A Wrinkle in Time

[Kiran]

This is a topic for discussing A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, and Many Waters.

 

Personally, I think they're awesome. I haven't read Many Waters yet, but I've read the first three and loved them. They seemed really deep and wise, but had a good plot to. They're a little bit confusing, but if an eleven year-old can understand them, I think you can to. If you haven't read them, I strongly recommend them.

 

Thoughts?

Edited November 29, 2011 by Backup77

[PlutoIsHades]

I read the beginning of A Wrinkle in Time, but I didn't really like it.

[Babylon2260]

I remember reading A Wrinkle in Time when I was about that age! My mom had warned me ahead of time that it was a bizarre book, and it was, but it was the kind of bizarre that I like reading from time to time.

 

I read A Swiftly Tilting Planet next, and I think that was my favorite one (I know it's the third book in the series, but I didn't know at the time). A Wind in the Door was the last book picked up, but I didn't think it was as good as the previous two I had read.

 

I've been meaning to read Many Waters, but I haven't had the time to. I've also heard some good things about Madeleine L'Engle's other books, particularly A Ring of Endless Light, but I haven't read them yet.

 

(As you can see, I'm a bit behind. lol)

[tyto_alba]

I read A Wrinkle In Time twice when I was in the sixth grade. Once on my own, and once with my class. I loved it.

 

I haven't read any of the other books in the quartet, though.

[Foxpaw]

I read Wrinkle in Time when I was... hm, maybe 9 or 10. A little bit of the physics went over my head, but I enjoyed it a lot, enough that I ended up with the rest of the Time Quartet. I can re-read it now and understand more of it, fortunately. But I don't think an understanding of all the physics mentioned in the book is needed to enjoy it. That's part of the mystery.

 

I'm with Babylon2260. I think Swiftly Tilting Planet is my favorite (I was so fond of Gaudior). Wrinkle and Wind In The Door are tied, I think. I haven't read STP or WITD for a while, I'll have to go back and re-read them now. Nothing like 10 years of perspective.

 

I've read Many Waters. It's... certainly an interesting read. Wasn't my favorite of the quartet, but it's still very well written. A little sad. It feels a little different than the other three, though it still has a kind of time travel like the first three.

 

Oh! A Ring Of Endless Light was amazing (though I can't ever stop picturing one of the characters as a young Sam from Supernatural since I saw the movie once, tyvm Jared Padalecki. ). I don't own that book, sadly. I have the one after that, though - Troubling A Star. Not bad, if you liked the characters from Ring Of Endless Light.

[miladyz]

I haven't read them yet, but I feel like the poll option is kind of biased because people who haven't read them yet might not necessarily want to.

 

I might read them at some point though.

[Kiran]

I haven't read them yet, but I feel like the poll option is kind of biased because people who haven't read them yet might not necessarily want to.

 

I might read them at some point though.

Oops! Sorry, I forgot about adding an option like that.

 

I own the first three books in the series, and in my opinion A Wind in the Door was the best. I really liked the idea that the balance of the universe could be affected by the death of one little boy, as you should be able to see from my signature . I also liked the concept of farendolae (spelling?).

 

After A Wind in the Door, my favorite was A Wrinkle in Time. I haven't read it for awhile, but I will again once everyone that I've promised to lend it to has finished . A Swiftly Tilting Planet was also good, although all of the similar names were a bit confusing.

 

I haven't read any other books by Madeleine L'Engle, but I might soon. Unfortunately, I'm not to interested in Many Waters, simply because Charles Wallace isn't in it (He's one of my favorite characters. Well... they're all good characters, actually.)

 

[Foxpaw]

I am always amazed, no matter how many times I read them, how much things are connected. Like you said, she takes these million pieces, things that seem to have no relation whatsoever, and ties them up in a way that just makes sense. Gaudior connects a boy a thousand years ago with Charles, the Cherubim (What was his name, in Wind in the Door? I can't remember) fights evil on the tiniest scale in order to cause change on the largest scale (thus allowing Charles to be around for the events of Swiftly Tilting Planet), Wrinkle connects things billions of light years away (and time) to what's going on here on Earth... how long did Madeline L'Engle take to work out these connections? The books always find a new way to blow my mind.

 

Though I don't think I'll ever totally understand the idea of a tesseract. Too advanced for me.

