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    The Night Gardener
    The Night Gardener
    The Night Gardener
    Audiobook8 hours

    The Night Gardener

    Written by Jonathan Auxier

    Narrated by Beverley A. Crick

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    This much-anticipated follow-up to Jonathan Auxier's exceptional debut, Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, is a Victorian ghost story with shades of Washington Irving and Henry James. More than just a spooky tale, it's also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling. The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are confronted by a mysterious spectre and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives. With Auxier's exquisite command of language, The Night Gardener is a mesmerizing read and a classic in the making.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateJan 16, 2015
    ISBN9781490658100
    The Night Gardener
    Author

    Jonathan Auxier

    Jonathan Auxier is the New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed author of Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, The Night Gardener, Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard, and Sweep. He lives with his family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information, visit thescop.com.

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    Reviews for The Night Gardener

    4.5/5

    65 ratings28 reviews

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    • 3/5
      At the far end of the lawn stood the Windsor mansion. The house had obviously been left vacant for some years, and in that time it seemed to have become one with the landscape. Ivy choked the walls and windows. The roof was sagging and covered in black moss.

      But strangest of all was the tree.

      The tree was enormous and looked very, very old. Most trees invite you to climb up into their canopy. This one did not. Most trees make you want to carve your initials into the trunk. This one did not. To stand in the shadow of this tree was to feel a chill run through your whole body.

      Talk about setting the mood. Shivers anyone?

      This story creeped me out. I mean, it's written for middle graders, so it wasn't that scary but, still. The Night Gardener is ghoulish and he has powers. He is in the house at night while everyone is sleeping and most of the family doesn't even notice. I mean how can that not be creepy? I was enthralled by the story and kept trying to figure out exactly what was going on.

      Molly (14 years old) and Kip (11 years old) have just arrived at the Windsor mansion. Molly is there to start her job as housekeeper, but mostly because they need a place to stay. They didn't expect such a creepy house and such a strange family. But, at this point, they don't have much choice. Molly takes care of Kip and tells stories to make him feel better. She is an excellent storyteller.

      Molly & Kip are from Ireland and they have a different way of talking. This book is set around the time of the potato famine in Ireland (around the 1840's). I didn't find their language distracting, but I have seen reviews that said it was an issue for some. They drop the g's (somethin' instead of something), grammar is bad and they say dinna & canna which I mean something like don't and can't.

      Recommended to:
      Anyone who likes creepy stories. Probably for grades 6 and up. But, if your 5th grader is a big fan of scary stories, this would be fine for them.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      A deliciously creepy book!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Creepy as all get out. An accomplished gothic ghost story with new elements that feels very traditional. And, special bonus, it actually incorporates some of the real-life horror of the Irish Famine and Victorian poverty. Not everyone cares for this, but the author note at the end points out some of the sources that went into the mix, which offers great suggestions for further reading.

