Hovath is very funny and combines some very quirky characters and ridiculous situations in this historical fiction book. I always tend to enjoy the humor and still feel set of by the mild, but unpleasant fat phobia I find in her books. Would i recommend: I can't decide. it has a feel good energy, but.... ( )

I want to really love this book. Maybe it's just me and my tastes, because everyone is different but this fell flat for me. The characters are interesting enough that it kept me reading but the story line was so muddled and scattered that had it not been for the children I probably would have DNF'd it. They had such diverse personalities and were very well written I just wish the story would have followed suit. I also wanted the garden to be featured more. Being that the book is titled "The Night Garden" I expected the garden to be something wonderful and be the center of attention..sadly it was not. ( )

Franny is used to a quiet life with Sina and Old Tom, until the day Crying Alice drops her three children at her house in order to go confront her husband Fixing Bob, who she fears might do something seriously stupid. As Franny and her new friends attempt to unravel Fixing Bob's mysterious behavior, they discover interesting tidbits about everyone's past, and the magic that seems to exist in the old farm that they call home.
There's lost of interesting magical realism in this book, and it's never quite clear which aspects are "true" and which might be just in the imagination of a child. But little is lost in this. The characters are whimsical and well-written, and overall the book is an interesting read. ( )

Franny is adopted through a series of unpleasant mysterious coincidences by Sina and Old Tom, an eccentric couple living in a large house surrounded by gardens. The adventure begins when a neighbour leaves her three children in the care of Sina and Old Tom. Crying Alice must find her husband to stop him from doing something foolish. The storyline is full of local and loco characters - a hermit with amnesia, an overzealous Brownie Troop leader, and a scatterbrained hormonal teenage girl. Of course sibling rivalry plays a part as the youngest of the three children, Zebediah, is secretly corresponding with his father. Throughout the story, Old Tom has one main role... Never to go into the Night Garden. But we all know that rules are meant to be broken when curious children are involved. This would be a great story for middle schoolers and young teens. There is some suggested promiscuity. ( )

I received this book through the Early Reviewers program.

She's a wonderful writer--this book could have been five stars and a favourite, save for a fatal flaw, unfortunately, which is that the plot didn't really kick in until 2/3 through the book, and the genre didn't really kick in until 3/4 through the book.

Let's put it this way: in the opening pages (i.e. first half of the book) various characters encounter a mermaid, a UFO, a ghost, and a forbidden wish-granting garden ... or do they? And forgive me, but I want to know which fairly early on. This would have been a wonderful Diana Wynne-Jonesian book that embraced the fantasy from the beginning, or, alternatively, a delightful series of non-fantastical adventures featuring a truly likeable, fun cast of characters both at the home and in town, with mini-adventures essentially resolving themselves each chapter.

But, by having her cake and eating it too, I was frustrated for most of the otherwise beautifully written book. Am I supposed to believe in UFOs, ghosts, mermaids, wishes? When will I find out if these unlikely incidents are true or explained away, and why do I have to wait so long?

So irksome, because in all other respects this was an absolute treat. I loved all the characters, the tone, the humour, the dialogue, all of it except the plot structure--and once the writer committed to fantastical vs non-fantastical at the 3/4 mark, it all went well ... but why did I have to wait that long?

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).