Sign in with Facebook
Anne's Reviews > A Wrinkle in Time
A Wrinkle in Time (Time Quintet, #1)
by
by
Anne's review
bookshelves: favorites, sci-fi, middle-grade, audio, read-in-2018, read-in-2023
Mar 05, 2018
bookshelves: favorites, sci-fi, middle-grade, audio, read-in-2018, read-in-2023
Read 3 times. Last read October 26, 2023 to November 17, 2023.
Anybody else read it with this cover?
I did. 1986, I was in 6th grade, and it was assigned to us by our teacher.
This book changed my world. Or at least, my reading world.
Welcome to sci-fi, kid!
I have no idea how many times I've read this story, but as a child, I read it so much that this awesome cover eventually fell off. Just so many great memories of these characters make it is easily my favorite childhood novel.
After doing a re-read of it this year, I have to say it holds up pretty well for a book that was written in 1962. One of the things that help it age so decently is that L'Engle didn't have much in it that could age it. No brand names, no popular trends, no references to any politics of the day. The only stuff that really let you know you were reading a book written in the '60s was Calvin saying things like Golly! unironically or Charles Wallace being disrespectful by calling his father Pops.
It's a very simple story that I read in just under 2 hours, but I remember it being complex enough when I was younger. I think it hits all the right points for a kid who feels out of place and weird, and didn't we all feel out of place and weird at that age?
Yes. Yes, we did.
The only thing I was less excited about this time around were all the religious references, but the book is what it is, and you just kind of have to accept that God is a big theme in this and move on if you want to enjoy it. It's not too preachy, so there's that.
Will kids today like it? I'm trying to get mine to read it now, so ask me again in 6 months.
But I'd been putting off re-reading this thing for 20 plus years and was pleasantly surprised that it was still such a charming story.
Highly Recommended...for nostalgia.
I did. 1986, I was in 6th grade, and it was assigned to us by our teacher.
This book changed my world. Or at least, my reading world.
Welcome to sci-fi, kid!
I have no idea how many times I've read this story, but as a child, I read it so much that this awesome cover eventually fell off. Just so many great memories of these characters make it is easily my favorite childhood novel.
After doing a re-read of it this year, I have to say it holds up pretty well for a book that was written in 1962. One of the things that help it age so decently is that L'Engle didn't have much in it that could age it. No brand names, no popular trends, no references to any politics of the day. The only stuff that really let you know you were reading a book written in the '60s was Calvin saying things like Golly! unironically or Charles Wallace being disrespectful by calling his father Pops.
It's a very simple story that I read in just under 2 hours, but I remember it being complex enough when I was younger. I think it hits all the right points for a kid who feels out of place and weird, and didn't we all feel out of place and weird at that age?
Yes. Yes, we did.
The only thing I was less excited about this time around were all the religious references, but the book is what it is, and you just kind of have to accept that God is a big theme in this and move on if you want to enjoy it. It's not too preachy, so there's that.
Will kids today like it? I'm trying to get mine to read it now, so ask me again in 6 months.
But I'd been putting off re-reading this thing for 20 plus years and was pleasantly surprised that it was still such a charming story.
Highly Recommended...for nostalgia.
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read
A Wrinkle in Time.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
Started Reading
(Other Paperback Edition)
February 1, 1987
–
Finished Reading
(Other Paperback Edition)
November 15, 2008
– Shelved
(Other Paperback Edition)
March 2, 2018
–
Started Reading
March 2, 2018
– Shelved
March 31, 2018
–
Finished Reading
October 26, 2023
–
Started Reading
November 17, 2023
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 170 (170 new)
message 1:
by
Amy
(new)
-
rated it 4 stars
Mar 31, 2018 02:24PM
Somehow, I’ve made it to nearly 50 and haven’t read this series. I keep meaning to. Maybe this is the year.
reply
|
flag
WHAT? WHAAAAT?! No, Amy. You stop whatever you are doing, right this minute, and you go read this book. PS - I still need to read the rest of them. Back in the day, I had no idea this was a series!
me! with the same signs of wear. sounds like we had similar experiences. 🤗
I love that crazy cover. ❤
I still have my copy from 4th grade with that cover; it has my name written on the fore edge.
