4.15

1

Sep 07, 2014

Yes, there will be spoilers, but, seriously, it doesn't matter, because you don't want to read this book.

All right. So this book deals with Sandy and Dennys, who have been little better than side characters in the other books. They are Meg and Charles Wallace's "normal" brothers. Twins. It also takes place prior to A Swiftly Tilting Planet, while the twins are sports stars in high school. The impression I got is that they are probably juniors and about 17 years old. Basically, the boys walk into Yes, there will be spoilers, but, seriously, it doesn't matter, because you don't want to read this book.

All right. So this book deals with Sandy and Dennys, who have been little better than side characters in the other books. They are Meg and Charles Wallace's "normal" brothers. Twins. It also takes place prior to A Swiftly Tilting Planet, while the twins are sports stars in high school. The impression I got is that they are probably juniors and about 17 years old. Basically, the boys walk into their mother's lab and, when they walk out of it, rather than going back into the kitchen of the house, they end up in the days of Noah. Yes, that Noah. The one that built the big boat. Hence the title of the book.

There's never any firm conclusion as to how they got transported back in time. It may or may not have had to do with an experiment that was going on in the lab, though the type of experiment is never explained, or it may have had to do with them messing with their dad's weird computer, or, maybe, it was just God.

They end up in the desert. Of course, they're wearing winter clothing, which they soon discard... all the way down to their skin. Because that's always a smart thing to do in the desert. Get nearly naked, that is. The end result of that is that about 1/3 of the book deals with them being nursed back to health by Noah's family, who mistake the twins for giants, because no one in Noah's day was even near to being 5' tall. A lot of this section of the book also has the repeated conversation with, well, every freaking character they meet, "We're not giants." And it's not that I don't think they wouldn't have had to have had that conversation, but does L'Engle really need to repeat it 10 or so times.

This book also follows the pattern of all of the books in the series: The characters really don't ever do anything. Sandy and Dennys talk a lot about how they will get home... um, no, wait... They ask that question a lot. Every few pages it seems. "How will we get home?" "I don't know." "What should we do?" "Let's go garden." Seriously, that's their solution every time the question comes up, to work in Noah's father's garden. Basically, they end up being observers to the action going on around them and that's pretty much it. And what that comes down to is that the rising action in this book is about like a road in West Texas with a speed bump on it when Sandy gets kidnapped.

Aside from the lack of any real story or character development, the book is full of all kind of ridiculousness:

1. There are mammoths. Yes, in the desert. But these are not the mammoths you're thinking of. You know, the big, hairy elephants. No, these are tiny mammoths. Terrier-sized mammoths. In fact, they pretty much are small dogs that look like mammoths. The mammoths can scent things and follow trails like a bloodhound, but they are also used as dowsing rods to find water. Which explains why the desert people keep them as pets, I suppose, but how did they get tiny? Well, evidently, they... evolved to be that way? The explanation is something along the lines of them having grown smaller and smaller over a great time.

2. However, the Earth in this book is a brand new Earth. A very young planet still going through its growing pains, so the whole thing with the mammoths doesn't really make any sense. L'Engle seems to want to have the Earth both be billions of years old and only 5000 (or so) years old as in the strict Creationist viewpoint.

3. There are manticores and griffons. Or a manticore and a griffon. It's never clear on whether there are more than one of each. The manticore is "bad" and just shows up rather like a cartoon character to shout "hungry" and try to eat the little doggy-mammoths and have to be shooed away. The griffon shows up to chase "bad" girls away from Sandy and Dennys.

4. L'Engle seems to have a thing with unicorns, because there are more unicorns in this book. Virtual unicorns, as the twins call them. They don't always exist, only when you decide you believe in them and, of course, they can only be approached by virgins. The annoying thing with the unicorns is that even after the boys have experiences with the unicorns, they go on and on about how they can't believe in them because they don't exist, so they can only believe in the unicorns when the unicorns are actually standing right in front of them. I have to suppose that they ceased to believe in their family, too, when their family quit being right in front of them.

-- The issue with all of this is that L'Engle, from what I can tell, wants us to accept this book as being set in reality, our reality, and, yet, she undermines reality by introducing all of this mythological stuff into what we're supposed to believe is the actual pre-flood setting. It's more suspension of disbelief than I could handle, and I haven't even gotten to the Angels.

5. Oh, yes, the Angels. The pseudo conflict in the book is between the seraphim (the good Angels) and the nephilim (the bad Angels). In fact the whole "conflict" revolves around a girl, Yalith, who everyone is in love with, so it becomes a matter of whom she will choose: one of the twins (or both) or Eblis, the nephilim. It's an empty conflict through which L'Engle seems to deliver her message of "bad things don't happen to good people" (a message which makes me wonder what reality L'Engle lived in, because it's the same kind of message all of her books have: Love will always win and, ultimately, nothing bad happens to people who believe in love).

Speaking of Yalith and male/female relationships in general in this book: This may have been the most difficult part of the book for me to deal with. Yalith is the youngest child of Noah; she's nearly 100 years old (because people in Noah's time lived much longer (Noah is 700ish)), but she's basically a teenager. Because, you know, living longer means slower growth? Which makes me wonder how long would remain a baby in this time. 20 years? Because, man, if I was a mom, I'd be pissed. Having to care for an infant for 20 years... I can't even imagine it, especially since pregnancy still only last nine months (because there was a birth during the book). You could end up with, well, a lot of babies. Actually, what I think she wants us to believe is that everyone ages normally until they hit puberty when they, for whatever reason, quit developing. Still, that means around 90 years as a teenager! That would be the worst!

Oh, back to the twins and male/female relationships:
So Sandy meets Yalith; Yalith is basically naked, because the people in Noah's time only wear loincloths. In the desert. Because we have examples of people today who live in the desert but only wear loincloths? At any rate, Yalith is all but naked, and Sandy is a teenage boy confronted with a naked girl and his response is to get a "funny feeling." Um, what? A funny feeling? What does that even mean? And that's how all of the interactions between the twins and girls go: They get funny feelings. I'm sorry; these boys are supposed to be 16 or 17 years old, and L'Engle is treating them as if they're, at best, 10. It's ridiculous.

