This is not a book review because I have not yet read the book. This is not a movie review because I have not yet seen the movie. In spite of those oversights, for years, I have been fascinated by what I knew of the story of A Wrinkle in Time and the woman who wrote it, so much so that I included mention of it in two of my novels.
At the end of The Island of Lost Children, Wendy reads A Wrinkle in Time to her brothers. In Gem of the Starry Skies, Gwen considers it a favorite book and suggests it to Gabriel, her friend who is also a comic book creator. I was awed by the visually stunning trailers for Ava DuVernay’s film version and excited to hear that one of my favorite directors would be directing this movie version.
Spirit and Science
I was never assigned A Wrinkle in Time in school. I’m not sure why it did not end up on one of my required reading lists. Published in 1962, the book won a Newberry Award and it became writer Madeleine L’Engle’s most famous book. In her work, she merged her Christian faith with science, reconciling the pursuit of knowledge of the universe with the eternal mysteries of the universe. She possessed a generous view of her faith and was criticized by some for her belief that grace extends to all and not just a chosen few.
For an interesting interview with Madeleine L’Engle, go to this New Yorker article.
Advice for Writers
A Wrinkle in Time was considered “junior fiction” when published, and Madeleine L’Engle had advice for authors who write for children/young adults. In a New York Times Book Review interview, L’Engle said that the writer of a good children’s book may need to return to the “intuitive understanding of [his/her] own childhood.” Be childlike but not childish.
I connect most with is how she created stories merging the everyday with the fantastical, what we now call ‘magical realism.’ As anyone who reads my work knows, that style of writing is my favorite. For all these reasons, I look forward to seeing the movie and reading the book as quickly as I can, to see what a fascinating author has done and how a talented and visionary director brought that story to life.