A Wind in the Door - Madeleine L'Engle

A Wind in the Door

Title: A Wind in the Door

Author: Madeleine L'Engle

Publication Date: 1973

Pages: 203

Genre: Children's Literature / Classic / Fantasy / Science Fiction / Fiction

How I Found It: I read A Wrinkle in Time 

Date Completed: 6/23/18

Summary: The Murrys are at it again. This time, it's the fate of Charles Wallace, not their father, which hangs in the balance. Fantastical creatures, a fight against evil, and lots of character development. 

What I Thought: I didn't know until a few years ago that A Wrinkle in Time had sequels. Upon rereading the classic in 2017, I knew I wanted to read the whole series. 

I found A Wind in the Door to retain many of the qualities which make the first book so delightful. L'Engle mixes fantasy with science fiction. She brings her technical science down to an understandable level for the average reader. There are creatures of all sorts. There is an epic battle against nebulous evil forces. And there is loads of character development. 

I did not think this book had quite the same charm as its predecessor. It's good, certainly, but it doesn't retain that same intangible magic. If the rest of the series follows in this vein, I understand why the first book made such an impact and the rest of the series is so little known. I think L'Engle just got a little too complex in this one...or something. I can't quite pinpoint it. The book is good and has lots of wonderful moments, but I didn't love it the same way I did Wrinkle. 

Quotes I Loved:

• "If someone knows who he is, really knows, then he doesn’t need to hate."
• "We don’t have to know everything at once. We just do one thing at a time, as it is given us to do."
• "It is the nature of love to create. It is the nature of hate to destroy."
• "We are the song of the universe. We sing with the angelic host. We are the musicians. The farae and the stars are the singers. Our song orders the rhythm of creation."
• "I don’t know how many there are. It’s their names that matter."

This book is part of my 2018 TBR Challenge!

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Will I Re-Read: Maybe

If You Liked This, Try: The Search for Delicious / The Gammage Cup / The Golden Compass

Other Books By Madeleine L'Engle: A Wrinkle in Time

A Reduced Review: While it doesn't pack the same punch as A Wrinkle in Time, it retains many of the same qualities which make L'Engle's work so classic.