The Book I’m Trudging Through

A few weeks ago, I finished the my first book in months. Unfortunately, I hated it (see my review here). Now I’m on book three, and I read maybe 70 pages last week.

I just couldn’t find the motivation to read.

I was tired, and honestly, I wanted to do something more mind numbing. So instead of reading, I played Breath of the Wild and The Sims 4. Granted, I was also feeling a little under the weather, but whatever.

Anyway, I’ve been reading The Hangman’s Daughter by Oliver Potzsch and it totally seemed like something I’d love. Essentially, a boy turns up dead and the townspeople accuse a midwife of witchcraft. And honestly, there’s nothing wrong with the book. So far, it seems well-written and the characters seem well-developed.

But it just isn’t “doing it” for me right now. And yet I can’t help but feel guilty for wanting to put it down and move onto something else. Most of this stems from the fact that I have been struggling to finish books lately. I haven’t read a book that I’m truly “in the mood for” in a long time, and it’s frustrating because I know I’m the problem. I’m being too picky.

But I think I’m going to move on for now. I think I’ll pick up the book that interests me most, read it, and come back later. After all, isn’t the goal to read something you enjoy?

Anyway, is anyone else having the same struggle as me? Is there a book that has gotten you out of a slump before? Let me know in the comments below!

Let’s Discuss: My Problem With Book Hauls

What are your thoughts on book hauls? Agree or disagree? Love ’em, hate ’em? Let me know in the comments below!

When I first started blogging, I loved a good book haul. I loved looking at those beautiful new (or used) books and perusing the titles. But now, I won’t even click on a book haul post.

So what changed?

Last summer, I decided I wanted to become a minimalist. This didn’t really work for me, but I did learn a few things. I learned to put more thought into what I buy: was this something I really needed or would it bring me joy (thanks, Marie Kondo)? I learned to let go of things I no longer needed. I learned that the amount I had didn’t matter nor did it lend to happiness.

I also realized that I was an impulsive shopper and that for me, book haul posts were essentially nudges towards impulsive buying. Instead of going to the bookstore for one or two books, I found myself buying five to ten. And honestly, these weren’t even books I had really wanted. They were books I thought might be interesting to read or had cool covers. But more often than not, these were books I wouldn’t read.

And I have to wonder: am I the only person who experiences this? Surely, I can’t be. Because underneath it all, a haul post of any kind encourages consumerism. It places value on material possessions.

But there isn’t  anything wrong with a book haul: I’d rather see people show off book collections than cars or money. And I appreciate the message that reading is worth our time and money. Furthermore, I don’t always see book hauls where the books are sparkly and new. I see some where they were bought second hand, and  I appreciate a good deal and the idea of reusing instead of wasting.

I guess at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. People post hauls, and others like them. As for me, I simply can’t handle the temptation.

 

WWW Wednesday, #2

Hosted by Taking on a World of Words

Let me know if you’ve read or are thinking about reading any of these in the comments below:). 

Currently Reading:

The Hangman’s Daugther by Oliver Potzch

Magdalena, the clever and headstrong daughter of Bavarian hangman Jakob Kuisl, lives with her father outside the village walls and is destined to be married off to another hangman’s son—except that the town physician’s son is hopelessly in love with her. And her father’s wisdom and empathy are as unusual as his despised profession. It is 1659, the Thirty Years’ War has finally ended, and there hasn’t been a witchcraft mania in decades. But now, a drowning and gruesomely injured boy, tattooed with the mark of a witch, is pulled from a river and the villagers suspect the local midwife, Martha Stechlin.

Jakob Kuisl is charged with extracting a confession from her and torturing her until he gets one. Convinced she is innocent, he, Magdalena, and her would-be suitor race against the clock to find the true killer. Approaching Walpurgisnacht, when witches are believed to dance in the forest and mate with the devil, another tattooed orphan is found dead and the town becomes frenzied. More than one person has spotted what looks like the devil—a man with a hand made only of bones. The hangman, his daughter, and the doctor’s son face a terrifying and very real enemy.

