I read this when I was in fifth or sixth grade and I loved it. Re-reading it as an adult, I realized there was no way my eleven-or-twelve-year-old brain could have fully appreciated this masterpiece. After all, I am no Charles Wallace. Sure, the book has fantasy elements like travel through time and space, magical beings, and other worlds, but this is so much more than a children's hero tale. This is a beautiful book about love, good over evil, being different, and what happens when we realize our parents aren't perfect and we have to grow up and do things for ourselves.

Supposedly this is an award-winning children's book. It's considered a classic. And since I'd never read it, and it had all of those wonderful things going for it, I selected it for our next lunchtime read.

And I. Hated. This. Book.

The story is about three children. The first is Meg, who is a cranky, bitchy, rebellious, horrible middle school girl. She spends the entire book demanding attention, throwing temper tantrums, and clinging to people. She's supposed to be mildly 'gifted', but we never see ANYTHING more of that in the book, so it's just ridiculous. There's not one good thing about this child, and I hated her.

Then there's her little brother Charles Wallace, who is four or five years old but acts 38. It's WRONG. He's got some sort of brainy superpower that is never fully revealed to the reader, we're just supposed to believe he's 'special' and that when he's concentrating, something is happening (that never manifests to the reader). It's just STUPID.

And last there's Calvin, who just kind of shows up out of the blue several chapters into the book, and is the only actually gifted person in the bunch - but all he can do is be more eloquent than the siblings. So much for THAT gift. He's supposedly vaguely acquainted with Meg from school (he's a few years ahead of her), and based on that, they can hug and hold hands and we're supposed to think the blossomless 'relationship' between them is natural. It is NOT - it's too pat, too quick, and makes no sense, based on her 'ugliness' and crabbiness, alone.

If that weren't enough, the gov't sends the sibling's father into time/space and the family is left for two years to think he just disappeared on a business trip. The gov't would have a better story than that, hello. Just *SHODDY* writing.

The kids meet three 'women' (who are actually stars, or angels, or... we're never sure). They can go to any planet but they can't help the children in situations the author decides are taboo for no reason. They can give gifts, but they can't tell you what you need to do, or give advice, and they can barely even talk... It's just... WRONG! The whole book was a mess. It made no sense. It was preposterous and illogical and no amount of shoddily thrown in verses is going to change that.

When we finally ((FINALLY)) get to the crux of the plot, we find out that there's a disembodied brain trying to destroy planets with 'darkness' and 'evil' (both vaguely referenced as 'cold' and 'horrible'), and that to defeat it, all you need is LUVVVV. You're KIDDING. All of that slop just to get to THAT?!

Read something else. ANYTHING else. It was horrible.

This is a beautifully told story that is basically about love. Important messages about family, friendship, being different, and standing up for what's right. Sci-fi for kids. It says 12 & up but most 9 to 11 year olds enjoy it also. L'Engle introduces concepts from science, philosophy, music, etc., with great imagination. And it's been one of my favorite books since I was 9 and my 4th grade teacher read it to the class. Then my 5th grade teacher read it to us. And then I bought the book for myself, and I still have that copy. I'm always surprised when people are not as enthusiastic as I am about this book. I always cry with emotion at exactly the same place near the end of the book...won't give anything away here. I reread this one every few years and it's a special experience each time.

Oh, and I so love the original book cover art that's on the book I own. Leaves all to the imagination unlike the various newer covers.

n  

"Sweet dreams are made of this
Who am I to disagree?
I travel the world
And the seven seas,
Everybody's looking for something."

Eurythmics

n

n  n

You have plenty of time to put this book in your reading queue before the movie release in March of 2018 starring Chris Pine and Reese Witherspoon. Create some synergy by reading the book and then watching the movie.

Check out the trailer.

A Wrinkle in Time 2018 Movie Trailer

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So... this story actually begins with "It was a dark and stormy night". Awesome!

I love everything about this book ─ I love that the dialogue is old-fashioned, having been written in 1960 by a woman who was born in 1918; I love that biblical scripture was woven seamlessly throughout a story that relied upon quantum mechanics as it relates to time travel; I love that it deals with good versus evil and explains it as light versus dark in a simplistic fashion that makes it clear to children; I love the quirky characters; and, finally, I love the Murry's struggle against conformity. In an unrelated comment, it made me want to name a child after Charles Wallace, Meg's five-year-old child prodigy genius little brother ─ his comments on everything were precious. ;)



I also appreciated the pearls of wisdom that were dropped here and there...

n  "Though we travel together, we travel alone."n

n  "But, of course, we can't take any credit for our talents, it's how we use them that counts."n

n  "There will no longer be so many pleasant things to look at if responsible people do not do tsomething about the unpleasant ones."n

n  "Sometimes we can't know what spiritual damage it [evil] leaves even when physical recovery tis complete."n

There is a reason this book received a Newbery Medal, Sequoyah Book Award and Lewis Carroll Shelf Award. It's that good.

