Book Review: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

“Whatever comes,” she said, “cannot alter one thing. If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside. It would be easy to be a princess if I were dressed in cloth of gold, but it is a great deal more of a triumph to be one all the time when no one knows it.”

Frances Hodgson Burnett, A Little Princess

Review:

I never thought much about picking up this book. It never found its way to me as a child, and as an adult, I never bothered to read the synopsis. At some point, I ended up with the Puffin in Bloom edition and decided to jump in blindly. What a treat it turned out to be!

Wealthy Captain Crewe sends his daughter, Sara, to a boarding school in London. Sara is bright, kind, and has a vivid imagination. Although her father spoils her and treats her like a princess, Sara isn’t bratty, nor does she think herself above her peers. She even befriends the school’s scullery maid, Becky.

On Sara’s birthday, the headmistress receives word that Captain Crewe has died and his fortune is lost. Having fronted much of Sara’s luxuries, Miss Minchin is livid. Determined to make back what she lost, she keeps Sara at the boarding school, but instead of staying as a student, she must work alongside Becky as a servant. She is sent to sleep in the attic, overworked, starved, and treated like vermin, but Sara refuses to let on to her suffering. She maintains her compassion for those around her, coping with her imagination. She might not be living like a princess anymore, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t one at heart. 

This was such a lovely and charming story! There are certainly dated elements scattered throughout the book to be aware of. The dynamic between Sara and another character introduced later on can read as unsettling to modern audiences. Given its fairytale-like tone, I was able to look past it and wholly enjoy rooting for Sara’s happiness. I love how kind Sara was to Becky, Ermengarde, and Lottie, not treating any of them differently because society deemed them more or less deserving of her generosity. Such a feel-good read all around!

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The characters!
• All of the works of charity.

What I didn’t like:

• Obviously, some terminologies were affronting to read about nowadays.

Afterthoughts:

I enjoyed this even more than The Secret Garden!

Where to buy the book: