A Little Princess--Book Review

 

 Title: A Little Princess   

 Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett

Sara Crewe, an exceptionally intelligent and imaginative student at Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies, is devastated when her adored, indulgent father dies. Now penniless and banished to a room in the attic, Sara is demeaned, abused, and forced to work as a servant. How this resourceful girl's fortunes change again is at the center of A Little Princess, one of the best-loved stories in all of children's literature.

***

I don't know why it took me this long before deciding to read this book, but thank God I did. 

I've always loved Sara Crewe. Well, at least from the 90's cartoon adaptation, and its local Filipino movie adaptation, and I swear, every time that's on TV, I stop whatever I'm doing just to watch. And now, I understand even more why so many people like this story, and why this classic book has really stood the test of time. 

Sara is an inspiration, and this book is  beacon of hope. It's a simple story, sure. I mean, we've all encountered stories like this--girl gets punished because she's poor; girl is nice to all her friends even when the world is so bad to her; girl believes in magic, and hope, and kindness. But what makes this story special is the fact that you really will root for Sara. And though you may have heard or seen her story in more ways than one, once you read the book, it'll still leave you in awe, and you'd want to read more.

The message of hope is fully depicted in this novel. Sara, though a bit weird, and has this "Princess syndrome"--although it's a good kind of Princess Syndrome--will make you believe that it's important to have that sense of innocence within you, and that it's important to believe in the strength of the spirit, and the goodness of the human heart. It'll make you believe that if you can help people out, however little that help may be, you should do it because there's always someone who needs more than you do, and there's always someone who's in need of some help and friendship. And that sometimes, life is not fair, but you have to go through it and move forward, because if you don't, then what would happen to you?

It's also ironic how her good fortune is just on the other side of the wall, but you know what? I think it's a reminder that sometimes, no matter how near that good future/fortune of ours is, we still have to work a little more, and to strive harder, and deal with what life has to offer. After all, after the storm, when we've managed to go through it well, even if we feel like falling apart sometimes, what matters is that we make it through, and that we keep our sense of hope intact. 

There were times when Sara almost fell apart--but she held on, and soon, she found that happy ending, making her a true blue Princess, and someone worth emulating.