The twins do end up back at home after spending at least a year in the desert with Noah. One of the Angels removes the boys' tans and, I suppose, the year or more they had aged, although that's not actually mentioned. So they end up back at home right at the point they'd left and nothing has changed. There was no character growth for the twins and nothing of consequence affected in the past. The flood still happens and all of that. It's a book where the goal is to return to the status quo but without even the benefit of the characters learning anything from the journey. In fact, the boys pick up talking about getting their driver's licenses as if nothing had even happened. ...more

4

Jul 23, 2011

It always amuses me when people say "coming of age story" when what they really mean is "sexual awakening". And don't be confused, there *is* a difference. Take for instance Hayao Miyazaki's 2001 film Spirited Away, this is a great example of a coming of age film. Yes, the protagonist Chihiro does meet a certain dragon/boy she may like more than a friend but this is not what pushes the character development, what pushes her to "grow up" are the lessons she learns about hard work, sacrifice and It always amuses me when people say "coming of age story" when what they really mean is "sexual awakening". And don't be confused, there *is* a difference. Take for instance Hayao Miyazaki's 2001 film Spirited Away, this is a great example of a coming of age film. Yes, the protagonist Chihiro does meet a certain dragon/boy she may like more than a friend but this is not what pushes the character development, what pushes her to "grow up" are the lessons she learns about hard work, sacrifice and caring about others. Sandys and Dennys on the other hand don't change much throughout Many Waters - they exit our story much as they enter it, self sufficient, hard working and caring. What changes in their story is the capacity of sexual and emotional desire they become aware of.

Reading this I got a very different vibe from the rest of the Time books. While this one is no exception to the publisher's rule where it's cover has the words "a companion to a Wrinkle in Time" written across the front, unlike all the other books in the series, I felt that this was the only one that was self sufficient enough to stand on its own. Almost to the point where I wonder if Le'Engle, after having written these books several decades apart, didn't write this as more of an adult novel, knowing like many authors who undertake long IR series (such as Harry Potter), that the original demographic would have grown up by then. After all, there's quite a few things that make this book a questionable choice for the younger set that AWiT was aimed at. Sandy, tied and bound in a tent hears his captors voice and calls her name. When she expresses delight at him recognizing her she thinks it's by her voice and yet we see him say to himself quite clearly "I recognized you by your scent you slut". And earlier on Dennys tells of his afternoon walk through the oasis bazaar and his difficulty in looking at all the faces around him for he knows they're to be drowned. Again, not exactly elementary school stuff.

However, that being said, you'd think a children's book by a Christian author set in biblical times where the village seductress is called a slut would be pretty stuffy when it came to messages on sex and women, but surprisingly it's not. Le'Engle makes a pretty radical move by having some of her characters call the Noah story chauvinistic from the get go, addressing some of the tension head on. And while the story does not drastically alter from that in the bible Le'Engle surprised me by angling the story from a pretty feminine perspective. Yes, two young adolescent boys are the main narrators, and yet most of the story revolves around activities like watering animals and plants, gardening, cooking, caring for the elderly, birthing and marriage - all the things our society typically considers to be feminine. The first place Dennys is taken to that is considered safe and whole in the story is the tent the women use for menstruation, and while there are an equal number of men and women in Noah's tent less time is given to the sons than the daughters. It would have been easy to center this story around the building of the arc, hunting and other masculine activities and yet we spend time in the women's tent and out on rocks under star lit skies where sisters talk about husbands and children.

And the sex. Ah the sex. This isn't your grandma's bible story that's for sure. Or maybe not, but somehow the constant sexual tension of a might-have-been threesome never made it's way into any of MY Baby's First Bible. The message here is not so much one of abstinence as other's have suggested as it is understanding that who you have sex with the first time matters just as much as who you have sex with once you are settled down. The message here isn't "don't do it" it's "don't do it carelessly".

So in the end did I like it more than AWiT? Yes, and no. It's a horse of a different color to be sure. I think as a piece of children's literature I loved, and always will love, AWiT the best. But as a grown up's book Many Waters is a finely crafted and startling re-imagination of Biblical times that belongs right up their with The Red Tent. Highly recommended. ...more

5

Sep 01, 2007

Just barely edged out as my favorite book in the series (right behind "A swiftly Tilting Planet"). Tells a story less concerned with love and justice and all about the hard choices that people (and deities) make in a flawed world.

An out and out retelling of the Biblical Deluge from the point of view of two modern teenagers. Unique in that it makes no apology for all the fantastical stuff the Bible referred to in antediluvian times. Angels getting it own with the village girls, men who live for Just barely edged out as my favorite book in the series (right behind "A swiftly Tilting Planet"). Tells a story less concerned with love and justice and all about the hard choices that people (and deities) make in a flawed world.

An out and out retelling of the Biblical Deluge from the point of view of two modern teenagers. Unique in that it makes no apology for all the fantastical stuff the Bible referred to in antediluvian times. Angels getting it own with the village girls, men who live for centuries, strange voices in the forest. Surprisingly, this was one of the most original fantasy lands a novel had taken me to up till that point.
...more

2

Mar 25, 2018

Many Waters is the fourth book in A Wrinkle in Time series and it's probably my least favorite. It was just a really boring book to breeze through. I mean they are only like.. 12 chapters each book but man was I bored with this one.

Sandy and Denny messed with their dad's new computer and traveled to a different time. They end up within Noah and the Ark storyline which seemed pretty cool.. but was just really boring and disappointing. For some reason, it just didn't work for me and kind of rubbed Many Waters is the fourth book in A Wrinkle in Time series and it's probably my least favorite. It was just a really boring book to breeze through. I mean they are only like.. 12 chapters each book but man was I bored with this one.

Sandy and Denny messed with their dad's new computer and traveled to a different time. They end up within Noah and the Ark storyline which seemed pretty cool.. but was just really boring and disappointing. For some reason, it just didn't work for me and kind of rubbed me the wrong way. No amount of coffee, wine, or puppy snuggles could get me to like this book. I'm just happy that I'm almost done with this series.

The one thing I didn't like, and trust me there was a lot of things I didn't like, was the sex talk. Or sexual references. ANYTHING to do with sex in this book - I didn't like. I think the reason I didn't like it was because this series isn't supposed to be that type of young adult.. more like middle school young adult.. with no sex. EVER.

Overall, this book was a hot mess in my eyes. I just didn't like. I hope the last book is way better. ...more

1

Jul 29, 2018

HOOW DID THAT HAPPEN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN. How did the pure beauty and truth and utter heartbreaking melody of A Wrinkle in Time turn in to this monstrous, sensualized, romantic Bible Fanfiction.

Did I just read that.
Did my eyes behold those pages.
I really hope that was some nasty, Echtroi-induced dream.
Unfortunately...

5

Mar 24, 2012

No one seems to acknowledge these books as much as A Wrinkle in Time, but this one was by far my favorite. And maybe this is an overreaction, but I thought this one story was really beautiful. I really liked the Biblical time that the twins Sandy and Dennys went back to, and how in that time, angels were on the earth with humans. It was interesting that they could take the form of an animal, and it was clear that the Seraphim were good and the Nephilim evil. There were so many characters in this No one seems to acknowledge these books as much as A Wrinkle in Time, but this one was by far my favorite. And maybe this is an overreaction, but I thought this one story was really beautiful. I really liked the Biblical time that the twins Sandy and Dennys went back to, and how in that time, angels were on the earth with humans. It was interesting that they could take the form of an animal, and it was clear that the Seraphim were good and the Nephilim evil. There were so many characters in this story that it was a little hard to keep them straight, but I love when there are a lot of characters. I was surprised at some of the content, as this book is supposed to be for kids. I mean, I first read it when I was a kid and I didn't really understand the whole concept of unicorns unable to be touched by anyone who isn't a virgin. I didn't get what the word "slut" meant.
This one has a surprising take on the idea that women are never named or included in the Biblical stories. It's always "so-and-so and his wife. such-and-such and his daughter." So though the main characters are two boys, Many Waters had a sort of feminist take on it.
What amuses me about the Time books--mostly the third and the fourth--is that the summaries make them seem like a science fictiony adventure, but really they deal a lot more with religion and the nature of good and evil. I love Many Waters because I always wanted to hear about the twins and what was going on with them. I did find it slightly creepy that they were thought of as one person, and near the end Yalith was all, "I love you both!" and kissed them. It seems like something odd to be taken lightly. But then again, this book was crazy, and if you haven't read it yet, you should! Or maybe not, since I probably spoiled a lot of it. ...more

1

Sep 18, 2018

Many Waters: I saw someone describe this novel as bible fanfiction, and that really is the perfect description for it. Bad bible fanfiction.

Initially I was excited for Many Waters. I was keen to follow Dennys and Sandy for the first time. However, I was less keen to follow them to pre-Flood times. You know the one with Noah and the ark? That flood. At the very least, L'Engle starts by acknowledging that way back then, people were a heck shorter than now. In fact, she mentions multiple times that Many Waters: I saw someone describe this novel as bible fanfiction, and that really is the perfect description for it. Bad bible fanfiction.

Initially I was excited for Many Waters. I was keen to follow Dennys and Sandy for the first time. However, I was less keen to follow them to pre-Flood times. You know the one with Noah and the ark? That flood. At the very least, L'Engle starts by acknowledging that way back then, people were a heck shorter than now. In fact, she mentions multiple times that these people were less than four foot tall. Comparatively, Dennys and Sandy were 20th century fifteen-year-olds who towered over them to the point of being called "giants". So tell me why I had to suffer through the constant descriptions of the female characters' breasts and Dennys and Sandy's sexual desires from the moment the twins met these tiny humans. It was excruciating. The whole book is excruciating.

I mean, it's not the religious nature of the book that bothers me. The story is just so dumb. And it's a shame because L'Engle is not a bad writer. The actual mechanics of her writing aren't bad. It's the content that is just so ludicrous. Dennys and Sandy spend so much of the book doing nothing. Like so much of the book is just them recovering from their sun exposure. And the moment they learn one fella is named Noah? There's this immediate realisation by both that they must be in pre-Flood times like there has never been another person named Noah. And the weird fucking 'romantic' subplots! One girl is 'in love' with both boys and 'loved' by both and another is painted as the Classic Seductress, to the point that she's referred to as a slut. I literally replayed that part of the audiobook to make sure I'd heard it right. The novel just constantly felt like it was written with such a hyper-religious agenda that L'Engle let actual craftsmanship fall to the wayside.

If you need a good fucking laugh, go full steam ahead and read this. If not, please don't ever pick this book up. It is not worth it. It really is that bad awful horrific abysmal and I could never seriously recommend Many Waters to another person. ...more

4

Nov 20, 2016

I enjoy L'Engle's books, for the most part. This one was no exception, but my favorites will always be A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind In The Door, since they don't have the main problem this and A Swiftly Tilting Planet do, mainly the fact that the twins in this one and Charles Wallace in Planet don't really DO anything. Sure, they go to a different time and place, but then what? They just wait to go back home.
That's not to say that the book was written poorly, it just feels like there was not I enjoy L'Engle's books, for the most part. This one was no exception, but my favorites will always be A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind In The Door, since they don't have the main problem this and A Swiftly Tilting Planet do, mainly the fact that the twins in this one and Charles Wallace in Planet don't really DO anything. Sure, they go to a different time and place, but then what? They just wait to go back home.
That's not to say that the book was written poorly, it just feels like there was not much point to Sandy and Den being there. They just went about their daily life as much as they could, and helped Noah and Grandfather with basic chores. Even at the end, when the arc was being built, they just helped build it; they did not really have anything to overcome. Sure, the nephil were there and halfway worked against them, but the only times either of the twins were in danger, it did not feel like there was any doubt at all that they would be saved, or able to get themselves out of it, and it did not feel like the nephil would have actually hurt them.
Overall, it was a well written story, and does add some depth to Sandy and Den. It is also and interesting way to read the story of Noah and the flood. ...more

3

Feb 23, 2008

As I said of A Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet, I didn’t know of these sequels to A Wrinkle in Time until I was an adult and read them when my son was reading the quartet. I now own this beautiful edition: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... , and have reread the books (along with their respective endnotes) but reviewed them separately.

From what I gather, fans of the Time Quartet have two main issues with this book: first, that it is the Murry twins having an adventure; and, As I said of A Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet, I didn’t know of these sequels to A Wrinkle in Time until I was an adult and read them when my son was reading the quartet. I now own this beautiful edition: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... , and have reread the books (along with their respective endnotes) but reviewed them separately.