GoodReads.com

Why This Book? Honestly, it’s so different from what I normally would read, and yet it hits on many of the things I want to read. And honestly, the first chapter had me hooked. Hopefully it keeps up the pace!

 

Recently Read: 

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

A very young woman’s first job: governess for two weirdly beautiful, strangely distant, oddly silent children, Miles and Flora, at a forlorn estate…An estate haunted by a beckoning evil.

Half-seen figures who glare from dark towers and dusty windows- silent, foul phantoms who, day by day, night by night, come closer, ever closer. With growing horror, the helpless governess realizes the fiendish creatures want the children, seeking to corrupt their bodies, possess their minds, own their souls…

But worse-much worse- the governess discovers that Miles and Flora have no terror of the lurking evil.

For they want the walking dead as badly as the dead want them.

 

From GoodReads.com

 

Reading Next:

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.

GoodReads.com

 

Tempting New Releases, #15

Are any of these on your list? Let me know in the comments below :).

SPECTACLE BY JODIE LYNN ZDROK

Description (Amazon):

Spectacle is a YA murder mystery from debut author Jodie Lynn Zdrok in which a young reporter must use her supernatural visions to help track down a killer targeting the young women of Paris.

Paris, 1887.

Sixteen-year-old Nathalie Baudin writes the daily morgue column for Le Petit Journal. Her job is to summarize each day’s new arrivals, a task she finds both fascinating and routine. That is, until the day she has a vision of the newest body, a young woman, being murdered―from the perspective of the murderer himself.

When the body of another woman is retrieved from the Seine days later, Paris begins to buzz with rumors that this victim may not be the last. Nathalie’s search for answers sends her down a long, twisty road involving her mentally ill aunt, a brilliant but deluded scientist, and eventually into the Parisian Catacombs. As the killer continues to haunt the streets of Paris, it becomes clear that Nathalie’s strange new ability may make her the only one who can discover the killer’s identity–and she’ll have to do it before she becomes a target herself.

Why I want to read it: Sounds interesting. I like historical fiction, especially when the main character is a woman, especially when she doesn’t conform to society’s expectations of her. I also love supernatural fiction and mysteries.

THE PAST AND OTHER THINGS THAT SHOULD STAY BURIED BY SHAUN DAVID HUTCHINSON

Description (Amazon):

A good friend will bury your body, a best friend will dig you back up.

Dino doesn’t mind spending time with the dead. His parents own a funeral home, and death is literally the family business. He’s just not used to them talking back. Until Dino’s ex-best friend July dies suddenly—and then comes back to life. Except not exactly. Somehow July is not quite alive, and not quite dead.

As Dino and July attempt to figure out what’s happening, they must also confront why and how their friendship ended so badly, and what they have left to understand about themselves, each other, and all those grand mysteries of life.

Why I want to read it:  Honestly, it just sounds wonderfully strange.

WATCH US RISE BY RENEE WATSON & ELLEN HAGAN

Description (Amazon): 

Jasmine and Chelsea are best friends on a mission–they’re sick of the way women are treated even at their progressive NYC high school, so they decide to start a Women’s Rights Club. They post their work online–poems, essays, videos of Chelsea performing her poetry, and Jasmine’s response to the racial microaggressions she experiences–and soon they go viral. But with such positive support, the club is also targeted by trolls. When things escalate in real life, the principal shuts the club down. Not willing to be silenced, Jasmine and Chelsea will risk everything for their voices–and those of other young women–to be heard.
These two dynamic, creative young women stand up and speak out in a novel that features their compelling art and poetry along with powerful personal journeys that will inspire readers and budding poets, feminists, and activists.

Why I want to read it: I’m honestly a little iffy about this one. On the one hand, I love books about empowerment. On the other hand, this could also come across as being too preachy and trendy. I feel like it could go either way.

