.

Despite the abrupt downtown her life has taken, Sara stands tall sure that things will get better as long as she doesn’t let them break her spirit.

As is typical of this kind of book there was a lot of romanticization of being a well-mannered polite little upstart. If you’ve read The Secret Garden it feels a lot like that except being spoiled didn’t ruin Sara like it did Mary most likely because Sara’s father still enjoyed her company on top of throwing money at her. Her refusal to let the headmistress win was admirable. Her plight was heartbreaking. I found her to be a very well rounded character compared to some of her contemporaries. She didn’t back down under the guise of being a proper young lady. She had moxie that was actually rewarded. Usually that kind of characteristic isn’t considered respectable so it’s not included or slowly leached out.

Though Sara had a few supporters in her corner, there was not much they could do. In fact 2 out of the 3 were more of a burden than a shoulder to cry on as they were emotionally reliant on Sara to the point of toxicity. The friendships - if you could even call them that - were so one sided Sara would have been far better off if she cut them loose. Admittedly, it added to the integrity of her character that she was so committed.

You were supposed to feel bad for the two girls due to their own somewhat sad backstories. I found it nearly impossible to do so when Sara was treated worse than a dog by every single person around her - gleefully at that. Especially when Sara still found time to be a friend to them in spite of her misbegotten circumstances. I know this is an authorial choice, but still I’m impressed she wasn’t the least bit resentful. I know I would have been.

I’m revising my list of best girls. Anne is still the top because I spent so much time digging into her. I doubt anyone will eclipse her to be honest. Then it’s Sara, Mary, Pollyanna, and Heidi.

aksr's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

kellijbotelho's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

Loved this book - made me feel happy and curious and whimsical

annashiv's review against another edition

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5.0

I could never watch the movie as a child. I just remember always feeling scared when it came up. I've never really been sure why, and still don't as I haven't seen it to this day (which will hopefully change soon) I'm not sure how closely the movie is to the book, but if it's anything like it, I think I'll love it. Still, I don't know that it would have been right for me as a child. Instead, it's more magical as an adult I think. It magically reminds me what it was like as a child and inspires me more now than it ever could have when I was little.

I've also read The Secret Garden recently (also don't think I would have enjoyed as a child) and I just love Burnett's writing. It's just so cathartic and healing. What a great writer.