Yes, I still have my copy with the same cover! Later I purchased new copies of the whole series, but I couldn’t part with my well loved and worn out original.
I would've read it back then but, you know, it cost an extra dollar in Canada...Lousy Laurel-Leaf Fantasy imperialists!
![[Name Redacted]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1347082397p1/287915.jpg)
That was my cover too!
I've somehow never actually read this. 6th grade is when my parents decided to send us to parochial school and they had us reading the Old Testament as opposed to fiction.
It’s like a snapshot from my memory bank! I haven’t seen that except in my mind’s eye! How absolutely delicious! I read it, then, too! 12 years old! :) Reading that book was opening up a whole new world. I think I learned more from that book than I did some college classes!
Are you gonna watch the movie? I admit to only having read the book in preparation for it but now that I've seen the trailer ... the CGI looks very unrealistic and ... meh.Sam wrote: "Does it hold up after all these years?"
No idea how it felt reading this back then, but I can tell you that I was thoroughly entertained when I read it this last February.
I'd have to look for the cover of the copy I read, but I'm pretty sure my grade school bought their copies in 1986 and we read them in like 2006. I went to the school whose history textbook ended during the Reagan administration and we had all been born after that, so I suspect that our reading books were much the same.
Oh. And before I forget (I'm on mobile and the formatting is atrocious, so I hit enter and it did NOT make a new paragraph like it was supposed to) I went to a parochial school, but we read this one. I think we got to read it cos there was some deep Jesus theme to it. 😂 I don't know what Jesus theme there was, but anyone can read something and claim whatever they want. I was like twelve when I read this and I always hated theme questions
here is a fun cover comparison! i read the version with the inoffensive farting-centaur-chemtrail cover. http://comparativecoverart.tumblr.com...
Wow, compared to that, my book's cover is boring (and yet I love it for the details)!
Yes! We must be the same age. I got that edition in 6th grade in 1986. I wore out my copy but replaced it with an identical one.
That was my cover! Got the entire series from a school book fair in a boxed set.
I read it with this cover ❤️ I went to catholic school and didn’t quite fit in.. I was in 4th or 5th grade and the librarian pulled it out of a tall shelf and slipped it into my hands. She said it would be perfect for me. And it was my first real true book love.
It’s like we had the opposite reaction. This book put me off reading for a while when I was younger.
Sam wrote: "Does it hold up after all these years?"Sorry! I wasn't through writing it, but still managed to post it. I thought it was good, though.
Chad wrote: "I've somehow never actually read this. 6th grade is when my parents decided to send us to parochial school and they had us reading the Old Testament as opposed to fiction."Hahahaha! I was in a Christian school at the time. The Old Testament would be better if they had an editor who maybe streamlined some of the so-n-so begat so-n-so stuff. Or maybe just stuck it in an appendix at the end? lol
Rea wrote: "I'd have to look for the cover of the copy I read, but I'm pretty sure my grade school bought their copies in 1986 and we read them in like 2006. I went to the school whose history textbook ended d..."That's crazy! But trust me there are whole passages of Centaurs singing praises to the Lord in this one, so there's definitely a religious theme. It was a tad 'not me' this time around, but I still liked the relationships.
L. wrote: "It’s like we had the opposite reaction. This book put me off reading for a while when I was younger."I'm trying to get mine to read it, but nobody wants to! Maybe I should just cut my losses...
;)
I'm SO GLAD I'm not the only one who had and/or remembered this cover!
Yup, that's the cover on my copy.It's weird and unsettling and I'm not sure how that got marketed at middle grade kids.
This is a book where I've been torn back and worth about whether or not I should read it. I'm not much into sci-fi but I like covering children's classics... the movie is also tempting me to read it.
Would you say this works as a standalone? I feel less keen if I think of it as a quintet...
Has anyone seen the movie? The special effects in the trailer looked cheesy, which made me reluctant to bother with reading the book as well.
5 stars Anne? Ok...then I'll give this a try..thanks...
Mi wrote: “This is a book where I’ve been torn back and worth about whether or not I should read it. I’m not much into sci-fi but I like covering children’s classics… the movie is also tempting me to read …”
Yes, each book in the quintet is a stand-alone. I’m also not sure how it’s a quintet since there are several other books in the series.