      Library copy.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      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 stories are the true ones, ones that you keep yourself from believing. Genuinely creepy at parts, this book will attract a variety of readers.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      I have been reading reviews that say that this book is a well-written horror story...and all of them are right. If you like your historical fiction with a dash of the paranormal, this book is for you. It comes after a disappointing let-down with the book Amity; I was keen for something that was both engrossing and creepy. The Night Gardener delivered on all accounts. Don't miss this one!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      The Night Gardener is categorized as a children’s book, but I think it's legitimately a story for any age group . Auxier has crafted a masterful ghost story, set in 19th century England, and hints at the Irish Potato Famine. This is a terrific book. It really drew me in and was a real page turner, right up to the end. It reminded me of home and I could relate to Molly and Kip. However. I have never heard anyone in Ireland say the words 'canna' or 'dinna'. As far as I'm aware that's a Scottish expression. Reading those words jarred me out of the story a little bit. But it's a small criticism. I highly recommend everyone to read this novel. I would really look forward to a sequel to this novel.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      The story was entertaining, had just the right amount of creepiness, and I enjoyed it. A couple of small problems should have been caught by the editor: "dinna" and "canna" are Scottish, not Irish (hence Scotty on Star Trek), and "Molls" might be Mollie's nickname—were the children upper-class English.I have difficulty with the family's and hair and eye colors, and those of Mollie and her brother, turning from their original "healthy" hues of red, auburn (hair) and blue (eyes) to black. This isn't solely on Mr. Auxier; it's a trope found in a lot of books. Fortunately, the author doesn't rely on those descriptors; his more creative details are great.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      "Once upon a time......." Just phenomenal. Loved this gothic tale.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Irish orphans Molly and Kip make their way to a creepy house while looking for work in England after their devastating trip from Ireland during the infamous Potato Famine. However, they soon learn that the house is plagued by a haunting tree and a ghost who visits every evening. Soon Molly finds the answer to her suspicious investigations of the locked room upstairs, the magical tree who grants your one hearts desire. But it comes with a price. Once Molly and her brother discover the Night Gardener is digging each family members' graves they make a plan to rescue them all. I loved this book. It felt more YA because of the 300+ pages and the emotion with the orphan siblings and winding plot that continues to build throughout the book. The ending was great and, though I don't usually like open endings, felt this one applied very well. The characters were just amazing and loved each of their depth and growth throughout the book.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I chose this book mainly because it had two Irish orphans as the main characters, but the story turned out to be well worth the read. The cover does a great job conveying the creepiness of the story. Molly and Kip get a job as servants at an old manor home, but there's something very wrong about the house. The family, who have fallen on hard financial times, are inexplicably losing the color in their faces and hair, and are tortured with disturbing nightmares. Molly and Kip discover that the source of their illness is from a frightening figure who comes out at night and tends to the enormous tree that is growing right outside and even into the house. They, too, are in danger of falling under the unrelenting grip of the tree. The characters are well fleshed out and the story is creepy but also touching.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      The Night Gardener was a great book. But I felt a little overwhelmed with all the details flying at me. Make sure you listen to every part.If you not paying attention go back. In conclusion, I loved this book. Make sure that you choose a favorite character!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      This is a Victorian style ghost story for kids. It takes place in a creepy mansion in England where two Irish orphans seek shelter with a young family and are drawn into the fantastical drama.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      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 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.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      Scary story about two orphans who end up working for a family who live in almost isolation. The family members seem to be losing some of their vitality, and Molly and Kip eventually figure out that it is due to the actions of the night gardner who is giving the family members bad dreams, collecting their sweat and tears and using that liquid to nourish a giant tree that grows on the property of the family. Interesting idea... has a folk tale feel to it.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Children's middlegrade fiction (scary adventure). Reviewed from uncorrected ARC. I'd love to see kids reading this instead of goosebumps, but probably few would pick it up because of its length (perhaps if you give them a taste with a little reading aloud). There are definitely scary bits, and violent deaths that happen out of sight, so I think the middlegrade distinction is appropriate.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      This book was recommended by World Magazine as a "Children's Book". While I really liked it and all of the aspects of "good and evil" and "be careful what you wish for", I did have a hard time with putting it in the Children's section. More YA Thank You. It was just too spooky for my younger ones so will probably put in the high school even though the children in it are younger.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      "A story helps folks face the world, even when it frightens 'em. And a lie does the opposite. It helps you hide."

