A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L’Engle
I’m sorry. I don’t get it. I think I might’ve loved it if I read it at a formative age, but the basic concepts of fighting a great evil (and even some of the relationships between characters) reminded me mostly of The Dark is Rising, which I’m afraid has first place in my heart. I didn’t get the sense of wonder and fascination that I think it could’ve invoked, encountered at the right time, and I just felt rather impatient with the protagonists.
I’m not sure if I’ll read the other books or not – I know that if I’d gone on Over Sea, Under Stone alone, I’d never have finished Susan Cooper’s series. On the other hand, I just don’t enjoy the half fantastical, half scientific backdrop, and part of the reason I didn’t connect with the characters was because I couldn’t pin them down – one minute they seem painfully young and naïve, and the next I seem to be expected to root for a romance between them.
Really, it reminds me of so many other books — The Wizard of Oz, The Railway Children, The Dark is Rising, Little Women… It never quite became its own story for me.
The whole Christian allegory thing annoyed me.
That too, it wasn’t remotely subtle (and nor did it have the magic I find in Narnia, though that’s partly because I encountered Narnia when young and impressionable, no doubt).
Narnia just annoys me these days, too. Give me some Earthsea…
Aww no I’m so sad! This one really hit home for me but I did read it as a child and I feel like often times when I read children classics when I’m older it’s hit or miss. Glad you liked The Dark is Rising though!
I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if I had read it at the “right” age. Or maybe just in a different mood!
Oh no sad times!! I really adored this book when I read it aged about 9 though to be fair maybe my opinions would be different now. Certainly, I found the Christian allegory warm and comforting although now I would definitely be more skeptical haha. All I remember now is being so chilled by it all… especially the terrifying scene with all the identical ladies in houses and identical boys bouncing identical balls… I think my mind was a bit blown by the sci fi. Also it’s by a Madeleine sooooo…
You know I actually had the complete opposite experience, that I really prefer this to the Dark is Rising! I’m interested, why did it remind you of Little Women?
I think if I’d read it when I was younger, I might have been more inclined to like it? Partly I felt like it wasn’t aimed at me, I think.
Re: Little Women — the kids’ relationship with the mother.