OKOKOK! Just please stop yelling at me, Anne! I’ll read it as soon as I return home from vacation.
Loved this book, which I remember being quite scary as a kid. I was so disappointed in the movie. Giant-sized Oprah with rhinestones for eyebrows was *not* how I pictured Mrs. Which. The movie didn’t even get her speech patterns right. Boo.
Chad wrote: "Has anyone seen the movie? The special effects in the trailer looked cheesy, which made me reluctant to bother with reading the book as well."I haven't but I'm planning on although I'll go in with VERY low expectations. I know what they've cut out and what they've put in (unnecessary changes) to make it ... more action-y (their words, not mine). :/
Chad wrote: "Has anyone seen the movie? The special effects in the trailer looked cheesy, which made me reluctant to bother with reading the book as well."I'm debating. It will be hard to get this one right, without going full Avatar.
Allie wrote: "Loved this book, which I remember being quite scary as a kid. I was so disappointed in the movie. Giant-sized Oprah with rhinestones for eyebrows was *not* how I pictured Mrs. Which. The movie didn..."Really?! Wow! I was so hoping for better. Maybe I'll wait till it hits the $ theater. :(
Sud666 wrote: "5 stars Anne? Ok...then I'll give this a try..thanks..."5 stars for nostalgia, dude! I don't want you to go into this thinking you're getting Harry Potter. It's sort of like a cool sci-fi middle grade reader peppered with religious stuff. It worked well when I was a kid, and was charming to me as an adult. I'm not sure how it would feel to read this as 'only' and adult, though.
Anne wrote: "Sud666 wrote: "5 stars Anne? Ok...then I'll give this a try..thanks..."5 stars for nostalgia, dude! I don't want you to go into this thinking you're getting Harry Potter. It's sort of like a cool..."
BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Now I'm trying to picture Sud reading Harry Potter. *lol*
We'll have to get him a robe and a hat.
I could make a wand joke now but I shall refrain as I'm scared of him. ;)
Anne wrote: "Chad wrote: "I've somehow never actually read this. 6th grade is when my parents decided to send us to parochial school and they had us reading the Old Testament as opposed to fiction."Hahahaha! ..."
This is why I don’t read the King James Version.
Anne wrote: "L. wrote: "It’s like we had the opposite reaction. This book put me off reading for a while when I was younger."
I'm trying to get mine to read it, but nobody wants to! Maybe I should just cut my ..."
I think I was maybe 9 or 10. My parents were trying to get me into reading, this one was meant to be good for school. It didn’t help. My mom also thought it was stupid. I don’t think my dad read it.
Trish wrote: "Chad wrote: "Has anyone seen the movie? The special effects in the trailer looked cheesy, which made me reluctant to bother with reading the book as well."
I haven't but I'm planning on although I..."
I don’t plan on watching it but that might not be a horrible thing. One of the reasons I hated it was that it’s SO boring.
I begged my kids to read it, but...nobody took the bait. I'll leave it alone. *shrugs*
ugh...I had to read it for school too. Maybe I was too old but I just did not like it. Too much weird religion and I have trouble with books I can't turn into movies in my head - this one definitely fell into that category. And reading it after When You Reach Me, it felt anticlimactic and overrated. :\
If I had read this for the 1st time now, I would have felt the same way. When You Reach Me was written 2009 and this one was written 50ish years ago. There was far more religion in mainstream stuff back in the day, and nobody really thought much of it. Now? Yeah, it's weird.
Yep. That cover was the best. I loved it so much.
I did, too! It was so awesomely creepy.
Perfect review! I felt the same way as I just reread this one with my kids. It was the first time my ten year old had experienced the book, and it was just my second time. I remember my fourth grade teacher reading it to the class. The cover we had was permanently etched onto my brain; I remember flipping back to examine the cover anytime something new appeared in the story.
I remember that cover, too! Beautiful!
I just wanted to ask if that book is ideal for those who are beginners in English like me ?
I'm not sure, Rama. It is an older book, so some of the language may be off a bit. I'm not 100% on that, though,