From what I gather, fans of the Time Quartet have two main issues with this book: first, that it is the Murry twins having an adventure; and, second, that this adventure is set in the time of Noah. I don’t have an issue with the latter. I get the first point, though, in that this adventure is out of character for the twins. They are the static, ‘normal,’ characters in the books; they are there for contrast to the 'eccentric' members of their family, as well as for some comic relief. But I have no problem thinking of this book as alternative, parallel, ‘history.’

I imagine there’s a third, disconcerting, issue for some of the fans: unlike the rest of the series, this book is about sex, mostly lust, though love is promoted. For the teenaged twins, previously concerned only with sports and their upcoming drivers’ licenses, this is the story of their sexual awakening. It’s also a possible primer for their lives together going forward: 1) y’all are likely to fall in love with the same (good) girl who will also be in love with both of you, and that will be complicated; 2) beware of the older, seductive (bad) girl with the “perfect” (L’Engle’s word) body. Unicorns are also a part of the story, and we all know the implications of that. Having a brilliant scientist mother has certainly influenced their views though: they have no issue with thinking and calling the Biblical story they are a part of “chauvinistic.”

My main issue with the book is that it seemed to go on too long (perhaps because my adolescent days are long past), and scenes like the ones of the boys being taken care of after sunstroke started to feel repetitive, and a bit boring--what kept me reading is L'Engle's storytelling skills. ...more

4

Sep 13, 2014

fascinating blend of science, mythology and Bible epic

In this adventure, the twins Sandy and Dennys take center stage. They are thrust into the prehistoric world before the Great Flood and encounter early civilized men, supernatural beings like the seraphim and nephilim, as well as creatures like the mammoth, manticores, griffiths and unicorns. Along with the mythic elements, it's an incredible coming of age story.

The usually inseparable twins are actually apart for most of the story both fascinating blend of science, mythology and Bible epic

In this adventure, the twins Sandy and Dennys take center stage. They are thrust into the prehistoric world before the Great Flood and encounter early civilized men, supernatural beings like the seraphim and nephilim, as well as creatures like the mammoth, manticores, griffiths and unicorns. Along with the mythic elements, it's an incredible coming of age story.

The usually inseparable twins are actually apart for most of the story both physically and emotionally. They find themselves in a time in which things have gone wrong and this society is on the verge of imminent change. The twins experience the best and worst of humanity and must constantly face temptation in different forms. It is a story of endurance, perseverance, faith and family.

I liked this one as much as "The Tilting Planet" -- both are definitely highpoints in the series. ...more

3

Dec 29, 2013

You know that sliver of Genesis between the interminable lists of old dudes ("And Methuselah lived 969 years, blah blah blah...") and the tempestuous God-rage era of Noah and the Flood? Yeah, that's the setting for this book.

Sandy and Dennys, the unbearably logical Vulcan-esque children of Mr. and Mrs. Murry, end up in biblical times through an accidental encounter with their parents' magic computer. Noah's son, Japheth, rescues them from the desert heat with the help of two unicorns (more You know that sliver of Genesis between the interminable lists of old dudes ("And Methuselah lived 969 years, blah blah blah...") and the tempestuous God-rage era of Noah and the Flood? Yeah, that's the setting for this book.

Sandy and Dennys, the unbearably logical Vulcan-esque children of Mr. and Mrs. Murry, end up in biblical times through an accidental encounter with their parents' magic computer. Noah's son, Japheth, rescues them from the desert heat with the help of two unicorns (more unicorns!!!), and they find themselves in a Genesis they never knew existed.

In addition to unicorns (!!!), Noah's desert oasis also offers us tiny mammoths, and two varieties (races? species?) of supernatural humanoids: seraphim and nephilim. While the seraphim reflect the glory of El (God), the nephilim are somewhat more complex. The intentions of the nephilim are unclear: they are pointedly commingling with humans, but also wary of El's undefined plan for Earth. Eventually, L'Engle reveals the nephilim as (view spoiler)[a source of evil incarnate, kidnapping Sandy and Dennys and attempting to torture or kill them off before they can fulfill El's plan (hide spoiler)], but that's not until the veeeeeery end.

I found L'Engle's fantasy elements just as, well, fantastical as always. The unicorns (squee!), mammoths, seraphim, and nephilim are all intricately rendered, and make for a mystical tour of the Book of Genesis. She offers me so much more than the stale lists and epochs of the original work.

However... I don't know. It fell a little flat with me. There was so much buildup for too little resolution: (view spoiler)[the floods start, and Sandy, Dennys, and the seraphim come up with a haphazard plan to return the twins to their own time in the last ten pages of the book. (hide spoiler)] It felt tacked on, underdeveloped.

Plus, how creepy-weird is the love triangle between Sandy, Dennys, and Noah's daughter, Yalith? They both want to bang her, and she wants to bang both of them, but they never exactly talk about it. Quasi-twincest is a strange choice for a kids' book, L'Engle, but okay.

Overall, a welcome return to the Murry family, and a fresh and intriguing look at biblical riffraff.

Oh, and: unicorns!!!!!

Buy this title from Powell's Books. ...more

5

Apr 13, 2010

Still reflecting on this one. It's so lyrical, thoughtful, and strange. Nothing like the other Time books. Though L'Engle uses simple language and descriptions, the world she paints has so much contrast and so many unexpected elements that I was wholly immersed, thinking about it even when I wasn't reading - and it's been awhile since that happened.

If you're anticipating this to be a piece of preachy historical Bible-fiction because of the subject matter, you'll be surprised, as I was. It never Still reflecting on this one. It's so lyrical, thoughtful, and strange. Nothing like the other Time books. Though L'Engle uses simple language and descriptions, the world she paints has so much contrast and so many unexpected elements that I was wholly immersed, thinking about it even when I wasn't reading - and it's been awhile since that happened.

If you're anticipating this to be a piece of preachy historical Bible-fiction because of the subject matter, you'll be surprised, as I was. It never goes quite where you think it will, and there is a pervasive sense of melancholy and wisdom - the kind of wisdom gained only from seeing the darker parts of people. I could actually feel the twins growing up as the book progressed.

The following passage really struck me when I read it; a good summary of the book's main themes:

"I don't like entropy," Sandy said. "The universe winding down."