Let’s Discuss: Politically Motivated Lit

Literature has always been a reflection of its time, a response to the author’s world. There was Charles Dickens who helped expose the wrongs of child labor through Oliver Twist. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee explored to issue of racial injustice. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible was a response to McCarthyism. These authors wrote books that were politically motivated, yet they are all books I love.

However, I find myself annoyed with politically motivated books today. Even though I loved The Hate U Give, I felt like parts of it were too preachy. And while reading This Is Where It Ends (a book about a school shooting), I felt like it used both tragedy and the political climate to make a sale.

But what I find interesting is that I have more patience for politically motivated works in classic literature than I do in modern literature. Perhaps it’s because I feel so separated from the politics in classic literature–I wasn’t even alive during the time they were published. Perhaps it’s also my general aversion towards politics. After all, I’m definitely the type to zone out and remain silent in political discussions. Or perhaps the authors we remember are the ones who did it better.

Or maybe I feel overstimulated because we live in a world dominated by social media and political commentary, so I want my books to be an escape from the “real world”.

But then, there’s a part of me that thinks it’s actually quite difficult to write a book concerning a political issue without it being “preachy” or an attempt to make money off of a real problem. There’s this fine line that I feel like many current authors are falling off of. Or at least, they’re tripping here and there.

Anyway, I’m interested in hearing your thoughts. Do you read books that are more politically centered? Do you avoid them? Why/why not? Sound off in the comments below :).

WWW Wednesday, #1

Hosted by Taking on a World of Words

Currently Reading:

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

A very young woman’s first job: governess for two weirdly beautiful, strangely distant, oddly silent children, Miles and Flora, at a forlorn estate…An estate haunted by a beckoning evil.

Half-seen figures who glare from dark towers and dusty windows- silent, foul phantoms who, day by day, night by night, come closer, ever closer. With growing horror, the helpless governess realizes the fiendish creatures want the children, seeking to corrupt their bodies, possess their minds, own their souls…

But worse-much worse- the governess discovers that Miles and Flora have no terror of the lurking evil.

For they want the walking dead as badly as the dead want them.

From GoodReads.com

So here’s the thing. The Haunting of Hill House ruined television for me. Not because it was bad, but because nothing has measured up since. Netflix recently announced season 2 of the show (which is going to be more of anthology series like American Horror Story). Anyway, the title of season two is The Haunting of Bly Manor which is apparently from this novella. So yeah, that’s why I’m reading it. Does anybody else have this on their list because of Hill House?

Recently Read:

Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon // My Review

Olivia Brownlow is no damsel in distress. Born in a workhouse and raised as a boy among thieving London street gangs, she is as tough and cunning as they come. When she is taken in by her uncle after a caper gone wrong, her life goes from fighting and stealing on the streets to lavish dinners and soirees as a debutante in high society. But she can’t seem to escape her past … or forget the teeming slums where children just like her still scrabble to survive.

Jack MacCarron rose from his place in London’s East End to become the adopted “nephew” of a society matron. Little does society know that MacCarron is a false name for a boy once known among London gangs as the Artful Dodger, and that he and his “aunt” are robbing them blind every chance they get. When Jack encounters Olivia Brownlow in places he least expects, his curiosity is piqued. Why is a society girl helping a bunch of homeless orphan thieves? Even more intriguing, why does she remind him so much of someone he once knew? Jack finds himself wondering if going legit and risking it all might be worth it for love.

Olivia Twist is an innovative reimagining of Charles Dickens’ classic tale Oliver Twist, in which Olivia was forced to live as a boy for her own safety until she was rescued from the streets. Now eighteen, Olivia finds herself at a crossroads: revealed secrets threaten to destroy the “proper” life she has built for her herself, while newfound feelings for an arrogant young man she shouldn’t like could derail her carefully laid plans for the future.

From GoodReads.com

I love Dickens, so I thought I’d read this for obvious reasons. However, I HATED the book. I mean, I wrote a whole post where I ranted about two sentences– you can read it here if you’re interested.

