This moving and romantic coming-of-age story was written during the 1940s. As revealed in an introduction by the author's granddaughter Léna Roy, the protagonist Elizabeth is close to an autobiographical portrait of
L'Engle herself as a young woman—"vibrant, vulnerable, and yearning for love and all that life has to offer."
May 26, 2008
Written by the late L'Engle (A Wrinkle in Time
) in the 1940s and never before published, this romantic coming-of-age story will immediately draw in listeners. Twenty-year-old Liz Gerard has wanted to be an actress for as long as she can remember, and has finally been allowed to test her talents by apprenticing at a summer stock company. There Liz falls for the slightly older, charming director, Kurt. During a pivotal weekend, however, Liz learns that Kurt's intentions are not so honorable and she comes to appreciate Ben, who has been patiently waiting in the wings. Listening to Reed's narration of this dialogue-rich work is akin to attending a play. Her expert use of pauses, shifts in voices and quiet passion bring this story to life. Teens may need explanations of items like dirndl skirts and telephones with no dialing mechanisms, but the basic story of first love and deception transcends the period setting. The author's granddaughter Léna Roy supplies an introduction and an interview. Ages 12–up. Simultaneous release with the FSG hardcover (see Children's Reviews).
June 2, 2008
Written in the late '40s but not taken on by L'Engle's agent, this posthumously published novel is more artifact than timeless story. As such, it will primarily interest readers who want to know more about the author of the groundbreaking A Wrinkle in Time,
especially because an introduction by L'Engle's granddaughter Léna Roy identifies it as semiautobiographical. Elizabeth, like L'Engle a graduate of Smith College, has convinced her controlling guardian aunt to let her take a scholarship apprenticeship at a summer theater, even though her aunt vigorously opposes Elizabeth's lifelong passion for the stage. Set over a long weekend, the action revolves around Elizabeth's infatuation with a womanizing director from the city and her subsequent disillusionment; luckily a decent fellow is around to pledge his love to her. Even with a veil thrown over the characters' sex lives, L'Engle suggests the intimacy, good and bad, within a theater company, and her dialogue pungently evokes the period. The tidiness of the resolutions betrays the inexperience of the writer—which, paradoxically, may endear this work to L'Engle fans. And although the conflicts are dated, the heroine's yearnings often transcend the '40s setting. Ages 12–up.