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Title: An Acceptable Time (Time Quartet, Bk. 5)
ISBN: 0440208149
Author:
Madeleine L'Engle
Publicate Date: 1990-12-01
Publish: 1990-12-01
List Price: $5.99
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Mass Market Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $0.90
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $0.01
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| Customer Review: |
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1: An Acceptable Time
New, perfect condition. Series of books by same author ordered.
Received them timely and in good condition.
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2: Haven't read it yet...
But the delivery was fantastic! Cheap and easy, I got the book way on the early side of the delivery window. Yay!
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3: An Acceptable Book
An Acceptable Time is the final book in Madeleine L'Engle's Time Quintet, but if you happen to pick up this book first, you can dive into it with little problem. The idea of a Quintet, in this case, is more a marketing device than anything else. Each story stands alone. Yes, the five books have related characters, but so do other L'Engle novels that are not considered part of the Quintet (you can consult the family tree at the back of the book to see the interrelationships). But with that caveat stated, An Acceptable Time is a decent conclusion to the Quintet.
The main character in this novel is Polly O'Keefe, the daughter of Meg Murry and Calvin O'Keefe from previous books, making her the first and only character of the her generation to appear in one of the Quintet stories (though other O'Keefe children appear in other non-Quintet books). Polly is staying with her genius grandparents in New England to get a better education, and as typically happens around the Murry household, strange things happen. In this case, a time portal of sort opens up between the present and a time 3,000 years earlier. And as Polly soon finds out, she is not the first person of her time to go through this portal.
The first person is actually the retired bishop, Nason Colubra, who has used this portal to interact with the local Indian tribe who calls themselves the People of the Wind. The People have met strangers in the past, in particular two druids who came from far away to join them. The People have prospered of late, unlike another local tribe which is carrying out raids to deal with their poverty. To end a drought, Polly is targeted for human sacrifice, which gives her good reason to stay out of the past. Unfortunately, Polly's dangerously self-centered (and very ill) friend Zachary brings her beyond the portal, which this time shuts behind her, leaving her possibly trapped in the past.
As is typically the case, L'Engle creates fast-moving, thought-provoking material which doesn't get preachy or condescending. Though aimed at a young adult audience, it can be enjoyed by older people, not unlike the Harry Potter books. In fact, if you are looking for new material (or actually not-so-new material) to read now that the Potter series is concluded, the Time Quintet book may be satisfying. They're completely different from Harry Potter, but they are good in their own way.
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4: Disappointment
Somehow L'Engle seems to have forgotten her own characters between her last foray into the Time Series and this novel. The metaphors are less subtle, the characters are more black-and-white and the plot feels like it was already played out in her earlier, better novels.
What bothered me the most was how the O'Keefe parents, now grandparents, are so much more close-minded than in any previous story. They show nothing but disbelief and disapproval at Polly's time traveling adventures, which simply doesn't make sense. Mr. O'Keefe has had his own space-bending adventure and should definately believe in Polly's experience. And both he and his wife have never been anything but supportive of their children's adventures. Their treatment of Polly just doesn't make sense. The same goes for their good friend Dr. Louise, who has been mentioned in other novels (particularly as the namesake of the big, black snake in the orchard).
It seems that L'Engle wanted to explore the debate between faith and science in this story, generally an interesting persuit. But it seems counterintuitive for her, since she seems to have spent much of her career exploring the idea that science and religion are not mutually exclusive. Seriously, is this even the same person who wrote "A Ring of Endless Light"?
Another, less serious, complaint is that Polly seems much less mature and more virginal and childlike than she did in "A House Like a Lotus," which was annoying.
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5: An Acceptable Time
I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages!! It is one in a series of 5 books and they are all amazing!!!
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