I'm Cori! Christian. Editor. Reader. Book blogger. Sewist. Crafter. Traveler. Cyclist. Intermediate ninja.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Read: for July book club (Square Fish, 224 pages)
Rating: 7 out of 10 (finished 7/4/10)
Synopsis: Meg’s father, an eminent physicist, has been missing for two years. One night a strange old woman, Mrs. Whatsit, appears, “blown off course” while she, along with Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which, was tessering, or taking a shorcut through time and space. They take Meg, her little brother Charles Wallace, and their new friend Calvin, to rescue Dr. Murray, who is a prisoner on a planet ruled by IT, a giant pulsating brain that controls the minds of everyone on the planet. Charles Wallace also falls under IT’s control, and when Meg finds her father, she discovers that he is not the invincible protector she thought he was. She must not only come to terms with this realization, but find a way to rescue them both.
Overall Impression: Pretty much all of my friends were shocked to learn that I had never read this classic. Apparently it was required reading for pretty much everyone in grade school. But it’s been up there on my Should Have Read shelf collecting dust, along with The Lord of the Flies and pretty much everything by Steinbeck (or, The Guy Who Writes About Dust). When Hannah suggested it for book club as one of her favorite books of all time, I was happy to read it. I actually had no idea what the book was about — I was surprised by the science fiction of it all. It felt sort of Narnian, with a much stronger science fiction element instead of a fantasy element. I had to keep reminding myself of the reading level and the some of the…obviousness of it all. But once I got past that, I really ended up liking the characters and relating to the awkward Meg and her struggle with being different. Overall it’s a really powerful story that tells of the despair in conformity, the darkness of ignorance, and overall, the power of love, family, and friendship.
Pros: Wonderful characters and a good “moral” for all readers.
Cons: There were Christian elements sprinkled here and there, but they were sort of haphazard and some of them felt forced. I wish their inclusion was more seamless.
Other books I’ve read by Madeleine L’Engle: none
Other blogger reviews: Page Turners, Vishy, and Devourer of Books