"I don't think it's winding down," Dennys contradicted. "I think it's still being birthed. Even the flood is part of the birthing."

"I don't understand." Sandy's voice was flat. "Everybody knows that entropy--"

"Everybody doesn't. And entropy is in question, anyhow. Remember, we had that in science last year. There's no such thing as an unbreakable scientific rule, because, sooner or later, they all seem to get broken. Or to change."

"Grandfather Lamech said that these are last days." The occasional slow drops of rain made Sandy on edge, and argumentative.

Another spash of rain touched Dennys's face, muting the stars. "There have been many times of last days," he said, "and they mark not only endings but beginnings." ...more

4

Aug 23, 2007

so... this was the first of all the books which made me realize while i was reading it that it was all christian imagery. i mean, the arc and all - noah... hard to miss, right? and that's what people say about aslan - just a jesus allegory - but i didn't have any christian education as a child, so i missed all of that. and most people say the same "when i was a kid i didn't realize it had all that christian metaphor." which i think means that in effect, it didn't. if we don't know the so... this was the first of all the books which made me realize while i was reading it that it was all christian imagery. i mean, the arc and all - noah... hard to miss, right? and that's what people say about aslan - just a jesus allegory - but i didn't have any christian education as a child, so i missed all of that. and most people say the same "when i was a kid i didn't realize it had all that christian metaphor." which i think means that in effect, it didn't. if we don't know the corresponding reference than it means only what it describes on the surface, and whatever else we can relate it to in our own experience. if you're not christian, they're not christian books. they are just books, and you can place them in your universe of experience however you see fit.
that said, i remember thinking if the bible was as sexy as this book. i think i was fourteen when i read it and those boys are supposed to be CUTE. and there's that "angel" who keeps trying ot have sex with one of them... i mean, that's pretty cool. ...more

2

Feb 05, 2011

Many Waters, the fourth book in Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quintet, continues to follow the fantastic time/space travel exploits of the Murry family. Instead of focusing on Meg and Charles Wallace, however, this novel is about their “normal” siblings Sandy and Dennys. The twins have always been the ordinary members of the extraordinary Murry family and haven’t taken part in previous adventures, but when they fool around with their father’s computer and inadvertently mess up his experiment with “ Many Waters, the fourth book in Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quintet, continues to follow the fantastic time/space travel exploits of the Murry family. Instead of focusing on Meg and Charles Wallace, however, this novel is about their “normal” siblings Sandy and Dennys. The twins have always been the ordinary members of the extraordinary Murry family and haven’t taken part in previous adventures, but when they fool around with their father’s computer and inadvertently mess up his experiment with “tessering” through time and space, they suddenly find themselves in the midst of the story of Noah and the Ark, straight out of the Bible. (It’s just like those “Greatest Adventure” cartoons with Derek, Margo and Moki that they used to make us watch in Sunday School!)

This begins their unbelievable new life in pre-Flood Earth—and by unbelievable, I mean hard for me to believe. I find a lot of elements of L’Engle’s writing difficult to swallow even for Children’s Literature, and this novel is probably my least favorite of the series (although I have yet to read the fifth) in part because the beginning is so badly written. Sandy and Dennys have a very cliché conversation that smacks of speedy, lazy character exposition à la Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys or the Sweet Valley Twins. Then for no particular reason, the two boys are typing a request into the computer that they be transported some place warmer than the cold New England climate where they live. Magically, the computer is able to comply – and I find myself wishing that going on a vacation to Maui were really that simple. L’Engle tries to explain some of this with a lot of talk about quantum leaps and particle physics, but even in a science fictional world where time/space travel is possible, this all sounds like a load of hooey.

If a reader doesn’t get hung up on these things, though, I admit that there’s a lot of interesting stuff going on in this novel, even though the plot is rather slow. Seraphim and nephilim, creatures which L’Engle developed from a few vague biblical references, live amongst the humans in pre-Flood Earth. At first, it is not clear exactly who or what they are – they are described as beautiful giants with wings that are able to assume animal forms. Neither is it clear whether they are good or evil at first; the race of men know that these creatures are a different species and some consider it to be an honor to be chosen as a mate for these glorified beings. A great deal of tension comes from the interplay between the humans, seraphim and nephilim as some of the characters wrestle with whether to trust the nephilim in particular. Over the course of the novel, it becomes clear that the seraphim are angels and the nephilim are fallen angels, and it is the development of this largely-ignored Biblical mythology that I find to be the most interesting aspect of the novel. Though the nephilim are only mentioned twice in the Hebrew Bible, there is a lot of potential to mine from those brief references.

Sandy and Dennys find themselves amidst the tension between the seraphim and nephalim, as well as the tension between Noah and his father. Though the two boys initially suffer life-threatening heat stroke from prolonged exposure to the desert environs, they manage to help reunite the Biblical patriarch and his stubborn, aging parent – thus securing themselves a place within Noah’s family. Though they miss the rest of the Murrys, who remain back in the twentieth century, they have no idea of how they might return home and so they adjust to life in pre-Flood civilization. They cannot dismiss the nagging question, though, of what will happen to them when the torrential rains come.

As in all of L’Engle’s Time Quintet novels, the journey across time and space is a catalyst for the characters to learn something about themselves and grow into the world around them. Sandy and Dennys are fairly immature and thoughtless at the beginning of the novel, messing with their father’s computer equipment, and they are extremely dependent on each other, functioning as two halves of a whole. Separated while they recover from their heat stoke and severe burns, the two begin to think and operate more independently of one another, and living in the much more harsh environment without the comforts of twentieth century technology forces them to mature in other ways. Finally, while they have generally ignored girls and romance up until this point, they both fall in love with Noah’s youngest daughter Yalith, which becomes another source of tension and a catalyst for further emotional development.

While I found these coming-of-age themes to be interesting, there is a lot of sexual content to this novel that is not present in the first three novels of the Time Quintet. In fact, when reading A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet, I got the distinct impression that L’Engle went out of her way to avoid any overt romantic or sexual activity. Throughout the first two novels, Meg and Calvin’s relationship is referred to as a “special friendship,” and even when they are married and expecting a child in the third novel, Calvin is attending a scientific conference out of the country and Meg is in many ways still characterized as a young and innocent girl. This novel is therefore quite different – the nephilm seduce and marry human women, then have their women try to seduce the twins in order to discover more information about them. Meanwhile, Sandy and Dennys struggle with their attraction to the same young woman throughout the novel. But although I don’t have a problem when books have sexual content, I find it unsettling that a novel written at the children’s level so openly discusses lust and seduction.