Reading Next:

• 

• 

The Hangman’s Daugther by Oliver Potzch

Magdalena, the clever and headstrong daughter of Bavarian hangman Jakob Kuisl, lives with her father outside the village walls and is destined to be married off to another hangman’s son—except that the town physician’s son is hopelessly in love with her. And her father’s wisdom and empathy are as unusual as his despised profession. It is 1659, the Thirty Years’ War has finally ended, and there hasn’t been a witchcraft mania in decades. But now, a drowning and gruesomely injured boy, tattooed with the mark of a witch, is pulled from a river and the villagers suspect the local midwife, Martha Stechlin.

Jakob Kuisl is charged with extracting a confession from her and torturing her until he gets one. Convinced she is innocent, he, Magdalena, and her would-be suitor race against the clock to find the true killer. Approaching Walpurgisnacht, when witches are believed to dance in the forest and mate with the devil, another tattooed orphan is found dead and the town becomes frenzied. More than one person has spotted what looks like the devil—a man with a hand made only of bones. The hangman, his daughter, and the doctor’s son face a terrifying and very real enemy.

GoodReads.com

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

When Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home, long drives to explore the island, and quality time with the man she might one day marry. What she doesn’t know is that Nick’s family home happens to look like a palace, that she’ll ride in more private planes than cars, and that with one of Asia’s most eligible bachelors on her arm, Rachel might as well have a target on her back.

Initiated into a world of dynastic splendor beyond imagination, Rachel meets Astrid, the It Girl of Singapore society; Eddie, whose family practically lives in the pages of the Hong Kong socialite magazines; and Eleanor, Nick’s formidable mother, a woman who has very strong feelings about who her son should–and should not–marry. Uproarious, addictive, and filled with jaw-dropping opulence, Crazy Rich Asians is an insider’s look at the Asian JetSet; a perfect depiction of the clash between old money and new money; between Overseas Chinese and Mainland Chinese; and a fabulous novel about what it means to be young, in love, and gloriously, crazily rich.

GoodReads.Com

Honestly, I don’t know which of the two I’ll read next or if I’ll actually read either one of them. I don’t do well with TBRs. However, I recently purchased The Hangman’s Daughter because the plot sounded interested. As for Crazy Rich Asians, I’ve been on the hold list for awhile now at my local library and I finally got the book. The problem is that I got a little impatient so I watched the movie while I was waiting, and now I honestly have little motivation to read it.

Let me know if you’ve read any of these in the comments below. Did you like them? Hate them? Think I should read something else?

Tempting New Releases, #14

Are any of these on your list? Let me know in the comments below :).

A SERIAL KILLER’S DAUGHTER BY KERRI RAWSON

Description (Amazon):

In 2005, Kerri Rawson heard a knock on the door of her apartment. When she opened it, an FBI agent informed her that her father had been arrested for murdering ten people, including two children. It was then that she learned her father was the notorious serial killer known as BTK, a name he’d given himself that described the horrific way he committed his crimes: bind, torture, kill. As news of his capture spread, Wichitacelebrated the end of a thirty-one-year nightmare.

For Kerri Rawson, another was just beginning. She was plunged into a black hole of horror and disbelief. The same man who had been a loving father, a devoted husband, church president, Boy Scout leader, and a public servant had been using their family as a cover for his heinous crimes since before she was born. Everything she had believed about her life had been a lie.

Written with candor and extraordinary courage, A Serial Killer’s Daughter is an unflinching exploration of life with one of America’s most infamous killers and an astonishing tale of personal and spiritual transformation. For all who suffer from unhealed wounds or the crippling effects of violence, betrayal, and anger, Kerri Rawson’s story offers the hope of reclaiming sanity in the midst of madness, rebuilding a life in the shadow of death, and learning to forgive the unforgivable.