 

Many Waters was not my favorite just because, I agree, I liked Charles Wallace. But I guess other characters need some time in the limelight too. At least Charles, arguably, got two of the four in the series (The first, though it had Charles, seemed more about Meg). -waves hands- I didn't like it enough to keep it with my other copies of her books, so I haven't read it in forever. I usually skip it when rereading but it's fun to read at least once.

 

And I'd recommend at least A Ring Of Endless Light if you're going to read one of her other books outside the Time Quartet. Then again, maybe I'm just biased because I like dolphins...

[Ultor]

I've read three of the books (A Wrinkle in Time, a Swiftly Tilting Planet, and a Wind in the Door), and while I like them-- the author has to be amazing to write something like these--they're just not quite what I like to read.

[savanna01]

I've heard it's a really good read. I, however, was only able to pick it up briefly and read the first few pages before I found myself steadily growing bored. I just couldn't finish the first chapter. I never did finish it, and that was almost three years ago! Should I try reading it again? :/

[Herk]

I just bought a set of the 5 books and read them and while I loved the first one I think the rest were just OK with book 5 and Polly being my second favourite one.

 

I think the author misses the opportunity to show any kind of development of the characters as the things that happened in the other books are hardly ever referred to. This is especially clear with the book about the twins, which was written as the 4th but takes place before the 3rd. The twins disbelieve/disinterest in book 3 is a bit hard to believe if you know they've been with Noah.

 

Yeah-yeah I know, children's book. Still if she wants to make it a series she should make it a series otherwise she could tell us stories about other children of other families.

 

I'm also a bit worried about the whole mega-religiousness (which is fine when she wrote it in the late 60's but seems a bit weird in the books from the 80's) and ultra-conservative tone (change =bad/evil). I think fantasy books should be about the story and not about shoving the author's values down the reader's throat. But I had that same problem with Phil Pullman's books.

 

So all in all OK but far from my favourites.

[funnygirl98]

My Mum bought me A wrinkle in Time for a book report next year so as soon as I'm done with the book I'm currently reading I'll probably pick up the series.

[Kanaye]

The only book I liked in the series was Many Waters but that was mostly because there were two hot, half naked teenage boys wandering around. How could I not like it. *laughs at her teenage self*

 

I don't know if I'd enjoy that one as much as I used to. I haven't read it in many years, though its still in my book stash.

[OceanSecrets]

I only read A Wrinkle in Time, I didn't even realize there were more. I read it several years ago, so maybe I used to know and forgot? Not sure. I've also read A Ring of Endless Light. And I just now realized that they are by the same author. (Pathetic, I know. Names are not my strong point, including author's names.)

I don't really remember A Wrinkle in Time, very well, (read A Ring of Endless Light much more recently), but it seems to me that her books were a little scattered and confusing. Like there wasn't much plot and not a satisfying conclusion. Did anyone else think that way, or something similar?

 

Her books have cool sounding titles, but they conjure up feelings of annoyance when I hear them. (I feel kinda bad, 'cause it seems my opinion against them is a little abstract, without a firm reason.)

[Terahlyanwe]

I've only read the first book, but really enjoyed it. Can't seem to get my hands on the rest of the series.

[DarkVioletCloud]

I read A Wrinkle in Time in 5th grade, which was like a year or two ago. It was really good, but kinda confusing. The fact that I had to read it with the rest of my class really helped, as I would've stopped on the 2nd chapter and face-tabled. (Face falls on a table... Like facepalming... but more painful.)

 

I think that a lot of people have read at least the first book. I actually mentioned this the other day to my mom. I think that because A Wrinkle in Time has a sort of meaning that whatever and such that people are required to read it in school. Forgot the meaning.

Edited April 22, 2012 by DarkVioletCloud

[Rallis]

I remember reading A Wrinkle in Time when I was in third grade (about seven years ago). It was confusing at first, but then got really good. I hadn't even noticed there were other books until last year and now I can't even find them.

[SkyraTwilight812]

We have "A Wrinkle in Time" on audio, and since the narnia series is the only other thing we have on audio and i've heard all the books too many times for it to be very interesting, I pretty much have the first book memorized. The second book we also have on audio, but i always get bored a few chapters into it, so i've never actually managed to get to the ending.