1. In the initial chapter, Tom appears moody, self-centered, and even impolite. What makes readers feel compassion for him?

2. What meaning does Tom attach to the grandfather clock striking a thirteenth hour?

3. Why is Abel worried about potential trouble for Hatty when Tom assists her in making the bow and arrows?

4. What is Abel's perspective on Tom? How does his religious zeal influence this viewpoint?

5. How does Tom come to terms with the perplexing question of whether he or Hatty is the ghost?

6. Hatty shares a fictional story with Tom about being a captive princess. How does she, as Tom puts it, manage to turn "this garden into a kind of kingdom" in reality?

7. Tom confides in his brother Peter about the garden and Hatty, yet he never shares his experiences with his aunt and uncle, not even at the book's conclusion when he returns home. Why does he keep this information from them?

8. Why does Uncle Alan become so agitated when Tom mentions the angel from Revelation in the context of time theories? How does this incident highlight the fundamental differences between Tom and his uncle?

9. How is it feasible for Peter to enter one of the dreams that Tom and Hatty share?

10. Does the ending come unexpectedly, or should an observant reader anticipate it? Is the conclusion fulfilling?