Overall, Many Waters was fairly unappealing to me for these reasons; I found the science fiction aspects to be too incredible for readers any older than eight or nine years old, yet the sexual content to be inappropriate (?) for anyone of that age. Yet I will admit that there were enough aspects of the story that I found interesting that by the time I had read two-thirds of the novel, I wanted to see exactly how Sandy and Dennys would escape the Great Flood and return home. The last one hundred pages were more absorbing, and though I can’t really say that I ever became engrossed in the novel, I will say that I can see why some readers would enjoy this story. If you love L’Engle’s other writing, or if you are really interested in the concept of traveling back through time to experience the events of the Bible, then you will probably like this novel well enough. Therefore, I’ll rate it with a "provisional" three stars – a good read for those of you with specific tastes and interests. Generally, though, I consider this to be more of a two star book and for most readers, the novel probably isn't worth your time. ...more

5

Jun 04, 2013

This book. This book! From the first time I read it maybe four or five years ago, I adored it, and I admire Madeleine L'Engle so much for having the brains and creativity to craft a story so brilliant, so bold, so just-absolutely-magnificent - I can never have enough words. This book is hands-down, pants-down my favorite of the Time Quintet series, and ties for my favorite-ever L'Engle with A Ring of Endless Light , which, surprise! is also full of absolutely luminous prose and a glorious plot. This book. This book! From the first time I read it maybe four or five years ago, I adored it, and I admire Madeleine L'Engle so much for having the brains and creativity to craft a story so brilliant, so bold, so just-absolutely-magnificent - I can never have enough words. This book is hands-down, pants-down my favorite of the Time Quintet series, and ties for my favorite-ever L'Engle with A Ring of Endless Light , which, surprise! is also full of absolutely luminous prose and a glorious plot. The two books are really different, but what they share is this, like, warmth and humaneness that keep the characters incredibly wise, serene, peaceful. I don't really know how to describe it. Just that, the people in these books have so much love between themselves and for the world around them, I fall in love again every time I read these books. And L'Engle's writing is flawless, totally gorgeous. And, I mean: Many waters cannot quench love. Neither can the floods drown it. I have never been able to get this quote out of my head. ...more

3

Sep 30, 2014

Many Waters is the fourth book in Madeleine L’Engle’s TIME quintet. The previous three books, A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, and A Swiftly Tilting Planet have all focused on Meg Murray and her strange little brother Charles Wallace as they travel through time and space. Many Waters is completely different. In this story, Meg’s twin brothers Sandy and Dennis mess with a computer in their mother’s lab and get blasted back to the time of Noah before he built the ark. From there the story Many Waters is the fourth book in Madeleine L’Engle’s TIME quintet. The previous three books, A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, and A Swiftly Tilting Planet have all focused on Meg Murray and her strange little brother Charles Wallace as they travel through time and space. Many Waters is completely different. In this story, Meg’s twin brothers Sandy and Dennis mess with a computer in their mother’s lab and get blasted back to the time of Noah before he built the ark. From there the story turns into a strange historical fantasy whose source text is Genesis 6.

In this well-known biblical story, God declares that humans are violent and corrupt... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi... ...more

1

Jan 03, 2017

It was such a dissapointment in comparison to the first three books in the series which I enjoyed greatly. Unfortunatly it focused on the two most boring, flat characters in the series and was such a terrible read, it took me 3 years to finally bring myself to finish it. I love the author and her writing, but this particular book was not to my liking and very dissapointing. I feel that it really let the series down.

3

Mar 26, 2009

I am surprised how much I enjoyed this, since I found the first 3 pretty mediocre. This is my favourite so far. One more to go. I suspect it had to do with the twins and Yalith's little romance. It was very interesting.

2

Feb 28, 2018

There were a lot of things that I didn't like about this book. And, unfortunately, only a few things that I did. After reading and enjoying the three previous Wrinkle in Time books, I was excited to get into this one. Sandy and Dennys never played a big role in the other books, but they always seemed like fun additions to the family, so I was excited to have a book about them. Sadly, this story didn't work for me.

Sandy and Dennys accidentally stumble into an experiment their father is There were a lot of things that I didn't like about this book. And, unfortunately, only a few things that I did. After reading and enjoying the three previous Wrinkle in Time books, I was excited to get into this one. Sandy and Dennys never played a big role in the other books, but they always seemed like fun additions to the family, so I was excited to have a book about them. Sadly, this story didn't work for me.

Sandy and Dennys accidentally stumble into an experiment their father is conducting and end up being transported through time. They end up with Noah (from the Bible) and his family before the floods come. While I have liked the biblical references in the previous books, this transporting of characters into Bible stories didn't work for me.

One of the main drawbacks in this was all the talk of sex. The previous novels seemed middlegrade, but this was not something I would hand off to my nieces and nephews of that age. There is one woman who tries to seduce the boys multiple times, nearly succeeding once, until Sandy decides that although he is ready she isn't the right person. There is even a birth scene when one of Noah's daughters gives birth to a child fathered by a fallen angel. It was weird.

Maybe without all of the sexual references this would have been better for me. As it is, I didn't enjoy it. Sandy and Dennys could have been a lot of fun in a story, but this one didn't work. And now that I have looked at what the next book is about, I don't think I will be continuing. I want to retain my fond memories of the first three and the entire Murray family, who I have enjoyed up to this point. ...more

2

Dec 27, 2017

2.5 Stars

The Murray twins take the spotlight for the first time in this book, which actually seems to be taking place somewhere between book 2 and 3 (as Meg isn’t yet married, and Sandy and Dennys are supposed to be in high school during this installment.) After accidentally interrupting an experiment, the boys are thrown back to some version of the pre-global flood days. In a strange oasis, they encounter Noah and his family—just prior to the building of the famed ark—along with some of the 2.5 Stars

The Murray twins take the spotlight for the first time in this book, which actually seems to be taking place somewhere between book 2 and 3 (as Meg isn’t yet married, and Sandy and Dennys are supposed to be in high school during this installment.) After accidentally interrupting an experiment, the boys are thrown back to some version of the pre-global flood days. In a strange oasis, they encounter Noah and his family—just prior to the building of the famed ark—along with some of the more corrupt and deeply unpleasant inhabitants of the ancient world.

