A Wrinkle in Time (Time Quintet, #1)

by Madeleine L'Engle

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

Of all the books I've read across my twenty-eight years, the opening of A Wrinkle in Time is still among my favorites.  An old, dusty attic.  A howling windstorm outside.  A girl lying in bed, listening to the weather, terrified.  And angry that she is so afraid.

This is Meg Murray, one of the original YA heroines.

I want to try a bit of a different review style with this book.  One of my goals this year is to improve my reviews so they flow better.  I'm going to try a bulleted review... let me know if this reads better than my usual reviews!

1.  I really enjoy the main character in this one.  Meg is delightfully flawed in a world of heroines with no faults beyond their own stubbornness (which always turns out to be a strength in the end).  She is relatable even 50+ years after she was first written and it's lovely.

2.  The combination of the three children that really make this book delightful.  Calvin, Charles Wallace, and Meg have an amazing rapport.  They support one another and urge each other to be the best version of themselves.  There need to be more supportive siblings and friends like this in YA and Children's Lit.

3.  When I first read this book as a youngling, I desperately wanted to visit Uriel, and to meet Aunt Beast.  As an adult, I can appreciate the astonishing world-building.  A Wrinkle in Time takes place across five planets, and each of them are stunning and unique.  It's the sort of thing that makes the reader consider the possibilities of a greater universe and the Star Trek fan in me is delighted.

4.  Unfortunately, as with anything written so long ago, parts of it can feel a bit dated.  While Meg and everything off-Earth is delightful, there are definitely aspects of family dynamics and social perceptions that are not acceptable in our modern world.  These things aren't offensive, not quite, but they do make you pause and that's worth mentioning.

5.  I do want to talk a bit about Camazotz because... talk about a creepy dystopian world.  The synchronicity of its people and the heavily enforced regulations scream cruel dictatorship at every turn.  Then, of course, there is IT, which is a force of IT's own.  As a villain, IT and the Darkness are fascinating and intangible.  L'Engle has chosen *evil* as a concept as her villain, and even though this is a children's book, the shadow over the world are a bit chilling.

6.  I found myself having to focus hard while I read this, not because it was boring, but because the pacing is so fast.  It's the one fault that bothers me most - there is time for explaining scientific concepts, but not to really drink in the worlds.  I feel somewhat cheated of the experience.

7.  The science is fascinating and flawless.  A Wrinkle in Time presents its ideas in the same vein as classics by Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.  The explanation of tessering is perfect, both as a curious child and a critical adult.  It's so important that a science fiction novel is upheld by science... and this one is.  Yes!

8.  I have the commemorative edition from 1997.  I've had it for as long as I can remember.  I love this cover.  It suits the story perfectly.

I do believe that this book is subjective - while I like it a lot, I can see how others would not enjoy it.  It's a bit odd at times, and like I said, dated in some ways.  But the worlds and the underlying story are wonderful.  And, really?  Meg Murray may be the original Kickass YA Heroine.  I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys whimsy and philosophy of good verses evil, and anyone who is planning to see the movie in March.