

S'està carregant… And Both Were Young (1949 original; edició 1983)de Madeleine L'Engle
Informació de l'obraAnd Both Were Young de Madeleine L'Engle (1949)
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No hi ha cap discussió a Converses sobre aquesta obra. Madeleine L'Engle is one of my all time favorite authors. Both her characters and storylines are thoughtful, well written and intriguing. She writes books that I can read again and again. This particular novel is one of my absolute favorites and I have enjoyed it both as a written book and as an audio too. This book, written in 1949, while the effects of WWII were still fresh, has it all for the middle school reader: Swiss boarding school, some drama, and a little romance. Flip (Philippa) Hunter reluctantly enrolls at a Swiss boarding school at the recommendation of a woman whom she insists "lusts after" her itinerant artist father. Not surprisingly, relationships of all kinds (friendly, romantic, filial) develop as Flip comes to know her surroundings, her peers and herself better. The story is a well-told treat. However, because it was written so long ago, the content is tame by today's standards--Flip's mother died a year ago, which is tragic, but we are not enjoined to relive the gory details of the accident. Flip's sneaking out to meet the mysterious boy entail skiing forays & hot cocoa by the lodge fire for a relationship is one of fondness and friendship. The boarding school is strict but not inhumane, populated by girls who, while they can be catty initially, are human and not merciless bullies. Here is the description of Flip's first flush of love: "And he wants to see me again! she thought exultantly. He's not frightening the way I always thought being alone with a boy would be. It was just like talking to anyone, only nicer, and he wants to see me again!" (p. 87) All of this is to say that "And Both Were Young" is a pleasure, exciting without being lurid or titillating, and just the dreamy read lots of kids are after. Find the 2010 Farrar Straus & Giroux edition with the sweet cover to match. This book, written in 1949, while the effects of WWII were still fresh, has it all for the middle school reader: Swiss boarding school, some drama, and a little romance. Flip (Philippa) Hunter reluctantly enrolls at a Swiss boarding school at the recommendation of a woman whom she insists "lusts after" her itinerant artist father. Not surprisingly, relationships of all kinds (friendly, romantic, filial) develop as Flip comes to know her surroundings, her peers and herself better. The story is a well-told treat. However, because it was written so long ago, the content is tame by today's standards--Flip's mother died a year ago, which is tragic, but we are not enjoined to relive the gory details of the accident. Flip's sneaking out to meet the mysterious boy entail skiing forays & hot cocoa by the lodge fire for a relationship is one of fondness and friendship. The boarding school is strict but not inhumane, populated by girls who, while they can be catty initially, are human and not merciless bullies. Here is the description of Flip's first flush of love: "And he wants to see me again! she thought exultantly. He's not frightening the way I always thought being alone with a boy would be. It was just like talking to anyone, only nicer, and he wants to see me again!" (p. 87) All of this is to say that "And Both Were Young" is a pleasure, exciting without being lurid or titillating, and just the dreamy read lots of kids are after. Find the 2010 Farrar Straus & Giroux edition with the sweet cover to match. The author's foreword explains that when the book was originally published the world was not as comfortable talking about death and sex with young people. This 1983 version restores the story to what she originally wrote; she has not made any changes to reflect her own growth as a writer and person. She concludes the foreword by noting that the main character becomes a successful artist: one of her portraits is important in another of Ms. L'Engle's books. While the book deals with important topics, some very personal and some about global events (World War II), its happy ending feels too much like wish fulfillment. Especially the lovely quote by a teacher who not only admits that she misjudged the heroine but also tells her that she is happy that she was wrong. Sense ressenyes | afegeix-hi una ressenya
Philippa is miserable at an all girls' boarding school in Switzerland until she forms a supportive friendship with the mysterious Paul. No s'han trobat descripcions de biblioteca. |
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![]() GèneresClassificació Decimal de Dewey (DDC)813.54 — Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LCC (Clas. Bibl. Congrés EUA)ValoracióMitjana:![]()
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Even given Paul's role though, I wouldn't call this novel a romance. The story focuses on Flip's overall experiences at boarding school, not mostly or solely her romantic ones.
Granted, it's funny, as I do remember my adolescent self thinking of Paul as so mature and "dreamy," and Flip's interaction with him seemed like such a grown-up thing. But as my adult self read about these two teens once again, it was like, "Oh. Gee. And both were young."
Still, besides the aspect of young love, I can see why I've been so drawn by this rather peculiar story every time. It's the shy, nonathletic, unpopular heroine. A different, sensitive girl. An artist. Someone who struggles and has to try all the harder to make it in a social environment with her classmates, so her every triumph in school—whether major or minor—is that much sweeter.
It's uplifting to watch how Flip learns and grows, and hey. The novel's handling of Christmas, my absolute favorite holiday, is pretty wonderful. My nostalgic self is rather sure I'll remember much more about the story after this third time. (