This is the fifth time I've read A Wrinkle in Time.

But I never actually enjoyed it that much. The first time I read it, I liked it but I also found it kind of annoying. I reread it once to see if I could understand it better, and then I reread it out of boredom (and because I was actually starting to like it). Literally the week after I read it the third time, my sixth-grade teacher told us that we were going to read it for English.

Which made me even more annoying during book discussions because I knew everything.

I haven't read it since then, so it gives me nostalgia going back to read this story. Even though I didn't even read it at that young an age (maybe fourth or fifth grade when I read it the first time). It's been three years and I honestly still don't understand Mrs. Who.

But that's the point of this kind of book. This and The Phantom Tollbooth formed an important part of my reading basis in elementary school. The kind of books that make you think.

"I see!" she cried. "I got it! For just a moment I got it! I can't possibly explain it now, but there for a second I saw it!"

Four years later and not that much wiser (I've lost brain cells), I still get that kind of moment reading this book.

The characters. None of them fit into any specific tropes (although I guess Meg could be labeled the 'outcast' and the twins could be labeled as 'basic') and none of them were my style of character. But I liked them all. Meg got annoying at times, but she's also very relatable.

“Meg, don't you think you'd make a better adjustment to life if you faced facts?"
I do face facts," Meg said. "They're lots easier to face than people, I can tell you.”

Calvin was my favorite because he reminded me of the boy I liked in sixth grade because he was good with his words and he was a really layered character; he appeared to be normal, but when Meg really got to know him, he was so much more than just the athletic boy.

“I don't understand it any more than you do, but one thing I've learned is that you don't have to understand things for them to be.”

I'm going to be honest, the Mrs. W's got on my nerves. They were definitely helpful, but they also felt unnecessary for a lot of the time. Mrs. Which was too strict and serious and boring, Mrs. Who just existed there, and Mrs. Whatsit was annoying.

“Have you ever tried to get to your feet with a sprained dignity?”

No, usually I'm still standing because someone else destroyed it.

The plot was very absorbing. It wasn't predictable the first time I read it, but this being the fifth time I kind of just followed along until the last two chapters. Because I forgot the last two chapters existed. Which is surprising because Chapter Eleven is my favorite.

This was a good, quick book to get me reading a bit faster, because I've been in a slump for a while now. It was only twelve chapters that still got my brain twisted again. I haven't developed since sixth grade.

Meg Murry, nuestra protagonista, tiene problemas para adaptarse en la escuela, es difícil adivinar que sus padres son científicos. Su padre desapareció tiempo atrás en extrañas circunstancias, pero la mamá no ha perdido la esperanza de volver a verlo. Su hermano pequeño, Charles, es un no prodigio; su mente posee una percepción excepcional que le permite más allá de las apariencias. Es esa habilidad la que les permitirá encontrarse con las señoras Qué, Cuál y Quién, y descubrir que detrás de ellas se esconde un increíble secreto, "la arruga en el tiempo" que puede llevarlos a otros mundos. Justo lo necesario para emprender la búsqueda de su padre perdido, ¿no creen? En el espacio exterior no existe el aire, así que respira hondo y prepárate a viajar junto a Meg, Charlie y su amigo Calvin para averiguarlo.
Ese libro es un clásico inclasificable de la literatura juvenil. Me encantó

n  “We look not at the things which are what you would call seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal.”n

If you want to try out a science fiction book, and you're a beginner then I'd recommend this one. Even though this is considered a YA book, I think it's more suited to be a middle grade one. It was well written with a conspicuous plot, but it didn't really leave me wanting for more. It was mediocre. So, that explains the three stars.

n  “Life, with its rules, its obligations, and its freedoms, is like a sonnet: You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself."n

A wrinkle in time is a heartwarming and adventurous story about travel through time and space. Meg and Charles and their classmate Calvin travel through space and time in search of Meg's and Charles's father. Their father is a scientist who was trying to fight an evil shadow that was often seen looming over the Earth's surface. However, his plans failed and he's now held prisoner, on a mysterious planet, by evil forces.

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

The three children with the help of three Celestials, Mrs Which, Mrs Who and Mrs Whatsit fight the evil forces and restore happiness.
I also loved the philosophical aspects of this book.
The author brings out the strengths and weaknesses of every character in a beautiful way. The travel to different planets made me look at earth in a different point of view as I found myself visualizing myself as a Celestial. I loved all the characters for different reasons.

n  “We can't take any credit for our talents. It's how we use them that counts.”n

CHARACTERS

Meg
Meg is determined to save her father, but her anxiousness blinded her from solving other problems that arose.

