The Book Rook @rooksbooks - Tumblr Blog

Hello~

I'm Rook, and I am attempting to read through my Physical TBR. This blog is how I'm trying to make it fun and memorable through by recording my live reactions.

Please feel free to tag along and enjoy.

I am using a random picker to select my next book, but if you have a recommendation from the list, feel free to let me know.

Current Read:

📖 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, page 151/298

Finished:

📓 The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

📓The Best of Dorothy Parker, Collection by the Folio Society

📓Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

📓Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

#rook's reading #pinned post #tbr list #currently reading

Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

#rook's reading #the secret garden #quotes #books #frances hodgson burnett

I love that we spend seven paragraphs in the robin's head pondering Colin's progress.

#it was so sudden and unexpected #but delightful #rook's reading #the secret garden #...the robin #???

#I often say the same thing myself #rook's reading #the secret garden #mary lennox #colin craven

This line made me stop reading and reflect. Which was unexpected.

Where I'm from, it's normal to ask people how they are and expect a typical, scripted response. "Good" and "fine" are accepted well, though none actually believe it, unless said with enough enthusiasm or providing a reason. Recently "tired" has also made it's way into my Approved and Acceptable Responses. I think it has for many others, too.

What's weird is that I think I use it as a way to form (or force?) closeness? Like, "look at me being honest about how I really am. They see what's going on in the world right now. Who would expect anyone to actually be good. No lying to ourselves here. I'm being real."

And while it's true that I and most others that I meet are genuinely tired, it's not like I'm breaking down walls by saying it. And who wants to be around people who are constantly saying they're tired, anyway?

So I think there's something to what Dickon's said, and I think I want to keep it close in mind.

Don't begin by saying you're tired. You might spoil the magic.

#still trying to wrap my mind around my concept of the magic but I'm getting there #rook's reading #the secret garden #reading reaction #dickon sowerby #and still trying to figure out a good response that's not good or fine but not false closeness either

1. girl, same

2. I wish I could be as unbothered as Colin

#his response was like a slap #but I laughed #absolutely stunning #rook's reading #the secret garden #mary lennox #colin craven

I don't think he's actually sorry

#I love Mary for being a bit of a menace #turns out I love Colin for the same reasons #rook's reading #the secret garden #colin craven #mary lennox #reading reaction

No that would be terrifying. Make a noise or something, ben.

#but also Mary and Dickon scrambling around is a funny vision #rook's reading #the secret garden #reading reaction #mary lennox #dickon sowerby #colin craven

#the secret garden #book quote #dickon sowerby

How does it feel to live my dream?!

#I want to make animal friends so badly #dickon's a Disney princess #and living my dream #rook's reading #the secret garden #dickon sowerby

My heart broke for little Colin with the description of his back and spine, but there's so much truth to these words.

Sometimes we do make things worse by just sitting alone and ruminating on them, worrying over them, crying over them. Not that those things done have their time and place, but sometimes enough is enough.

Still love Mary for being unapologetically angry and unsympathetic and obstinate. She's a good friend. And the perfect friend for Colin.

#rook's reading #the secret garden #mary lennox #colin craven

Mary said get mad die mad. I love her.

#crazy how I relate #there was that line a few pages before #about how she could fly into a passion without making a noise #and ohhh that spoke to my inner child personally #rook's reading #the secret garden #mary lennox #colin craven

I'm about half-way through The Secret Garden, and I'm enjoying it as much as I can. It's my first exposure to the story - never seen any of the movie adaptations! I think younger me might have found it a bit slow, but right now I'm enjoying the characters and the story as it is told to us.

One thing I've had to learn to tolerate is the odd paragraph here and there about how Mary needed the fresh air, needed to run to make her bones and body strong, needed the outdoors to make her mind strong.

I mean I get it. It's true. I'm not denying that. I just don't like that it's told to us so directly, I guess. It feels more like a lesson then part of the story. But I also understand this was written for children, so who am I to be complaining.

As I've said in my reactions, I like Mary and how serious she is about everything! She does not seem to understand humor yet, though I think Martha and Dickon will probably help her in that regard.

I'm really liking Dickon, but he seems too perfect at the moment. I need some flaws to endear me to him.

Colin is spoiled and a menace! So of course I also I also love him.

Maybe if I can finish quickly, I can watch and movie to finish.

#leave the rec of the best version #if anyone is reading this #can't imagine there's many out there just dying for some random girl's thoughts on a 100+ year old children's book #rook's reading #the secret garden

#I've met Colin #and I'm sad for him #rook's reading #the secret garden #colin craven #mary lennox

See this is the thing! She's so serious.

She's not dreamy, or trying to be funny. These are her honest thoughts. Mary may have a crush, but she has no idea. I love her, my odd, determined, little girl with something interesting to be determined about.

#rook's reading #the secret garden #mary lennox

You're as safe as a missel trush????

#how is he so sweet at 12 #I just want her to trust people so much #mary lennox #dickon sowerby #rook's reading #the secret garden

Mary upon meeting Dickon:

Mary literally five seconds later:

#a victim of a boy with big blue eyes and a love for animals #who among us has never?#no hands.#rook's reading #the secret garden #mary lennox #dickon sowerby

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