You'll enjoy the story, but you'll want to do some soul-searching afterwards.
Plot
A little garden of her own. That is all that young Lovejoy wants, and with the help of Tip--the surprisingly gentle leader of a rough group of boys--she searches for a way to fulfill her dream. Lovejoy will have her garden, no matter what it takes.
Morality
Lovejoy and Tip steal several times, but that's shown to be wrong. Good and evil are blurred only occasionally. In chapter 15 there is a beautiful exposition of the relationship--not necessarily sexual--between a man and a woman.
Spiritual Content
The author seems to be coming from a Catholic worldview. After Lovejoy steals money from the church, she can't face the statue of Mary. Tip has a "spiritual" conversation with Lovejoy, but his religious ideas are confused.
Violence
There's a scuffle towards the end of the book, but it isn't graphically described.
Drug and Alcohol Content
Wine is drunk in a fashionable setting.
Sexual Content
One of the characters hints at the sexual activity of Lovejoy's mother.
Crude or Profane Language or Content
None.
Conclusion
This is a sweet and sympathetic view of the life of London street children in the 1950s. It successfully avoids both sentimentality and harshness--and is powerful in a simple way.
This review is brought to you by Lady Meriwen.