      A delightfully spooky Victorian tale of resourceful and brave young siblings working as servants at a crumbling family manor whose occupants seem to be wasting away.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier introduces the reader to a scary, thrilling story.Molly and Kip are without parents and have accepted jobs at a house that no one else will even give them directions to because it's got such a bad reputation. Because they are starving and desperately need food and shelter, they insist on finding this house. Upon arrival, they find an unhappy family. Mr. Windsor is in debt; Mrs. Windsor misses living in town and misses who her husband once was as a person; Penny just wants to play, but her brother, Alistair, is a bully. Molly sets immediately to cleaning the house and setting the messy house in order. Everything seems fine until nighttime.At night, the Night Man appears and everyone has nightmares all night long. During the day, the inhabitants of the house appear ill. Kip refuses to sleep in the house and seems to be the only one not affected. Molly begins to be suspicious as she hears footsteps every night. In the morning, she must clean up leaves and muddy footprints even though she locks the door before going to bed. Another strange thing about the house is there is a locked room that Mr. and Mrs. Windsor are keeping secret. There is a dark and evil presence to the house that Molly and Kip quickly discover. Escape may be impossible.This is a well-done scary story. I finished this at night and sleeping was a little difficult, so you might not want to read before you go to bed!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      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.
    • 5/5
      The Night Gardener had a strong female protagonist who often questioned herself, particularly in what she told her younger brother. They find themselves in a nightmare, without their parents to guide them, they have to figure out how to survive and help others to survive.
    • 4/5
      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 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.)
    • 5/5
      A really fine example of gothic fiction for kids -- creepy old house with strange things going on in the night, and two courageous children who stand up to evil and put everything right in the end. And a unique fantasy concept to go along with it. Exciting and well written. I was not such a fan of Auxier's first book," Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes", but this one is a real stand out. Now I'm looking forward to seeing what he'll come up with next.
    • 4/5
      Molly and Kip are orphan siblings, looking for work in midieval England. Crossing paths with a scary old storyteller, they end up at a crumbling mansion in the middle of woods that all stay clear of. They work there as servants and discover a horrible secret tied in with an enchanted tree that grants wishes.Themes include truth and loyalty. A good, creepy story, this will hook 4th -7th graders easily.
    • 4/5
      Molly and Kip need work and a place to live. They are on their own and get a job at a crumbling English manner house. They quickly get the picture that something strange is going on when they find muddy footprints in the morning and a spooky man in a top hat wandering at night. Then they notice how different the family looks then their portrait, more sickly. A green door which is always locked seems to hold the key to whatever is happening. There is a connection between the gardener, the tree that seems to be growing into the house, and the greedy, sickly way the family is behaving. It seems your true wish can come true at the cost of just a drop of your soul. Is it worth it? Molly and Kip have to figure out the problem and save everyone before it is too late.
    • 4/5
      It was pretty good and I think you should try it but it’s a little different Peter nimble.
    • 5/5
      Superb storytelling! A completely engrossing, delightfully creepy tale.
    • 4/5
      This book may seem boring at first but beware it is awesome!To summarize this book, it is about a brother and sister who lose their parents and travel to the Windsor Manor. This house is not what it seems. It seems like it is a big house with no excitement in it but there is a mysterious door at the top of the stairs and a strange spirit that comes by every night. Find out what the family's strange secret is by reading this book! I recommend it. I liked it because it is full of mystery and stories inside of stories.
    • 5/5
      I love this book. I looooove this book. You know those kids books that you start reading and you're like, 'wow, this would absolutely not be okay for a child to read,'. Yeah. That's this book.Molly and Kip are two siblings; Molly is older, and Kip is younger, with a permanent limp. They've escaped out of Ireland during the Great Famine only to be starving on England's shores. To offset this, Molly tells stories. She tells stories to get them jobs, food, things - she just tries to keep them alive. Their latest job is in a great home in the middle of the forest. The Windsor home is creepy, to say the least. The giant tree and the home are basically connected and from the first descriptions about the tree, you know some creepy stuff is gonna go down here. After convincing the mistress of the house to keep Molly and Kip on, they get to work. But it's pretty much as creepy as you'd expect and things very quickly start to go wrong.They are all haunted by nightmares. There are footprints in the morning throughout the house where there weren't footprints the previous night. There is a door, padlocked, that no one is allowed into. The book continues in its vein of psychological horror until the middle/end where it kind of snaps into the open. Another review said it stopped short of being scary for them; I disagree, for me, the moment when they actually realize what the tree is doing and how long its been doing it are the creepiest scariest moments in the entire book. That sense of realization and dread is finally brought to a head and it still gives me goosebumps.I think the story dropped a little in pace throughout, so not five stars. But honestly, while predictable (a little) it was a good old fashion horror story that kept me reading.