When I read "A Wrinkle in Time" as a child I loved it. When I read "The Chronicles of Narnia" as a child, I loved them. Years later, I read them both again. I still love "The Chronicles of Narnia", though I find some of its Christianity clumsy. I never read "The Wind in the Willows" as a child, but I love it as an adult.

And so we come back to "A Wrinkle in Time"... I loved it as a child, but I SO hated it when I re-read it in my 20's. I know that it is a book that means a lot to a lot of people, but to my mind it isn't even a particularly good book, let a lone a great one.

I had a different experience. I reread both "Wrinkle" and "Narnia" as my son, 8, is eager to read these and I wanted to refresh my recollections. I found "Wrinkle" as powerful as ever - the struggle between good and evil not black and white but shaded enough to make it "real". "Narnia", however, just seemed plain preachy to me as well as dragging on forever in certain parts.

I will certainly grant that since I was reading both of these with a specific purpose instead of pure enjoyment I may allowed myself to experience some of the "young mind's wonder" mentioned in another post, which in turn may have colored my perceptions.

Of course, it may also be that my continued devotion to Heinlein, especially the juvenile literature, may influence my perceptions as much as, if not more so, than reading from the "young mind's wonder"

I had a similar experience. I still enjoy A Wrinkle In Time and its sequels....as well as Lloyd Alexander's The Prydain Chronicles and several other children's books and series. However, as an adult, I find Narnia condescending and annoying. Considering that I first read the series as a senior in high school, one wonders if this was due to the mindset of "everyone says its fabulous and I've been meaning to read it for years" that I had at the time or if it speaks more one's general level of naivete when one reads it.

Wrinkle occupied a special place in my childhood heart. Like Meg, I was an awkward kid in an isolated, rural area, surrounded by family who -- in my benignly self-centered view -- just didn't understand me. But the book's good qualities go far beyond its brilliantly universal protagonist: Its covers are wide enough to encompass whole galaxies, yet something about it always remains as warm and welcoming as Meg's cup of cocoa.

When I re-read it during grad school, I found it even richer than I had the first time through. The portrayal of familial and platonic loves was more meaningful. The spiritual themes that I could only faintly outline at 11 were clearer and sturdier at 23. And despite the extra decade under my belt, a piece of me will always that awkward kid who is haunted by two infinite universes, the one around me and the one within me.

The only L'Engle book I have re-read is Many Waters.. Perhaps because it was more connected to the 'real world', which was more acceptable when I was in my late teens (much like Narnia's Susan, with her makeup and tights). And now I'm conflicted: I desperately want to re-read Narnia, but feel that I've read too much criticism and theological analysis to really enjoy them the way I did, as pure, non-proselytizing story. I want to re-read the Time series but... I just don't want to ever lose that feeling of wonder I first felt. (Besides, I've actually studied mitochondria now...and am nervous about picking holes in something that I so love)

Interesting response.

Like you, I read "Wrinkle" and "Narnia" years ago, and to daughters since, but I still love Lewis as much as before (inc Perelandra trilogy). He maybe "preachy" but that is part of the attraction surely (that he wants to believe what he says). The alternative would be merely patronising.

The only Heinlen I've managed to read is "The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag" and I enjoyed that, but by and large sci-fi doesn't do much for me (it isn't preachy enough!). Science itself is far too fictional to credit, and fiction far too scientific generally, but there I go getting into my pulpit. Sorry.

Hi Chester,

Just wanted to applaud and second your response.

Mazel tov