Carina's review:

The Garden of Lost Secrets is set in England during the WWI. The characters that I found the most interesting were Mrs Gilbert and Thomas. I found Mrs. Gilbert intriguing because she had changed a lot since Clara last saw her and I wondered what had made her change so drastically. I was also very curious about the relationship between Mrs Gilbert and Thomas. I didn’t like Robert because he was dishonest and cowardly. He let others take the blame for what he did and didn’t protect his family. I thought that the plot was exciting and the mystery of the stolen fruit was intriguing. The book had a great ending because it tied up all the loose ends and revealed the real culprit.

The book was set during World War I and I learnt how the estate's staff were affected by the war. As well as, how the estate functioned normally and how pineapples were viewed in England during the first World War. I would recommend this book to students in Year 9 and 8. The book was interesting and good for some light reading. I would recommend it to students who like historical fiction and mystery books.

James' review:

I enjoyed this book and found it fun and exciting to read the plot twists were my favourite part such as when the author makes you think Mrs Gilbert is a bad person until the end where it reveals to you that she just had troubles with children dying and just didn’t want the same for Clara. My other favourite part was when Will, Clara’s friend, was framed for something his brother did but because his brother had gained trust no-one believed Clara or Will. The character I found the most interesting was Mrs Gilbert as he had many secrets which would be revealed at the end of the book. Thanks to this book I learnt more about lives during the war and about Zeppelins. The thing that stands out most about the book would be that there a many questions and mysteries which are fun to guess around with. I would recommend this book to other people because of how interesting and exciting it is.

May's review: 

The book ‘The Garden of Lost Secrets’ really has been a good read. The book gives a real insight into the rough life of war and being sent away. The book is incredibly immersive and the detail put into it is really impressive. You can really put yourself into the shoes of the main character (Clara) and it keeps you on edge the whole way through. I’d give it a 5/5. There’s never a dull moment. The author quite clearly knows a lot about this time period and what it would be like.

I personally found the main character Clara the most interesting. She was likeable and has an interesting backstory. This kept me gripped and intrigued to finish the book.