Tom's Midnight Garden

It has been several years since I last read this beautifully enchanting and somewhat haunting time-slip tale about childhood, friendship, adolescence and the ocean swept passages of time. So I felt an urge to read this again. This being not only my favourite time travel book but perhaps my favourite stand alone novel of all time. One of the many reasons for its ultimate impact is that it has the most profoundly moving revelation last act that brings the whole journey to an emotional crescendo. When I was a young early teen reading this, I would relate to the protagonist Tom and his mission to play, having been dispatched to "boring" uncle and aunt for the summer, to avoid catching measles from his bed ridden little brother at home. Knowing how important it was to make the most of the summer holiday to play, I would feel for his plight and hope he finds this midnight garden quickly that the book title promises and so I would be enchanted at his magical discovery and the intriguing new found friendship in a girl called Hattie. Then I would be bewildered at where the main story was going exactly, yet still be enraptured in the journey and then be stunned by its powerful conclusion. At the time, the book became one of my instant favourites despite my love for more fast pace action adventures and fantasies. However, as an adult, the book resonates in a much different way, more deeper layers emerge about childhood innocence, growing up, and reflections on the passing phases of time, both good and bad. Most of all, I marvel at how so well written this is, how the narrative effortlessly sweeps along with haunting effect and how wonderfully clever the time travel plot device had been woven in. What is masterful about the narrative is how you know what is going on with some of the characters and their thoughts without the book spelling it out. Its all in the expressions and that's where the narrative's power lies. Though this book is written for children, I feel adults would most likely pick up on these deeper unspoken layers. There isnt much to criticise about this book at all. Just know this is a gentle paced novel with a quintessentially English setting, albeit if two different periods. It is a masterpiece of young adult literature but as the cliché goes, this is a timeless book for readers of all ages. Its not long, only 240 pages. So friends, take a tiny break from your modern fiction, your fast paced thrillers, schools for wizards, vampires, spaceships or shades of grey. For the next 2-3 days, let this book sweep you back in time, a time of simplicity, innocence, enchantment and poignant reflection then prepare to dab at your eyes for the knock out revelation ending. 5/5

I didn't read this book as a youngster but remembered seeing the 70s tv version. I didn't really know what to expect, but as I enjoy reading classic children's literature I thought I'd get it. It really is an incredible book and throughly deserves all the accolades that have been heaped upon it. I found the quality of the writing to be taut and extremely controlled, the author knows exactly how to conjure scenes for full impact. One of the best things about this book are the numerous small vignettes and mini adventures in the garden: the bow and arrows; the bible; the geese; the named trees- one really lives the experiences with Tom and Hatty. The standout moments are at the end of the book. The moonlit ice skating as they journey back on the frozen fen river was so haunting and vivid, the scene will stay with me; the shadowy meeting with Barty and then forwards to the incredibly moving moment when Tom realisies he has been denied the Garden and his wild calling out to the indiferent Hatty. And then, of course the ultimate meeting. This is just about as good as a story book gets, if the ending doesn't move you somewhere deep inside then I can't imagine what would. Read this book, you deserve it

This is a great post-war children's classic about time travel (nominated as one of the best 100 books, films and TV programmes about time travel in a recent a magazine I saw); and also about loss and yearning for a particular place. It starts very well and ends a little sadly, but very nicely tying together the present and the past. I did think it sagged just a little in the middle, but it contains a lot of magic and I would recommend it to readers of any age who like light fantasy.

I bought this book to analyse as part of a University degree course and I must admit I was quite excited to see it on the set books list as I enjoyed watching the series on TV when I was young. The book is about a young boy who goes to stay with his Aunt and Uncle but when he hears the Grandfather clock striking midnight he sneaks downstairs and is able to enter a magic garden. The story focuses on Tom's adventures in the garden and the people he meets. I enjoyed reading this book as an adult all be it for acaedemic reasons but I would advise parents to buy this book for confident readers between the ages of 8-10yrs. It's suitable for both boys and girls.

I had to read this book as part of my University course, I hadn't heard of the book before but as soon as I read the item description and the print on the back of the book I knew it was going to be fantastic. Such imagination and creativity in the writing it really is a fab read. one that brings me back to my own child hood. The text is very easy to read and follow probably as it is a book fundamentally aimed at children, but I dare any adult to not enjoy it too!

It was a bit confusing (because I was a child) for me but it was totally awesome and very nice. One night mum was reading it to me when she finished a chapter and I got her to read six more for me, because it was so tempting for me to stop at an exiting part like the part we were reading. I couldn't resist stopping every night at a more exiting chapter! My mum says it was clever in a sort of way about the time in it,(in the book there's a few chapters about time.) I don't understand how it was clever in the way mum said but hopefully one day I will understand it clearly. Each chapter was more tempting than the previous one was. It was as exiting and enjoyable as going to the cinematic with my family! DIEGO

Book was in good condition as stated. And arrived early. I bought it for my grandchild and read it first and was please with this book. I first heard about it on the cbc radio.

After reading this magical novel, my only regret is that I was unaware of it when I was a child. Tom’s Midnight Garden is filled with imagination. The author has infused Tom Long with the curiosity, impatience, and determination of youth. Though respectful to his aunt and uncle, who have graciously taken him into their home while his brother recovers from the measles, Tom is adventurous and refuses to spend summer as a quiet guest. Upon finishing the book, three things occurred to me. There’s No Real Bad Guy As most children will tell you when recalling their favorite fairy tales, there’s always a bad guy. And that’s because the hero never starts off as a hero. He must discover in himself powers he never knew he had—usually by defeating his enemy. But in this story, Tom revels in a newly found freedom and sense of wonder by spending time in the garden with Hatty. The closest this book comes to a bad guy is Hatty’s aunt. Though severe, she isn’t all that bad. After all, she’s provided a home for the girl and, despite her conviction that her sons come first, she is not a monster. Time Can Be an Enemy or a Friend The annoying grandfather clock that cannot seem to tell time properly provides the means by which Tom travels into the past to meet Hatty. Mostly, Tom uses this bit of sorcery to his advantage, visiting and revisiting his friend in different seasons. He even figures out how to have Hatty hide a pair of ice skates for him to find in his own time so that he can go ice skating with her in the past. Sheer brilliance! But Time can also be an enemy of sorts. Tom cannot control it, nor can he determine when the adventure will end. And when it does, the boy is devastated. He wasn’t even able to say goodbye properly. The grandfather clock no longer permits him to go back, and he is left with only memories of Hatty at different ages, from girl to young woman. Dreams Can Create Powerful Connections Toward the end, when Tom is with Hatty, and she is all grown up, his brother magically appears and can see her, too. It’s because Tom has been writing daily to Peter about his adventures. And Peter’s imagination seems to be as vivid as his brother’s, thus transporting him into Hatty’s world. Tom’s Midnight Garden is a must-read for adults and children alike. Every page is filled with warmth, with each character—major and minor—lovingly drawn. It is a coming-of-age story, with Tom gaining an early appreciation for life through the eyes of a lonely girl growing into a confident young woman. And finally, it’s a story of friendship, forged in a garden as timeless as imagination itself.

A children's classic.

After having recieved my Kindle PW I found this book, read the description and bought it. I don't want to tell anything about the contents, but please: Read the book!!! You'll definitely feel enchanted afterwards. A new treasure in my library!!! :-)

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