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penwiper's review against another edition
2.0
Dnf. It’s not the book itself, the writing is fine... I just really don’t like the main character or the choices she makes/is making. My first attempt at one of ML’s adult novels...
I do find the way she leads into different sections interesting.
I do find the way she leads into different sections interesting.
ellenw's review against another edition
2.0
What an odd reading experience. I procured this book at some point with an aim of completing my Madeleine L'Engle collection, and the description discouraged me from attempting it until now; I possibly should have listened to my instincts.
The book switches between the stories of Charlotte, a young "modern" ('70s?) New York woman grieving the loss of her five-year-old son; and Mariana, a 17th century Portuguese nun having an affair with a French soldier. (It turns out she may be real, or may be an invention, but anyway is not L'Engle's invention.) We're supposed to find a lot of parallels between the two women's lives, but the whole thing is a little bit forced. There are a number of ideas and themes that were more thoroughly explored in her other books; it doesn't quite all come together here. I would have thought this was an early book, but in fact it was written significantly after some of her other works that I enjoyed a lot more.
Written in L'Engle's typical emotive style, this was easy enough to get through, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you've feeling particularly completist. I'm also looking sideways at the ending, in whichCharlotte decides to go back to her husband, after he raped her and accused her of adultery?! And we're supposed to think this is a good decision?!?!
The book switches between the stories of Charlotte, a young "modern" ('70s?) New York woman grieving the loss of her five-year-old son; and Mariana, a 17th century Portuguese nun having an affair with a French soldier. (It turns out she may be real, or may be an invention, but anyway is not L'Engle's invention.) We're supposed to find a lot of parallels between the two women's lives, but the whole thing is a little bit forced. There are a number of ideas and themes that were more thoroughly explored in her other books; it doesn't quite all come together here. I would have thought this was an early book, but in fact it was written significantly after some of her other works that I enjoyed a lot more.
Written in L'Engle's typical emotive style, this was easy enough to get through, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you've feeling particularly completist. I'm also looking sideways at the ending, in which
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