The Night Gardener

"Stories come in all different kinds." Hester scooted closer, clearly enjoying the subject at hand. "There's tales, which are light and fluffy. Good for a smile on a sad day. Then you got yarns, which are showy -- yarns reveal more about the teller than the story. After that there's myths, which are stories made up by whole groups of people. And last of all, there's legends." She raised a mysterious eyebrow. "Legends are different from the rest on account no one knows where they start. Folks don't tell legends; they repeat them. Over and over through history. And the story I have for you"-- she sat back on her stool-- "why, that one's a legend."

Molly was trying to follow. "So legends are true, then?"

The woman shrugged; again, not an

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answer. "Who's to say? Truer than the rest, I suppose." She raised a finger. "But you should know: legends are very expensive."

I loved this book, which both tells an enthralling story and celebrates the power of storytelling. Molly and Kip are young, desperately poor Irish siblings who travel to England to work as servants after losing everything in the Potato Famine. They are seeking work in an isolated, decrepit old Victorian home, and are traveling exhausted, starving, and scared. Molly helps Kip bear their wretchedness by weaving stories that comfort and transport. Despite being warned away, they arrive to discover a house nearly consumed by a sinister, twisting tree, and a family consumed by a mysterious secret. Soon, Molly and Kip become aware of a malevolent night visitor who enters the locked house each night, leaves muddy footprints, and takes... well, you'll have to read the book to learn what he takes:)

This is a spot-on historical novel that brings the Victorian era to life. It details the Irish experience of blight and starvation, and the deplorable conditions of those who fled by sea (one in five died of disease, starvation, or drowning). It shows a society in transition to the modern age -- men of science battle traditional superstition, while still clinging to notions of anglo-centric superiority of race and intelligence. It is also a genuinely scary story, perfect for kids who love a spine-tingling tale. The gloomy atmosphere that pervades the book gradually heightens to a truly creepy, breathless thrall. Countering the very real menace are two courageous children who battle grief and temptation to do what is right, and are characters the reader both cheers and aches for. show less

A pretty solid book for upper elementary/ middle schoolers, and honestly it was soo well written and creepy, that I think this absolutely could be adapted into a creepy as hell adult horror book. Two Irish orphans find themselves in an isolated crumbling down house working for a sick family. They're not technically getting paid but at least they have a place to stay and food to eat. While working at this remote house, Molly and her younger brother, Kip, begin to realize that something is horribly wrong. Someone is breaking in at night, everyone has nightmares, and they're all slowly getting sicker. Plus, the tree next to the house is menacing AF. Slowly they learn about the ominous night gardener and realize that sometimes the scariest show more stories are the true ones, ones that you keep yourself from believing. Genuinely creepy at parts, this book will attract a variety of readers. show less

Siblings Molly and Kip escaped the Irish potato famine only to find themselves orphaned and penniless in unfriendly England. To soften the harsh realities of their situation for her younger brother, Molly spins stories for him as they travel to their new home. The only place Molly can find work is at the creepy Windsor mansion in the foreboding Sourwoods. She was prepared to tell all sorts of stories to get hired, but in truth, the solicitor who gave her the job seemed almost too anxious to fill the position. When they arrive at the Windsor estate, they find a crumbling old house dominated by an enormous black tree that almost seems to have the entire house in its grasp. The house is full of secrets, including a locked room, nightmares show more that plague every inhabitant, and muddy footprints that mysteriously appear during the night. Despite the unlikelihood of finding another job, Molly is tempted to take Kip and leave -- until, one day, she discovers what waits in the locked room . . .

On the rare occasions when I read something that might be classified as horror, I feel the need to add the disclaimer that I don't usually do horror, so hardcore fans of the genre will probably laugh derisively at my idea of what is scary. That said, I thought this was a great story, with just the right level of scariness for, say, a fourth or fifth grade reader who has graduated from the Goosebumps books and wants something with a little more substance. (Or for wimpy adults like me.) show less

I got a copy of this book to review through NetGalley. I really enjoyed Auxier’s first book, Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes. This book was just as fantastic, if quite a bit creepier.

Molly and Kip are trying to find work after their parents left (we don’t learn why they are on their own until much later in the story). They hear that work is available at the creepy isolated house of the Windsor family. Many people warn them to turn back, but with no other prospects Molly and Kip takes jobs as a maid and a groundskeeper at this creepy estate. The longer they are there the more they realize things aren’t right. The Windsor family is weak and bleak looking, nothing at all like the pictures of the family before they came to live show more here. Then there is the creepy tree and the strange green door that the lady of the house warns Molly to never look behind...not to mention the creepy man in black who leaves footprints through the house at night...

