At the start of the book, Tom's brother falls ill with measles. To prevent Tom from contracting the illness, his parents decide to send him to live with his aunt and uncle in their small city apartment. This marks a significant shift for Tom, who is accustomed to spending long hours in the garden of his family's spacious home. Unfortunately, his aunt and uncle do not have a garden; in fact, there isn't even a yard. Several scenes unfold within the apartment or elsewhere in the large old house that has been divided into smaller apartments. However, most of the storyline revolves around a mysterious garden that emerges after nightfall. Tom discovers that this elusive garden actually existed around fifty years ago, but it has since been paved over and is now used to store garbage cans.

Tom's Midnight Garden is an exceptional piece of literature. The engaging style shifts from poetic nuances to everyday dialogue. The garden is described with such vivid detail that it comes to life, and the author's meticulous attention to detail allows her to depict objects like the old grandfather clock with striking immediacy. As a symbol, the clock's inconsistent behavior reflects both the precision of timekeeping and the fleeting nature of time. It is fitting that Mrs. Bartholomew, who bridges the past and present, is the one responsible for winding the clock.

The garden, with its strong references to the purity and perfection of the biblical Garden of Eden, adds a mythic layer to the tale. When a tree in the garden is struck by lightning and falls, it represents both the destructive power of time and humanity's fall from divine grace and innocence. The gardener, named Abel, reinforces the biblical undertones of the setting.

A subtle feature of the novel is the gradual shift in prose style from the start to the finish. The final chapters demonstrate greater control and maturity in both content and linguistic rhythm. This evolution in style mirrors Tom's growth throughout the story. There are moments in the garden when time appears to stand still, yet Tom continues to grow in his understanding.

Pearce expresses a sincere concern about the detrimental effects of class consciousness. Hatty's aunt exemplifies this attitude; she sees her niece as a charity case and warns her sons against marrying her. Her snobbery extends to the gardener, whom she dismissively considers "as stupid as a cow in a meadow." While Abel and the cows can perceive Tom when he visits the garden in the past, the aunt is too insensitive to notice his presence.

Pearce also highlights the harmful societal changes like urbanization and the threat of increasing pollution. The contrast between the dirty pavement cluttered with dustbins and the once-idyllic garden serves as a vivid illustration. Tom's Aunt Gwen attributes this transformation to the rise in the number of factories.

Pearce explores prejudice alongside her theme of youth and age. The residents of Mrs. Bartholomew's house, including Tom's aunt and uncle, harbor biases against her, assuming she is inherently disagreeable due to her age. When it is revealed that she is actually Hatty in her old age, readers understand how severely she has been misjudged. Ironically, the elderly woman forms a much closer bond with Tom than his own relatives do.

Phillipa Pearce's debut novel for young adults, Minnow on the Say, is, on one level, an exceptional mystery tale. Yet, it also vividly captures a boy's experiences in an East Anglican village. The two boys, Adam and David, are portrayed convincingly, and their quest for treasure is both thrilling and challenging. The ever-present...