A Wrinkle in Time, Madeline L’Engle (Canon book group)

I first read this book back in 1978 or9, when I’d received it for Christmas. When our Canon book group chose this for our December read (because who wants to read something too complicated during such a busy month?), I came to find that my original copy could not be found. There’s a slim chance that there’s a box of unpacked books hiding somewhere, but I knew I couldn’t count on that. So, I picked up a copy from my local library and took a few hours to read it.

I know that most people treat this as a purely science fiction work, but I found many elements of fantasy throughout: the 3 entities who come across very witch-like, Meg’s coming-of-age choice at the end, the “waking” of Meg’s father, and so on. Of course, the scientific and religious elements were very important, but it was the “fairy tale” that stood out for me (and don’t forget the romance between Meg and Calvin).

I’m pretty certain I didn’t pick up on this when I first read Wrinkle, but L’Engle certainly referenced quite a few notable authors within the story; I can’t help but wonder if she was purposefully introducing these to young readers before the current education system ruined Einstein, Shakespeare and Euclid for them. I do wish that the slang weren’t so outdated.

Noteworthy quotes:

“There hasn’t been anybody, anybody, in the world I could talk to. Sure, I could function on the same level as everybody else, I can hold myself down, but it isn’t me.”

“The only way to cope with something deadly serious is to try to treat it a little lightly.”

“... we can’t take credit for our talents. It’s how we use them that counts.”

“There will no longer be so many pleasant things to look at if responsible people do not do something about the unpleasant ones.”

“You’re given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. What you say is completely up to you.”

[finished 12/16/07]

#37--The Vile Village, by Lemony Snicket (narrated by Tim Curry)

This series has been out for a while, and the last book has been published (with nothing like the fanfare of the "last" Potter), but my introduction to the story was via the movie. Being a good little OCD reader, I began listening to each installment on cassette tapes--they're short compared to my normal fare--so I can usually finish them in less than a week.

So, here I am at the seventh book, not surprised at all at the latest way in which the life of the Baudelaire siblings sucks rocks. The foster asssignment brings them to V.F.D., where they find their dream home but are surrounded by nightmarish circumstances. This wouldn't be a Snicket book without an appearance from the nefarious Count Olaf, and his meddling is in fine form. This is one book I do not want to see onscreen because of his costuming. Serious. Blind. Alert. Trust me.

I'll return this to the library tomorrow, pick up Hostile Hospital, and continue on with the so-bad-it's-good tale. Snicket does a really nice job of luring the reader along to the next... series of unfortunate events (talk about the master of understatement). Also compelling is the "author's" backstory, and I hope he's included a little more of that in the remaining titles--I like me some subplot :D