I got really excited several years ago when I realized Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote more than kids books. I bought this and then was scared I wouldn't like it and A Little Princess and The Secret Garden were my favorite books as a kid and I didn't want them tainted. I think if you liked those you would like this. It has that same hopeful fairytale feel but is actually pretty dark.

The second half is quite melodramatic and fun to read while the first part is more of a romance, although not the sweep you off your feet kind. The main character, Emily Fox-Seton, is like a grown-up Sara Crewe, a bit too good to be true. She can be a bit annoying in her willingness to bend over backwards for others. Sara had much more of a spine.

There were somethings that surprised me, such as the depiction of domestic abuse and how that was dealt with. There was some racism toward a black Indian character but refreshingly Emily calls out people who judge her and encourages reading Uncle Tom's Cabin to better empathize with people of a different race. It was still not the best portrayal but was much better than a lot of works I've read from this time period.