Of the first four books I’ve so far read in the series, this one comes in last on my favorites list. Like A Swiftly Tilting Planet, this story involves time travel and altering (or maintaining the balance of) the past. Unlike the third book, our young heroes actually end up living in—and learning to cope with—this historical time period in which they’ve apparently become trapped. It isn’t the premise that disagreed with this reader so much as the slowness of pacing paired with the author’s particular high-fantasy interpretation of the biblically referenced time period. While the 3rd book dealt with a completely made-up timeline and family history, in this book the author is pulling directly from a known source and warping elements of it to suit her own intent.

For some reason, L’Engle chose to portray ancient humanity as a loincloth (only) wearing desert-dwelling people who were incredibly small in stature. I gathered by the end, this was to imply that the cross-breeding with fallen angels resulted in the more modern height increase. (However, this doesn’t explain the miniaturized size or nature of the of the water-detecting desert mammoths, which were described as being the size of dogs. There are also manticores, griffons, and “Virtual Unicorns” (very unlike the unicorns in book #3) that only exist when you decide to believe in them… because reasons. >.>) Humanity’s massive lifespan was also suggested as cause for technical adulthood not being reached until around the centennial mark. As a result, Noah’s 100-year-old daughter Yalith—who becomes the love interest for both brothers—is depicted as a painfully naive teenage-minded girl. Talk about a serious case of arrested development!

To me, the twins weren’t quite distinct enough in their own personalities. While they do prove more intelligent than they’d previously let on, they are nonetheless the most “normal” (i.e. vanilla dull) of all the Murray family. I found I was reading on for the sake of learning the plot more so than out of concern for what might happen to either of them.
Sandy and Denny’s vague knowledge of the Old Testament means they eventually do figure out the significance of the Noah they’ve encountered. But their lack of study and/or interest means they are incredibly slow on the pickup regarding the fallen angels and Nephilim. (Apparently in L’Engle’s hyper mythological vision of the quickly summarized record, humans don’t comprehend what the “winged giants” they’ve been breeding with actually are.)

Content Note: Contextual nudity (and its effect on the modern boys) is addressed with tact and cultural frankness. But this is the first book in the series to repeatedly reference awakening sexuality, and that may come as a surprise for some readers. Lust and seduction are repeatedly depicted as they are used against the twins in a vie for information. Although, compared to some of the more recent trends in Middle Grade and YA, the situations are relatively tame in their graphicness and end result.
...more

5

Jan 24, 2010

Many Waters is, in many ways, a retelling of the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark, with a science fiction twist. Following twins Sandy and Dennis in the aftermath of a mishap in their mother’s lab, the twins are sent back in time to world thousands of years before life as they know it. In a world divided between humans, Nephilim and Seraphim, Sandy and Dennis stick out like a sore thumb, and there’s a strong undercurrent of hate towards the twins, both seen as a threat and a useful ally, as they’re Many Waters is, in many ways, a retelling of the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark, with a science fiction twist. Following twins Sandy and Dennis in the aftermath of a mishap in their mother’s lab, the twins are sent back in time to world thousands of years before life as they know it. In a world divided between humans, Nephilim and Seraphim, Sandy and Dennis stick out like a sore thumb, and there’s a strong undercurrent of hate towards the twins, both seen as a threat and a useful ally, as they’re much taller than the people of the land they’ve found themselves in. To make matters worse, Noah is building an ark, and they know this story. Can they find their way home in time, and what happens to those left behind?

I have to admit – I really wasn’t a fan of the first few books in the Time series by Madeleine L’Engle. I just couldn’t get into the characters’ heads, and frankly, they bored me a good bit. Then, I found this book, the fourth in the series that isn’t completely chronological because the books stand alone. The premise fascinated me, as I’m very familiar with my Biblical tales (Catholic, party of one.) The prose is simple but sweet, with two twin boys as the MCs. It’s rich with history, embellished with touches of the supernatural and speeds steadily to an outcome I’m sure we all know all too well.

Sandy and Dennis were refreshing main characters. They kept true to a very boy-esque voice, which I find is missing in a lot of male MC books these days. The secondary characters like Adnarel, Yalith and Grandfather Lamech (and all the cute lil mammoths!) were fabulous, too, and I loved the cast of Nephilim and Seraphim, as well. I enjoyed that they shifted shapes into animals/beasts/insects very much like their own personalities. It was definitely the intricacies within Many Waters that drove it towards the climax, and the sweet touch of love that led to a sad, but beautiful climax was well-written and not overdone unlike a lot of YA romance these days. The themes of destiny, belief in things unseen and fate definitely weighed heavily, as well, making Many Waters even stronger.

I read Many Waters a long time ago, but I’ve kept it on my shelf and bough multiple copies as I wear it out through re-reading. I loved it back then, and I still do. I give it a firm 4.5 out of 5, and I’d recommend it to all YA fans, especially those who enjoy a touch of sci-fi and fantasy with religious undertones. ...more

4

Mar 12, 2010

I've always thought that Madeline L'Engle had a way of transporting readers to different dimensions with an interesting level of detail and intrigue in her writing and overall works. "Many Waters" was no exception, though the story is quite different from the usual "Time Quartet" travels, in that it has more biblical ties and features a set of characters who hadn't previously ventured on their own dimensional travels in the primary storyline with Meg and Charles Wallace.

Enter Sandy and Dennys, I've always thought that Madeline L'Engle had a way of transporting readers to different dimensions with an interesting level of detail and intrigue in her writing and overall works. "Many Waters" was no exception, though the story is quite different from the usual "Time Quartet" travels, in that it has more biblical ties and features a set of characters who hadn't previously ventured on their own dimensional travels in the primary storyline with Meg and Charles Wallace.

Enter Sandy and Dennys, the usually skeptical, practical twins who end up having an adventure of their own, one that transforms them remarkably. Seeing them in their own story was something that excited me the first time I picked up the book. I had a different version of the cover than this one the first time I picked it up from the library. It was a picture of the elder, blond twins - one of them shirtless, the other in cutoff jean shorts and a plaid shirt, in the middle of a vast desert with an ark, an angel and a snake on the cover.

