Okay, I watch/listen to *a lot* of BookTube content and everyone who recommends this book NEVER mentions the fact that

there's a character who basically spies on the MC night after night, and then proceeds to sneak (break) into her room one night and completely redecorate it.

Look I know it was completely innocent and was supposed to be sweet and magical, but that's wild and creepy AF if you really think about it. Like why does nobody mention it when talking about this book? 😂😂😂

It's complicated for me to rate this one. The obvious racism, classism, fat-shaming was jarring. It's also different than the much-beloved (by me at least) 1995 movie.

Ram Dass has very little agency, Captain Crewe is very much dead and there is a new character that becomes Sara's guardian by the end.

I did like Sara, though. I liked seeing her efforts to be kind and fair, even when her circumstances were dire and downright depressing. 

The narrator of the audiobook was just ok. Her voice for Miss Minchin was spot on, but everyone else sounded very similar at times.

I have watched the 1939 adaptation that starred Shirley Temple and now have finally read this. To be honest I like the movie better, but I can see the differences and the continuity between the two. In the book there's no young school mistress, no revenge on Lavinia, no searching for her father, no Queen Victoria, and no finding her father. I haven't watched the other movies, but I think they romantized it a bit. I felt odd about the ending, although happy, it was weird to me. If you have read it you will know what I mean, but Becky and Ram Dass were spot on as well as Miss Minnchin. Such cruelty and I had to look up boxing the ears, that's worse than a spanking. Although, Sara was spoiled by her father, she seemed to be caring of others and unselfish, she was the champion of those that were bullied or mistreated. I did enjoy the book and would recommend whether you have seen an adaptation or not, it was still an enjoyable read.