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A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

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Brief synopsis (no spoilers) - 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? (Goodreads)

 Category: YA Fantasy

Why I chose this book: Movie coming out


My personal opinion (the review): I'm not really even sure what to say about this book. It was so weird. I feel it either should have been shortened to a short story of less than 50 pages or should have been lengthened out to at least 200 (It was 130 in my copy of the book). The story was very jerky and abrupt. Things just "happened" with no explanation. I understand that all the characters are supposed to be eccentric in their own ways, but that isn't an excuse for the way the story played out. And there is no explanation for how the Dark Planet came to be or why Meg's father ended up there. There is no explanation for IT and what that's all about and frankly it's creepy (as it's supposed to be). Calvin just shows up and really doesn't do a whole lot for the story. And all the strange creatures/characters...
I really wanted to like this book. It's one of the "classics" and is always spoken of so well. I remember trying to read it many times as a youth and never being able to make it though. They are making it into a movie soon so I wanted to read it before then, but I still really had to struggle to get through it. I am planning to read the next in the series only with the hope that more details will come to light. I feel like this is on of those books, like The Little Prince, where so many people love it because it's an in-depth commentary on society and meta-physical. Yeah...that doesn't work for me. 


Warnings
Language: None

Violence: No real blood and guts, but forces of evil that force everyone to conform
"Adult" situations: None
Death: One possible mentioned in passing, not anything integral to the story

Movie rating equivalent:PG-13


Protagonist description: Meg is a troubled youth who struggles to know herself and her place in the world. Charles is probably a high functioning autistic boy who is odd. Calvin just appears on the scene and is there as a comfort for Meg. 


Point of view of story: Meg


Book length: Medium-long (because I had to force myself to finish it)


Story flow: linear, but very spastic feeling


Grammar and spelling issues: One of the characters speaks in a long drawn out way, but all the right letters are there.


Character connection (no spoilers): None
For series:
Independent or integral: Independent as first

Series review as a whole: Don't bother

If you only have time for one, read: I'm assuming A Wrinkle in Time as the first. 

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