Why I want to read it: Like so many people, I have a sick fascination with murderers. I want to know what they were like and why they committed such horrific crimes. But I’m always curious about what it would be like to find out a person you loved was a serial killer. I think it will be interesting to read about Kerri Rawson, especially since shes the daughter of such a notorious serial killer.

THE CITY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT BY CHARLIE JANE ANDERS

Description (Amazon):

“If you control our sleep, then you can own our dreams… And from there, it’s easy to control our entire lives.”

January is a dying planet–divided between a permanently frozen darkness on one side, and blazing endless sunshine on the other. Humanity clings to life, spread across two archaic cities built in the sliver of habitable dusk.

But life inside the cities is just as dangerous as the uninhabitable wastelands outside.

Sophie, a student and reluctant revolutionary, is supposed to be dead, after being exiled into the night. Saved only by forming an unusual bond with the enigmatic beasts who roam the ice, Sophie vows to stay hidden from the world, hoping she can heal.

But fate has other plans–and Sophie’s ensuing odyssey and the ragtag family she finds will change the entire world.

Why I want to read it:  For one, the world sounds interesting. I feel like I hardly read stories anymore where the main characters live somewhere that is uninhabitable. Plus, Sophie’s story sounds thrilling. Also, what are these enigmatic beasts?

THE SILENT PATIENT BY ALEX MICHAELIDES

Description (Amazon): 

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations―a search for the truth that threatens to consume him….

Why I want to read it: I love a good mystery, and Alicia sounds fascinating. Why is she silent? Why did she kill her husband? And what is this twisted path Theo is going to go down?

A Happy Announcement

In a few of my posts, I’ve mentioned that I’m currently unemployed and that I’ve been job searching for awhile. My husband and I recently made a big move for his job, and I desperately wanted to get out of education. Anyway, I’ve been anxious and a little depressed. So I’m SO EXCITED to announce this….

I ACCEPTED A JOB OFFER TODAY.

For a job I REALLY wanted. I start on Monday!!!!!

I wanted to let you all know because you have been so kind in your comments, and I really appreciate the support. 🙂

Books & Clutter

I have never viewed books as clutter. I never will view them as clutter.

However, I am a book hoarder.

Before starting this post, I had four lovely bookshelves stacked full of books. And I was planning a move. We’ll put it this way. I’m going from a four bedroom home to a 650 square foot apartment.

Crazy right? But that’s what happens when you move to an expensive city.  Besides, why do two adults need four bedrooms? Seriously, we didn’t.

Basically, I had to get rid of some of those books. I didn’t want to move them all because they’re so heavy, and I didn’t have the space for four bookshelves. Anyway, I recently read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and I started the process of Konmaring my house. Basically, I gathered everything of the same category in my home and put it into a pile. Categories included clothes, paperwork, books, sentimental items, etc. When you’re using the Konmari method, you’re supposed to hold each item. If it brings you joy, you keep it. If it doesn’t, you get rid of it. You’re also supposed to talk to your stuff, but I’m not about that.

I didn’t follow the Konmari method completely, especially when it came to books. Because is a book I haven’t read really going to spark joy? I don’t know because I haven’t read it. But I did use her strategies, and now I’m down to one bookshelf of books.

Essentially, I’ve changed my mindset.

Why am I holding on to books I like but don’t plan on rereading?

It’s because I viewed those books as an extension of myself. I didn’t keep them for a practical reason. I didn’t keep them because “they sparked joy”. I kept them because it showed what I read. To me, it told other people something about me. It was a status thing. Look at all these books I’ve read. I can’t be the only one who does this.

Why am I holding on to books I really don’t want to read? 

Because I feel obligated to read books. For example, I was holding on to a copy of The Grapes of Wrath because it was a classic and I felt like I should read it. In fact, I tried to read it, but I found it incredibly boring. Every time I looked at the damn thing, I cringed.

I don’t want to cringe when I look at my personal library. I want to feel happy. So I got rid of it.

