A Light So Lovely ~ Review

A Light So Lovely

The Spiritual Legacy of Madeleine L'Engle, 

                        Author of A Wrinkle in Time

By Sarah Arthur

This book offers a glimpse into the life of Madeleine L'Engle a woman, who as one is about to discover, was as complex and varied as her many books. In a time when art and faith were not considered a compatible match, unable to blend without destroying one or the other Madeline presented a whole new way of writing. She gave us both blended so that neither was destroyed in the blending and both were stronger for the blending.

Believing that imagination was a God-given gift and that the offering of a story was one of the best ways to teach truth, Madeline set out on a journey that would reach well beyond her own life. Her work touched the lives of others offering them the freedom to weave the truths of faith with the creative imaginations of their minds. 

But her journey was not without its obstacles and detours as naysayers arose to protect what was from what she was offering. Faith in fiction offered in real-world or slightly fantastical settings? Who would read such rubbish?! But Madeline built upon the shoulders of those who came before her George MacDonald, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and made it her own. She didn't allow herself to be trapped in a single genre or age-appropriate niche rather she offered her thoughts and knowledge to any and all. Fiction? Check. Non-fiction? Check. Children? Check. Teens? Check. Adults? Check.

Was all of her work perfect? Not at all, but it is loved as a whole. I have to admit there are some of her works I'm not overly crazy about but I do have favorites that are comfort reads that I like to pick-up from time to time. Madeline's works speak differently to different readers and A Light So Lovely offers readers a chance to learn more about her life from those that she knew, worked with, and mentored over the years. With quotes from other writers, publishers, and even Madeline's own words and works we are offered a glimpse of a woman who changed the world of words forever.

One comes away from A Light So Lovely knowing that the limitations we place upon faith and art, sacred and secular, miracle and science are ones that we have placed. God is not limited by our standards rather we limit God by trying to place Him within a set of rules of our own making. We make rules of "either/or" but God gives us "both/and" and Madeline embraced this gift and shared it through her work. Altogether this is a lovely book that is worth a second reading and a sharing amongst friends.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher through Handlebar with no expectations but my honest opinion. All views expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time has captured the imagination of millions - from literary sensation to timeless classic and now a major motion picture starring Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Storm Reid, and Mindy Kaling. A Light So Lovely tells the story of the woman at the center of it all - her imagination, her faith, her pattern of defying categories, and what readers today can learn from her legacy.

Bestselling and beloved author Madeleine L'Engle, Newbery winner for A Wrinkle in Time, was known the world round for her imaginative spirit and stories. She was also known to spark controversy - too Christian for some, too unorthodox for others. Somewhere in the middle was a complex woman whose embrace of paradox has much to say to a new generation of readers today.

A Light So Lovely paints a vivid portrait of this enigmatic icon's spiritual legacy, starting with her inner world and expanding into fresh reflections of her writing for readers today. Listen in on intimate interviews with L'Engle's literary contemporaries such as Philip Yancey and Luci Shaw, L'Engle's granddaughter Charlotte Jones Voiklis, and influential fans such as Makoto Fujimura, Nikki Grimes, and Sarah Bessey, as they reveal new layers to the woman behind the stories we know and love. A vibrant, imaginative read, this book pulls back the curtain to illuminate L'Engle's creative journey, her persevering faith, and the inspiring, often unexpected ways these two forces converged.

For anyone earnestly searching the space between sacred and secular, miracle and science, faith and art, come and find a kindred spirit and trusted guide in Madeleine - the Mrs. Whatsit to our Meg Murry - as she sparks our imagination anew.