Today’s friend is the beautiful Berls from Because Reading. I have gotten to know her in the COYER challenges and also in FitReaders. I’m so excited she chose A Wrinkle in Time as it is one of my favorite books ever! And the movie releases today.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle Narrator: Hope Davis
Published by Listening Library on 1962
Genres: Science Fiction Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 247
Length: 6 hours, 26 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble
It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.
"Wild nights are my glory," the unearthly stranger told them. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me be on my way. Speaking of way, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract".
Meg's father had been experimenting with this fifth dimension of time travel when he mysteriously disappeared. Now the time has come for Meg, her friend Calvin, and Charles Wallace to rescue him. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space?
So the last time I read this I was in middle school… maybe high school. I don’t remember too clearly. I do, however, remember LOVING the book. So, naturally, when I saw that they’re making a new movie I was like, let’s do a reread. I had forgotten so much and I wanted to really remember it before watching the movie.
I don’t regret rereading it. But it’s not the book I remembered either. I think the important thing to remember about A Wrinkle in Time is it really was written before YA books were written for both young adult AND adult audiences. This was so clearly for kids that I’m actually marking it as both a YA and a Middle Grade. It’s not one that make the transference to Adult interest well. Not that it’s poorly written or anything, it’s just not a book for adults. It has some incredibly obvious themes and messages that are clearly written to impress upon young minds. So that makes it less thrilling as an adult reader.
HOWEVER, I love those themes and think that finding them in a book for young adults – especially in our day and age – is a great thing. The messages are not outdated, kids today can MOST DEFINITELY benefit from them (maybe more so than kids when it was written). I do wonder if kids today will keep up with some of the educational trivia bits – the kids in this book are SMART cookies and solve some difficult math/science problems off the top of their head.
And the story is a fun read. Nothing that’s going to have you on the edge of your seat, but for one of the first books of its kind, the Sci-Fi & Fantasy mix you have going on in this book is just fun. And that’s why – despite feeling that the book is targeted to younger readers more than I remembered – I will still plan to watch the movie 🙂
As a side note, I read this as an audiobook and while the narration was good, it was SLOW. I listened to the entire thing at 3x speed because it was at such a slow pace. Of course, I listen to most audiobooks at a 2x speed, so it may not seem THAT slow to those who don’t do that with their books. Otherwise the narration was good – I enjoyed the voices and really got lost in the story.
So if you, like me, want to take a walk down memory road, go for it! Just know, you’re reading a kids book 🙂
Listen to a clip here.
About Berls at Because Reading
Michelle adopted me as part of her blog when I decided to close down my blog, Fantasy is More Fun. The blog was dying, but my love of reading and the blogosphere was still strong as ever – so I found my new home here at Because Reading!
I’ve loved reading as long as I can remember knowing how and will always pick a book over watching tv, a movie, or sometimes even spending time with friends/family. I caught the blogging bug when I started my blog in July 2013 and it takes up most of my spare time (that’s not spent reading). When I’m not reading or blogging, I’m usually spending time with my husband of 12 years, my teenage stepson, or my brother. My dog, Buffy (yes, she’s named for Buffy the Vampire Slayer my all-time favorite show) is always by my side, whether I’m reading, blogging, or just hanging – and she’ll probably show up in a few blog posts.
As a little girl I wanted to be author and even wrote a short story that I sent to a publisher. I did this all on my own, just taking the address out of my favorite Babysitter’s Club book and asking them to make it into a book for other people to read for me. Although my first attempt at publishing wasn’t successful, I cherished that rejection letter for years and maybe someday I’ll fulfill that childhood dream of writing my own books. I recently finished the first draft of my first novel – Sweeter Than Death – and really hope that I’ll be able to make a go of it someday not too far away. And in 2013 I authored a short story in the anothology Welcome to the Future that I hope to someday expand into a full-fledged series. But in the meantime, I enjoy sharing my love of books with others and will often showcase indie authors that I admire for doing what it takes to make their dreams to write come true.
I can’t remember a time that I wasn’t reading at least one book and I’ve often longed for people that I could share that joy with. That’s what I love so much about blogging and communities like Goodreads – I finally found people who love to read as much as I do and who enjoy the kind of books I do!
I also have the privilege of teaching Kindergarten. I love what I do and you can expect it to bleed into my posts. Teaching is a big a part of me as my family and reading. So grab a glass of wine and chat books, blogging, and family with me!
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Berls, Thanks for reviewing this one. I’m so excited for the movie. I love this book. It’s a favorite even as a kid’s book.
I’ve actually never read this book. It is one of those books that I’ve know about for a long time, but just never picked up. I know you listen fast, but I didn’t even know 3x was an option. I’m usually at 1.25x (1.5x if the book is boring me or the narrator is slow). I think I’ll just see this movie. Great review.
Melanie @ Hot Listens & Books of My Heart
Thanks Melanie 🙂 Yeah I had to super duper speed it up! I really enjoyed it, but I think the movie will be enough if you don’t have the nostalgia factor that I had to pull you into reading it.
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