So basically, I’ve decided to let go of the books I hate. Those William Faulkner books I read in college? I HATED them. I’m not going to reread them, and it’s silly to keep it because it “makes me look sophisticated” or whatever. I’ve decided to let go of the books I don’t plan on rereading. Am I really going to save them for my future children? Honestly, they can go to library. Or if I want them later, I’ll replace them. No need to take them across the country.

And what about those books I think I might read? That book I’ve had for years and haven’t touched?

I read the book description, skimmed some reviews. If it still interested me, I kept it. If it didn’t, I let it go.

I thought that after all of this, I would miss my books. I thought I’d feel guilty. I thought I’d be missing a piece of myself. But honestly, I don’t. I feel relieved. I feel excited about reading again. I feel like my head is finally clear. And it’s so refreshing.

I think part of the reason I don’t feel guilt is I know that those books are going to someone who might enjoy them. Some went to my step sister. Some went to friends. But most of them went to the high school where I used to teach, to help build the library. And hopefully some kid will find a book they love.

Anyway, I’m interested to hear your thoughts. Do you hoard books? Have you tried to declutter? Think you might give it a shot? Let me know if the comments below!

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

 

• Title: A Wrinkle in Time
• Author: Madeleine L’Engle
• Genre: Children’s literature, classic literature
• Pages: 256
• Format: Paperback
  Other: GoodReads, Amazon
• Grade: C (3/5 stars)

Blurb: “ 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 sit down for a moment, and then I’ll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract.”

A tesseract (in case the reader doesn’t know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L’Engle’s unusual book. A Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O’Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg’s father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.”

A Wrinkle in Time is a childhood classic, one that many people seem to love. And as a child, I did love it which is one of the reasons I decided to revisit it as an adult. That and I remembered very little of it, probably because I was so young when I first read it. I expected to love it again, to see why it’s one of those books that still sits on our shelves despite it being published so long ago.

The novel itself opens with one of the most famous opening lines in literary history: “It was a dark and stormy night.” This line is so well-known that it is now a cliché; if a modern writer decided to begin his or her chapter in this way, I’d roll my eyes. Hell, I might even put it down. But for a children’s tale such as this, it works and only adds to the fairytale-ish feel of the novel. In terms of narration, it’s clear to see why A Wrinkle in Time is such a beloved novel.

It’s also incredibly imaginative which is perfect for a child. As a child, I thought it to be whimsical. But as an adult, I see it isn’t just that. It’s about family, love, and growing up. And it’s also quite scary, thanks to IT and the whole darkness thing.

 But unlike many, I found that I forced myself to read each page. It wasn’t necessarily the plot that I found boring. The first chapter was engaging, as was the second half. It was there that the plot was interesting and left me fascinated to find out exactly what would happen to Meg, Charlies, and Calvin.

The main reason I struggled with staying interested was because I felt like the characters were flat and unrealistic. Out of all of them, Meg was the only one who seemed to have any ounce of personality, and even then she felt more like an archetype than person. But my biggest issue was the fact that none of the characters acted their age. Yes, I understood Charles. But Meg and Calvin? I kept forgetting that they were supposed to be teenagers,  not eight-year-olds.

A lot of this had to do with the dialogue. I know that how it was written was characteristic of its time, but to me it’s only a reminder of how much children’s and young adult literature has improved over the past decade. I couldn’t imagine half of what anyone said, including the adults, coming out of any person’s mouth.

And then there were the Christian themes of the text. None of it really fit in with the story. Biblical allusions, Christian teachings, all of it felt so forced and unnatural. And it took away from the magic of the story. For me, it was an unnecessary interruption.

Overall, I understand why A Wrinkle in Time is a classic. I understand why people love it, and I understand why I loved it as a child. It’s imaginative with an interesting plot and world. But flat and unrealistic characterization took it from a “I can’t put this down” to a “You can stop reading if you read one more chapter” book, and ultimately I have to wonder if this is a book best left to childhood.