Troubling a Star by Madeline L'Engle

L'Engle's books always seem to have such poetic names. Troubling a Star, isn't that fantastic? Unfortunately the book wasn't quite as wondrous as the book title, but it was still pretty good. After all, L'Engle is a terrific writer.

Vickie (from the Austins series of which this is book 5) is still trying to find herself in the world. She recognizes that she loves to write, and more specifically loves to write poetry and is taking steps to improve this talent. She also has started visiting with her somewhat boyfriend Adam Eddington's Aunt, who is an interesting lady herself. Aunt Serena once had a child also named Adam who explored the Antarctic before disappearing and being declared dead. Now, Vicky's Adam is also headed to Antarctica to do research. After spending more time with Aunt Serena, Vicky is surprised when her birthday gift from her is to take a trip to see Adam there. But it will be much more dangerous than she thinks as there are people there that think she knows too much information.

Vicky is always a great character. She is so real that I think just about any teenage girl could identify with her. While she may not be "modern" because of the time this book was written, her thoughts are timeless. And she's a nice person. She has her faults but she just tries to be good and enjoy the world around her. Adam confuses me a bit more. I like him, but he's very changeable in his demeanor and thoughts and it can be unsettling. All the other characters are great as well though. Aunt Serena is charming and her cook Cookie is mysterious but kind. They each fill their own role quite well.

I wasn't as amazed by this plot though. Sure it was exciting what with the trip to Antarctica and the side-plot about Vicky in danger. But as well as those two things meshed I just didn't feel engaged in the book and it was a slower read because of it. I guess there was a lot of description I had trouble with, including the two countries that L'Engle made up for the purposes of the story. I can understand why she did make them up, but it made it harder to read as everything else was based in reality. Some of the plot ideas seemed to be resolved too easy too and the ending seemed rushed. It just wasn't the well paced story I've come to expect from L'Engle. But it still is highly appropriate for young adults and it's hard to find any fault with the language of this book.

A nice book and I do like L'Engle. Just not the best of this series or her work as a whole.

Troubling a Star
Copyright 1994
296 pages

The Moon By Night by Madeline L'Engle

I think it's very hard to find a book by L'Engle that is bad. And this book just furthers that point along, it is very very good for being a young adult novel. There's just so much information and wisdom packed into the series that it's hard not to like them.

The Moon By Night is the 2nd book in the "Meet the Austins" series. I've read all the books out of order and as stand-alones (A Ring of Endless Light was perhaps my most favored book through my teenage years) and it's never really bothered me or kept me from enjoying the book. That being said, I always do recommend reading books in order. This particular book has the main character Vicky as a fourteen year old going on a camping trip with her family. Along the way she meets the exciting and terrible Zachary Gray who dazzles her and frightens her all at the same time. Her family doesn't approve of the friendship, but quietly lets her sort things out as she is trying to grow and figure herself out at this point in her life. And the camping with her family too brings them a sort of closeness and respect that makes her appreciate them more.

Vicky is a great character. And she's so great because she's real and she reminds me of myself at that age. It's hard not to feel special in a family as unique as hers, and even more difficult is learning to appreciate yourself for who you are. She also has a natural appreciation and innocence about her that is refreshing. So even though her teenage years are happening during the 60's in this book, she feels like she could be your best friend in any time period. Zachary I'm not as fond of, but I don't think he's supposed to be a likable character. Girls are attracted to the troublesome dark type of guys and he fits the bill for that. I've been guilty of falling for a few guys like that myself until I realized I much prefer a sunny personality. Her family seems close-knit and while there is one sexist comment in regards to her father preferring that women don't wear pants, I excused it as the time period of the book and tried not to dwell on it too much.

The plot is simplistic. It's a camping trip with a family and a somewhat love story. But what I think really makes this book stand out is that the theme of growing up is predominant in it. It could allow someone the same age as Vicky to really relate with her and get inside her head. And that's what makes it a valuable read. The writing is good, although there is quite a bit of religion incorporated into the book and I got tired of it in parts, but there was also a lot of poetry thrown in and I did appreciate that. I'm not much of a poetry person but L'Engle always seems to find poems that fit perfectly into her books.

A very good read, as is the rest of the series. I highly recommend all of the books for Meet the Austins and some of L'Engle's other works as well.

The Moon By Night
Copyright 1963
255 pages