This is a very well done and very creepy middle grade read. I found this to be a scary read as an adult (of course I am a bit of a chicken). The story has a very gothic Victorian overtone to it.

I liked the characters of Molly and Kip. They are doing their best to survive and I love how Molly weaves stories out of everything. The little Windsor girl was also an excellent character, she is so spunky and bubbly and with her youth she tries so hard to strive against the darkness of the house.

Kip is also an interesting character. He has been a cripple since birth and still he does his best to hold his own. Both Kip and Molly are responsible and admirable characters. But even they have trouble resisting the house and its lures.

Kip and Molly end up trying to unravel the mystery and figure out what ties the ugly old tree outside, the creepy Night Gardener, and the strange green door together. In the end their very lives, along with the lives of the Windsor family, are at stake.

The book is very well written and flows well, it is a very unique book. In the afterward Auxier mentions that he was inspired by Something Wicked This Way Comes. While I was reading this book I actually thought "oh my gosh, this is just as creepy as Something Wicked This Way Comes..." which is a book that totally freaked me out as a kid. So you definitely can see the influence of that story here.

There are some interesting topics of conversation in here. Molly likes to tell a lot of stories and sometimes her brother accuses her of lying; this brings up discussion of the difference between a story and a lie. There is also a lot of discussion about greed and it’s consequences (that is all I will say about that because of potential spoilers).

Overall I really enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend it to readers who like creepy historical fantasies. Seriously it's a very creepy book, I had nightmares about the Night Gardener the night after I finished it. Still it was incredibly well written and impossible to put down, so I would definitely recommend if you like creepy Victorian reads. show less

I really loved the first 90% of this book, and then felt a little let down by the ending. It's not that the ending was bad, but I had built up certain expectations during my reading that weren't met. I don't think it's quite a spoiler to say that I wanted to know so much more about the Night Gardener himself. As I've said in many a review, a shallowly developed villain character always gets my goat. If an author takes the time to flesh out the villain, to give him a compelling back story, it takes a book to the next level (Voldemort, am I right?).

Still, it's a great scary read for kids. The mood reminded me of the fabulous [b:Splendors and Glooms|13531021|Splendors and Glooms|Laura Amy show more Schlitz|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1360096699s/13531021.jpg|19092689], but is more likely to gain a wider readership because it's not as dense or stylized.

I'd love to share this with my young readers club someday because Molly, Kip, Penny, and Alistair are all such interesting kids. It would be great to hear what the kids think about how they change and what motivates them. Also, the quote about the difference between stories and lies (stories reveal the truth and lies hide the truth) has a lot to unpack.

Also, in closing, I must say that this is basically Faust for kids. (Only Faust is a tree.) show less

WARNING: This book is SO. CREEPY.

And so good.

With the absence of their parents looming large, Molly and Kip need any money they can get. So despite all the locals’ warnings about the spooky Windsor mansion, they convince the family there to hire them as housekeeper and groundskeeper. Molly also looks after the little girl, and Kip – whose dependence on a crutch makes him an easy target for bullies – tries to avoid conflict with the family’s cruel son.

But something strange is happening. A tree is growing into the house. The Windsors seem to be getting more and more ghostly as time passes. Even Molly looks paler. And then there’s the mysterious forbidden room at the top of the stairs. What is Mr. Windsor dragging out of there in show more the middle of the night? But the most terrifying unknown is the shadow that prowls about the house at night, going into each bedroom and leaving behind a trail of dead leaves. Who is he, what does he want…and what will he do to get it?

Soon Molly and Kip find themselves in the middle of a horror story. The Windsors are already wasting away, with no gumption to help themselves. Molly and Kip must find out how to stop the night gardener…before he puts an end to them all.

Read for the Emmet O'Neal Library Children's Department

Grown-up portion of review:

As with its 2014 peer, Margi Preus's West of the Moon, Auxier's book includes a probing examination of the place of stories in our lives. He blurs the lines between stories, lies, and reality. By weaving in a subplot about a gypsy story-collector whom Molly and Kip meet at a fork in the road, Auxier also questions the role of storytellers in society and wonders about the personal cost of clinging to stories, or the benefit of sharing them with others. show less

Orphans, wishes that come true, a murderous tree, and a love for storytelling: mash all these things together, and if you are as talented as Jonathan Auxier, you get a deliciously lovely book that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Auxier graciously credits Ray Bradbury, Washington Irving, Frances Hodgson Burnett and J. M. Barrie for his inspiration, but he weaves elements of classic children's literature into a unique story that is perfect for reading under the covers on a stormy night. As Molly says in the story, "A story helps folks face the world, even when it frightens 'em." This book deserves a place on every child's bookcase.