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Title: A Wind in the Door (Time Quartet)
ISBN: 044098761X
Author:
Madeleine L'Engle
Publicate Date: 1976-03-01
Publish: 1976-03-01
List Price: $5.99
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $0.25
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $0.01
Amazon Merchant Price: $5.99
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Worthy sequel
So I'm reviewing this out of tribute to the wonderful work of the late Ms. L'Engle. This is still a great book, even if it is led by the odd cherubim creature affectionately known as Prog. As usual, the Murray books combine the real and the serious with the fantastical, and a childhood disease leads to explorations into the world of the mitochrondia.
There might be a little too much biology and science in this book to make it completely enjoyable, but on one hand, if you understand, it makes the story that much more enjoyable.
This is not a "fun" book, but serious and thought-provoking piece of literature that happens to be utterly creative.
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2: Read this! It is an EXCELLENT STORY!
This story is an allegory built around an exciting and strange story. Read the entire series.
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3: A WIND IN THE DOOR
Condition of book delivered as promised; although I had originally sought hardcover instead of paperback.
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4: Overrated
This novel is profoundly overrated. I read it as a child (probably of ten or eleven) and loved it, as I had loved A Wrinkle In Time, but re-reading it as an adult of forty (and now an English teacher), I must say that A Wind In The Door is heavy-handed, didactic, clumsy, and just plain smug in its willful avoidance of good storytelling and readability. L'Engle beats you over the head with Christian allegory that doesn't really go beyond a very vague sort of early '70s "love EVERYONE" vibe. Characters appear and are immediately recognized as "good" or "evil," and don't even get me STARTED on the dialogue. Honestly, if this had been written by one of my students, I'd send it back with "Do people REALLY ever talk like this?" in red pen. After reading what L'Engle wrote about J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter series: "I read one of them. It's a nice story but there's nothing underneath it. I don't want to be bothered with stuff where there's nothing underneath. Some people say, "'Why do you read the Bible?'' I say, "Because there's a lot of stuff underneath,'"
I can't honestly say that she, herself, shows anything specific underneath. Her writing is smugly vague, full of odd certainties and gaping plot holes. I will admit to still finding A Wrinkle In Time fairly worthwhile, but it suffers from many of the same issues.
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5: Another great read by L'Engle
Title: A Wind in the Door
Author: Madeleine L'Engle
Publisher: Crosswicks, LTD.
Publishing Date: 1973
"Dark business suit"," salt and pepper hair", "muddy eyes" and the unmistakable "small snowfall of dandruff on his shoulders." Meet Mr. Jenkins, the principal of Charles Wallace's elementary school. This was the typical Mr. Jenkins that terrified Meg Murry, the oldest in the Murry family. But on this given day she had to brave not one Mr. Jenkins but three! The nervously, bold Meg Murry begins her first of several tests to help her younger brother Charles.
Charles, Meg, and their two twin brothers Sandy and Dennis are the children of two great scientists. Like their parents, they have all been "blessed" with outstanding academic abilities. Charles Wallace's intelligence, nonetheless, brings him more trouble than ease. New to the first grade and to a school setting, Charles makes several social blunders that cause him recurring painful repercussions. As a result, older sister Meg steps in to lend a helping hand but soon finds herself set before a series overwhelming trials set in outer space and at a microscopic level.
Filled with unimaginable scenarios that will blow you away, Madeleine L'Engle's A Wind in the Door is a must read! I personally couldn't get enough of its creative, out of this world setting; it takes you past the typical classroom and into a space that will challenge your visual perceptions of size and communication. You may view your surroundings a bit differently after finishing this book.
In addition, the characters are equally as engaging and relatable. Charles Wallace is a bit of an odd duck, but he is still someone you grow to be quite fond of. You can't help but love the quirky, little first grader who brings his pet snake, Louise the Larger, for show and tell, and whose interests include mitochondria and farandolae, instead of video games and TV. Similarly, Meg Murry, the main character of the story, is a loving older sister who might make you reconsider bullying your little sister or brother the next time they step into your room; she is a caring, giving individual that stops at nothing to help her little brother.
My only criticism is that the book doesn't really continue L'Engle's previous book A Wrinkle in Time. A Wrinkle in Time is the first book written about the Murry family and it is as attention grabbing as A Door in the Wind, if not more. I was, therefore, disappointed with the disjointed series; although, if you are new to Engle's work, it's nice to know that you can start with either book. Aside from this, I really can't find any downsides to the book.
I therefore definitely recommend this quick 211-page read to any 8th grader out there with an interest in science fiction. I can assure you that, like a bag of Pringles, once you start you just won't stop!
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