This is a thing of beauty. Magic.

The comparison of Colin’s Magic and the gypsy’s Magic! Perfect. I don’t know if it was your intention but I got the impression that the former one stood for childhood and innocence, while the latter stood for everything tumultuous that came after.

So far, this is the best Colin characterization I’ve ever read. I’m very possibly in love with your grown-up version of him:
‘ "I'm still the same Colin," he tells her when she ignores him throughout supper. "Your Colin."
It's hard to believe that until he takes off his uniform and dares her to a race, to see who can run fastest to the Secret Garden.” ’
I adore that mental image so much! Thank you for it!

‘ “Dickon would look up at the sky, tap Soot's beak, and smiling play for adoring Mary at his feet. Colin plays for no one but himself and his eyes as they look out are unseeing.” ’
YES. So, so like Colin.

‘ "That wasn't too nice," Mary tells him.
“It wasn't meant to be," he replies.’
Ouch. The end of innocence indeed.

And *sob* those last lines regarding Colin pretty much crushed my heart. The little flashes forward to how the war would transform him—very cruel contrast to the spirited young man he grew up to be.

I *love* your take on Dickon not enlisting. Everyone else writes him as a future soldier, but it makes *sense* for him to opt out of it. I think he is someone who loves life so much, the idea of war would be incomprehensible for him. And it makes complete sense for Mary to resent him for it, even if it isn’t really his fault—he’s right. It isn’t for the likes of someone like him, and I can respect him for that..

Anyway. If you couldn’t tell yet, I LOVE it. I only wish it were happier. I am adding it to my favorites.

I kind of love it. There's so much sorrow. Good job. :)

You made me want to read the book over and over again. I love your phrases, not only in this story, but in your others as well, like "like an exquisite violin sonata" or "eyes lumnious with their own fire". It was happy and sad the same time.

I really can't get enough of your stories.

I liked this very much! Your writing was almost poetic. I loved the little turns of phrase like "prims up her lips" and "eyes of molten fire." I like the part about the different kinds of Magic. And "indecently bared ankles" made me smile. Oh how times have changed. I also love your positive portrayal of Colin - I don't know if you've looked around the other Secret Garden fanfictions, but if you haven't then let me tell you some authors have done horrible things to him! He's probably my favorite character in the Secret Garden so it's nice to see him portrayed in a positive light.

It's been a while since I last read Secret Garden... your fanfic makes me want to go find my copy again. I like how you've managed to show clips of the future in between the shots of events occurring in present time. It's the happy and the sad, all mixed together like in the poem, with "fiery rain" and "icy fire". The moods swing so much, taking us through a rollercoaster of emotions, and we get to see just how much our characters mature through their young lives.

Very good work. (as usual)