Title: A Wrinkle in Time
Author: Madeline L’Engle
Series: Quintet
Next Book in the Series: A Wind in the Door
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Pages: Print 251
Rating: ★★★★

Disclaimer: This review is solely my opinion. I purchased a copy of this book from my local library in anticipation of the movie. The comments in this review do not reflect the views of the author or the publisher.

Goodreads Synopsis:

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?

Final Thoughts:

I have never heard of this book until the recent release of the movie. I read it in one morning as it was a short read. I, with the help of the programming department, planned an event at my library to provide STEM activities and free tickets to the movie. I wanted to read the book in case someone asked me questions about it during the program, no one asked me questions, but I stilled shared information about the book with the kids.

The book has a Christian influence throughout the reading. I felt that two ideals were clashing in this novel, i.e., science and religion. I could tell there was a religious influence throughout the pages due to the “non-earthly beings” referred to as guardian angels toward the end of the book. The book initially published in 1962 and the dated terminology was noticeable throughout this entire novel. The influence of science and technology was prevalent as well. The description of the time travel was fascinating and the diagrams displayed in the book were helpful in understanding the proposed time travel theory. I enjoyed the influence of science, technology, time, and family in this book. I adored the main characters, Margaret and Charlie. I loved the description of Margaret and how she continued to underestimate herself. In contrast, Charlie purposely projected himself as being illiterate to others so that they may underestimate his abilities. Each child has something special inside of them, and they just need to stick to their guns and never give up on themselves.

The mention of Margaret struggling in school not because of the curriculum but because of the lack of a challenge was significant. This is something that is still relevant in schools today. Students aren’t necessarily illiterate; they just need to solve problems the best way that works for them. The book continues to showcase the importance of family and believing in yourself as we watch the two siblings, Calvin, and their guardian angels work together to defeat “IT.” The all must learn their strengths to travel through time and space to save Margaret and Charlie’s dad.

Overall this is an exciting book. I like the lessons that were being taught in this novel and enjoyed the interaction between characters. I have never read this book and only heard of it recently. The concept that you can create a wrinkle in time to travel through dimensions indeed makes this fantasy novel stand out. The author did a great job capturing my attention, but there were also parts where I felt confused. The ending felt a bit rushed, and I wanted more. I haven’t decided if I’m going to look into obtaining the next novels in this series, but if you are interested in a fantasy book that will leave you feeling intrigued, this is your book.

Have you read ever read this book? What did you think of it?

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