The Austins: A Ring of Endless Light

As a small child, I was madly in love with Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind in the Door. So, recently I decided to go back and reread those books, and all the other novels I missed by L'Engle during my childhood.

I just finished reading A Ring of Endless Light for the first time yesterday.

A Ring of Endless Light is the story of Vicky, the oldest daughter of the Austin family. She is almost sixteen at the start of the novel, and she's spending the summer on Seven Bay Island with the rest of her family, including her grandfather who is dying of leukemia. Vicky is an aspiring poet, and spends a great deal of her time in introspection and in writing. She does not consider herself to be beautiful, nor does she think she's nearly as smart as the rest of her family.

But this summer, things are about to change for Vicky.

The Setting of this book is extraordinary. Vicky's family is staying on an island made up of seven bays, each having several coves, some very private. The whole family (mother, father, 7-year-old Rob, 13-year-old Suzy, 15-year-old Vicky, John who is in college, and their dying grandfather) are all basically camping out together in an old remodeled stable.

On the island, there's a marine biology research station, where John works with starfish. John's friend, Adam Eddington, studies dolphins and invites Vicky to come meet the dolphins. Vicky immediately makes a connection with the dolphins, and although she's needed at home this summer to help with her grandfather, she manages to help out Adam regularly.

Meanwhile, a local boy named Leo, whose father died suddenly, makes demands on Vicky for more than friendship. She's always thought of him as a slob, and isn't interested, but doesn't feel she can turn away from him in his grief.

Additionally, a boy from Vicky's past named Zachary comes to the island and tells her that he recently tried to kill himself, and that he needs her to keep him sane. Vicky has always been very attracted to Zachary, but now that she's been away from him for awhile, she's grown up enough to realize that physical attraction is not everything and that she needs more.

The Good

Continuity
I'm always amazed that L'Engle is able to write so many books with so many different themes, and yet have them all fit together so well. Knowing that the characters I know and love from other books are going to keep reappearing, is one of the things that keeps me reading.

Suitable for teens and adults of all ages.
L'Engle never talks down to young readers. The reading level is adult, and it takes children seriously as thinking people who can have an impact on the world around them. The themes are of concern to people of all ages, and the reading level is adult.

Comforting
At one point or another, we all think a bit too much about death. Whatever your religion is - or isn't - if you or your teen find yourself worrying overly much about the eventuality of your own death, and perhaps if you are facing the death of a family member, this may be a good book to while away a few afternoons on.

The Not So Good
There is an awful lot of death in this book. Vicky's grandfather, Leo's father, Zachary's suicide attempt, a baby dolphin, a little girl with cancer, and more. The book is clearly Christian, and is occasionally heavy-handed about it. I know, of course, that L'Engle is a Christian, and though I am not Christian, the other books I've read by her have not been so obvious about it. Many people may like this, and personally I don't have a problem with it, but it will make it less valuable to some readers.

The Bad
This story is written in first person, from Vicky's point of view. There are many points where Vicky is just flat unbelievable. She never really seems like a kid. She doesn't seem to stop thinking or get caught up in the moment. All of her decisions are thoughtful, and she thinks much more about "the big picture" than teens generally do.

A lot of the language is just too poetic and stilted. I understand that Vicky might be this way in her own odd family, but when she talks in poems around people in the rest of the world, they never seem bothered or put off by it.

Final Thoughts
I obviously have several complaints about this book. But, the bottom line is that L'Engle's writing style just sweeps you away and then much - if not all - can be forgiven. A good, enjoyable book with a theme that everyone can relate to in one way or another.