Charles
Charles is a very clever boy but he let his pride get in the way, and it didn't turn out that well for him.

Calvin O'Keefe
Calvin was kind and helpful when Meg yearned for warmth and affection. He was unwilling to take risks.

They were the perfect trio who were ready to fight anything that got in their way!

Will I continue reading this series?
Yes, I might. The book didn't really end on a cliffhanger so I might pick up the second book after a few days.

n  “Like and equal are not the same thing at all.”n

Meg Murray misses her father. He disappeared years before when her younger brother Charles Wallace was a baby. Meg feels a bit lost. At school she feels left out and stupid. At home she feels left out and stupid. Her older brothers are athletic and smart. Her younger brother is a genius. But she is just Meg. Where does she fit in? Out of everyone, Charles Wallace is the one person who understands her. Then one night Charles Wallace mentions his three strange friends who live in a strange house in the woods -- Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which. The three strangely magical beings will lead the children on a quest to rescue their father and teach them lessons about life, the universe, and love.

When I heard they were making a new movie version of this book, I decided I needed to read it again. I loved this book when I read it as a child. It mirrored a lot of my own feelings about myself. I liked the discussions of poetry, mathematics, the universe, God....plus the strange creatures and worlds they explore. As a child some of the philosophy and insights in the story were over my head. Re-reading this as an adult, I caught more of the wisdom and lessons from this book than I did as a third grader. I never read the rest of the series when I was younger. I'm glad that I now have the entire set and can read the rest of the story.

Now that I've re-read the book I'm waiting patiently for the movie to be released on DVD. I wonder if it follows the book, or deviates substantially? There is a lot of discussion about God in A Wrinkle in Time. I'm curious to see how much might have been removed in the movie version. I'm equally as curious about the mathematics, physics and science woven into the story. I can't wait to see the movie to see how they might have changed the characters, story and ideas.....and whether the tale still retains its magic in the film version.

A Wrinkle in Time is the first of five books in the Time series featuring the Murray family. I never read the complete series, so I'm excited to finally have the rest of the books. I also want to read the Austin Family Chronicles, another series written by Madeleine L'Engle.

A Classic..

My Rating is ;
If It was the 60s/70s: 4.5
If I was under 16 y/o: 4
But reading it now: hardly 3
Yes.. it's about TIME..
And 3 'Different' kids..

3 Strange powerful Women..

Looking for a Father..


I believe it needed like more action, and less the direct speech..
It felt like part Educational, part Religious even part Political...

I LOVED so much the Time/Space theme and facts... but the story felt ...dunno, classic dry comparing to current Middle Grade novels...
Yet I love to watch the Movie , the trailer is impressive..

I was scared to reread this book, I hadn't read it since I was in seventh grade and that was a loooong time ago. A Wrinkle in Time was the book I would read as a kid when I was in a bad mood or bored or just because I wanted to get wrapped up in the magic of another world. I read A Wrinkle in Time for the first time in second grade and it made me fall in love with reading. Of course I liked to read before then but this book turned me into the voracious reader I am today. So as I said before I was scared to reread this book after all these years given how much it meant to my childhood. I worried I wouldn't like it and I didn't want to destroy the memory of this book.

So how do I feel after rereading it?

I didn't love it as much as I did when I was a child but that was an impossible bar to reach. I have to admit I was very confused for the majority of the book. I don't know how I understood this book as a 8 year old when I could barely keep up as a 32 year old. I'm glad I reread it and I'm glad I didn't hate it. My childhood memories remain intact. Had this been my first time reading my rating would have been lower(2.5-3 stars) but since I probably wouldn't be the reader I am today or the woman I am today without this book 4 stars seems a fitting rating.

The Bookbum Bookclub

2018 Bookriot Read Harder Challenge: A Children's Classic Published Before 1980

Around the year in 52 books: A book from Amazon's 100 books to read in a lifetime

2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge: a book with an ugly cover.

First off, I was super excited to find out that I owned this book.
Second, I really wanted to read A Wrinkle in Time because of the movie trailer.
Third, n  Chris Pinen is the dad in the movie.
Fourth, CHRIS FUCKING PINE is in the god damn movie.
Fifth, I am in love with Chris Pine.

Okay, so A Wrinkle in Time is a super quick read. I mean it's like what... less than 300 pages?!? It took me less than an hour to read it and type out my buddy read comments. I loved everything about this book - even though I was confused in some parts.

I don't want to spoil a whole bunch about this book because honestly this book should be read by everyone on this planet. It was just that good. However, I will mention that I didn't like IT. IT is evil. IT is not the clown from Stephen King's book.

I could totally see myself rereading this book over and over again. It just blended everything together really well. Plus, I love happy endings!

Now I'll just patiently wait for the movie to come out!