The best summary I can give of this is a reinterpretation of Noah's Ark, with Sandy and Dennys separated between the realms of the seraphim, nepheilim, mammoths (who are actually tiny!) and tiny people and creatures that roam the world. I remember laughing when the twins were first considered giants upon their arrival into the world, and how fascinated the people were with the concept of twins (in the case that Sandy and Dennys looked alike). If I remember correctly both of the twins were sunburned, but one of them got it so bad he had to be treated medically by those that found him. It's been a good ten years or so since I've read the novels.

There's an interesting amount of politics and focus on the relations between them in this world, one that fascinated me. It's surprisingly well done for the kind of relationships, work, and ethics that Sandy and Dennys learn in their time there, and I enjoyed the interactions between the characters and the collective mythos of the world. ...more

4

Jan 01, 2018

3.75 stars. This is a strange book in many ways, and yet, I really like it. It's a retelling of the Biblical story of Noah and the Flood, told from the viewpoint of Sandy and Dennys, the Murry twins, who have only been secondary characters in the other books. In this story, they are not quite 16; several times, they mention that they are looking forward to getting their drivers' licenses.

Ms. L'Engle created quite an imaginative and atmospheric setting and characters - some of whom are mentioned 3.75 stars. This is a strange book in many ways, and yet, I really like it. It's a retelling of the Biblical story of Noah and the Flood, told from the viewpoint of Sandy and Dennys, the Murry twins, who have only been secondary characters in the other books. In this story, they are not quite 16; several times, they mention that they are looking forward to getting their drivers' licenses.

Ms. L'Engle created quite an imaginative and atmospheric setting and characters - some of whom are mentioned in the Biblical account and others who aren't - and like all well-written historical fiction, I enjoyed it very much. In spite of the fact that Sandy & Dennys are males, Ms. L'Engle focuses on the routine, domestic life in Lamech's and Noah's tent. In that respect, it's rather reminiscent of Anita Diamant's The Red Tent. Sandy & Dennys discuss the fact that the Bible is written from a patriarchal viewpoint and exhibit a mostly feminist attitude toward the ancient society.

This pre-Flood world is inhabited by mythical beasts such as miniature mammoths and griffins and manticores, not to mention seraphim and nephilim. (Nephilim are fallen angels.)

A big part of the story is the sexual awakening of Sandy & Dennys. They both fall in love with Noah's youngest daughter, Yalith; she loves them as well, equally, and cannot choose one over the other. There is another young woman who tries to seduce Sandy (she has an ulterior motive); he has mixed feelings for her. He recognizes that she is beautiful and alluring, but he is also repulsed by her blatant attempts to entice him.

The one thing that bugs me about this book is the WHY? There is no reason for Sandy & Dennys to travel back in time. As far as I can figure, nothing in the Flood narrative changes because of their presence. I'm willing to suspend disbelief - I actually LOVE the time-traveling unicorns! - but I want a logical premise. Therefore I deducted .5 stars. ...more

2

Mar 22, 2010

I started reading this out loud to my boys, but after a chapter I quickly realized that that was not going to work. This book, much to my surprise, was an adult book.

In this book the Murray twins get transported back in time to the days of Noah right before the flood. The daughters of men are cavorting with the nephilum and it is quite descriptive! These "experienced" (they actually say some other words) girls come after our Murray twins and it gets a little racy. Also the people are all 4 feet I started reading this out loud to my boys, but after a chapter I quickly realized that that was not going to work. This book, much to my surprise, was an adult book.

In this book the Murray twins get transported back in time to the days of Noah right before the flood. The daughters of men are cavorting with the nephilum and it is quite descriptive! These "experienced" (they actually say some other words) girls come after our Murray twins and it gets a little racy. Also the people are all 4 feet tall and they only wear loin cloths. Each time the Murray twins get to see these lovely girls they only have bottoms on and the author describes nearly every time that top half for us.

Included in the cast of characters are nephilum, seraphims, manticores, unicorns and pet mammoths the size of small dogs. Also Noah is a jerk for the first half of the book, two of his sons are not that bright, one of his daughter in laws is half nephilum, an amazingly Noah got the ark built in less than 3 moons, and he sent Japheth and his wife to go tell the people one time that the rains were coming. The author referred to the Bible as a chauvinistic account multiple times. I could go on and on about the doctrinal issues that were completely skewed.

I was disappointed in this book because it lacked the great and deep thinking that accompanied the first three "Wrinkle in Time" books. Even though in was an interesting book, I certainly didn't hate it, I still found no value in it and it will not sit on my shelf. ...more

4

Dec 17, 2016

4.5 / 5

Strangely this sci fi/fantasy/time travel/bible fanfic/ sexual awakening story is (currently, still one to go) my favourite in the Whisper in Time quintet.

It was just so odd and so weirdly sexual for a "kids" or middle grade story. The combination of different factors strangely worked for me.

This story was slow moving at times but very plot heavy and I liked how it explored the hitherto barely explored characters of Dennys and Sandy. Also the amount of imagination that went into what 4.5 / 5

Strangely this sci fi/fantasy/time travel/bible fanfic/ sexual awakening story is (currently, still one to go) my favourite in the Whisper in Time quintet.

It was just so odd and so weirdly sexual for a "kids" or middle grade story. The combination of different factors strangely worked for me.

This story was slow moving at times but very plot heavy and I liked how it explored the hitherto barely explored characters of Dennys and Sandy. Also the amount of imagination that went into what pre-flood times COULD have been like if unicorns and manticores and tiny mammoths existed was phenomenal. I also liked the exploring characters (including those unnamed in the Bible) and acknowledging how patriarcial the society was back then (and how the stories were as well). There's also a comparison of their times to modern times and the acknowledgement that people are people and good, bad and inbetween people have always existed and will always exist.

I also liked the struggle that Noah had in what "El" (God) was telling him and what made rational sense, like of course he would have been going crazy inside, too much so to notice even obvious things going on outside as he'd be too centered in his work and the strangeness of El's request.

This is one of those books where I get it if someone doesn't like it, because it is weird af, but it really really worked for me! ...more