Customer Reviews

Many Waters (The Time Quartet)

5 star:		(66)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I'm barely under 13, but I loved this book! As many other people said, it was more religious than the other books and it was much different, but I think that anyone can like it. It seemed like she decided to go with a different idea here, and I like it. The whole of the book seems much more earth-based and not so far out like in "A Wrinkle in Time" where an entire planet is controlled by a giant brain. I think this book is also good because no matter how many times you read it, you notice new details every time. I should know, I've read it four times.

"Many Waters" was my least favorite of the four books in the "Time Quartet," but it was good. It just seemed VERY different from the three previous books that I read as a teenager. This book is about Meg and Charles Wallace's twin brothers Sandy and Dennys. The boys mistakenly get taken up by one of their father's space-time experiments and find themselves in a desert, rescued by a small oasis-dwelling man named Japeth. It turns out that they have found themselves in the Biblical story of Noah before the flood. The book details some of L'Engle's suppositions about the daily life of the the people then and also elaborates on the supernatural life of the time... seraphim were common visitors to the people of Noah's oasis as were something called "nephilim," which were once more godly creatures that turned their backs on god and began to marry and mate with humans. The boys get caught up in the stories of the relationships among all these "species" and have their own adventures. It's an interesting tale, but as I said, it is so different from the others, it wasn't what I expected.

The book is a little more overtly religious than the other books, but it's an interesting interpetation of what's always been a very puzzling chapter in Genesis (Gen 6) which talks about the sons of God mating with the daughters of men, and the Nephilim living among them. It's always seemed to be a bit of undigested ancient mythology that was never edited out of the biblical stories when Judaism became a more coherent and modern religion after the Babylonian exile. But l'Engel turns it into an interesting fantasy with a good deal of symbolic value, and makes it about love and faith and the miraculous power of God to bring good out of evil.

"Many waters cannot drown love," we are told, and that seems to be the point of the story.

I was slightly sceptical when I was given Many Waters as apresent. I had read the three other books in the series, and was seton being a purist with the trilogy. I finally gave in and read this story which took me by suprise. Her story finally gives Sandy and Dennys a chance to experience something deeper than their limited minds had allowed them to in the last 3 books. On top of that, Ms. L'Engle weaves the twins into the fictionalized "behind the scenes" version of Noah's story in Genesis, pre-flood. I finished it in a matter of two nights. This was for me, as another reviewer noted, the first realization that Ms. L'Engle is a Christian writer. I immediately re-read all three original books with a fresh understanding of the underlying idea she was getting across. It was an instantaneous blessing for me. If you like these books, C.S. Lewis' Narnia Chronicles & Space Trilogy are musts. It really doesn't matter how old you are, there are blessings in these books for the young and the not-so-young! But don't take my word on it. Read it for yourself!

I read this book a number of years ago and by far this is my favorite book by Ms. L'Engle. This is the story that I always remember of hers, an author whose writings I began reading in fifth grade and continue to read as a college student. Many Waters is particularly special for me because it was the first mainstream novel that I read during young adulthood that dealt with an entirely biblical story and I was incredibly impressed with the accuracy of the retelling. After reading Many Waters I re-read the biblical story of Noah and found that although L'Enlge took artistic lisence in her fictional reproduction, her story actually was very closely related to the history. Although the space/time travel is fictional, her account of the time period is beautiful and inspiring. I also love the story because it was what first made me realize that L'Engle is a Christian. Having always loved her works and then discovering that she has many works specifically about Christian faith, devotionals, and her own personal thoughts and reflections is wonderful. She is my favorite author, but she is also a very popular author in many age groups. She was inspiring to me because she is a very public personality who shares my most personal faith. But more than that, she is willing to open up her heart, her mind, and a piece of her soul to share The Message. Not only is this extremely important for those young adults for whom this story is geared, but her writing is bold, inspiring, and lovely. Her words are read by so many and her message so personal that not only does it influence those who have not heard the Word, but those who have, and who cherish it.

For me, this book was an all-time favorite of mine through my teen years. I picked it up at the age of fourteen and read it in a day, barely stopping to eat! I completely fell in love with the Murray twins, Sandy and Dennys, who are learning not only to cope with the onslaughts of puberty, but with their odd-man-out status in a family of extra-extraordinary individuals. I loved "A Wrinkle In Time" as a child, but I loved the fact that L'Engle gave the twins their own shot at an supernatural adventure, which in turn helps them with the transition into manhood and discovering who they really are.

A snowstorm forces the fifteen-year-old twins indoors from an impromtu hockey game. They are alone in the Murray house, and soon boredom sets in, leading the boys to start snooping in their father's labratory. A time machine is unwittingly discovered, the boys wish for "some place warm and dry", and the next thing they know, they are whisked away to a strange desert, not knowing that their father's invention has transported them to the Biblical times of Noah and the great flood. Here they discover that humans live for hundreds of years, that nephilims (angels thrown down from heaven) are the bad guys, and seraphim (good angels still in the service of God) are the good guys. Noah has just been told by God to build an ark, but everyone, including his children, thinks he's crazy. Yet with the twins' help, God's will is eventually carried out, but with a price.

Much angst, adventure, conspiracy, violence, romance and Biblical lessons insue. I'll say one thing--Sunday school never taught you THIS about the famous story of Genesis! L'Engle flawlessly incorporates Biblical texts with her own fictional twists. The end result is a wonderful read that will make you adore the members of the Murray family even more.

but not quite 4. I didn't find this book nearly as engaging as the others in the series, particularly A Swiftly Tilting Planet, but it was still a good read. One problem that I had with the book was the way that the author often over-explained certain things, or rather explained them in a way that I found too obvious and direct. Rather than revealing the personalities of the boys through their actions and thoughts, L'Engle instead chose to have the twins make statements like "you're supposed to be the scientific one, you're the one who wants to be a doctor!" (I don't have the book here to quote from, so I have to paraphrase). This grated on my nerves from the very beginning. Also, I never got a real feel for the twins as two individuals, with their own personalities and concerns. They both even fall in love with the same girl in the story. While there are vague hints at differences in their personalities, they were never that well developed. Plus, I never grew to really like the twins, which I felt I was supposed to do. Also the idea of these very tall twins being attracted to a 4 foot tall girl was difficult for me to get over, as the physicalities of these possible relationships were difficult for me to comprehend. I liked the character Yalith a great deal, and found Oholibamah fascinating. I would have liked to have explored these characters a lot more, as well as the Seraphim and Nephilim. These were the truly stand-out characters of the book, and they weren't used to nearly their full potential. L'Engle's descriptions of life at the oasis seem very realistic and gave me a good feel for what it must have been like. I can't say how close it really was, having never lived on an oasis in the distant past, but it seemed quite convincing to me! I think the reading is worth it for the use of the word "slut" in a Madeline L'Engle book alone, though, not to mention there are several great moments in the book. The main characters and the dialogue between them, as well as character development, just aren't included in those great moments. Remember how Meg and Calvin and Charles Wallace were so familiar and multifaceted and quirky to us? Sandy and Dennys just didn't get it done for me.

This book has to be the best out of the entire saga of the Murray family! Not only is it original and through provoking, but it managed to include morals and fascinating Bible characters without being preachy or lame. Though there are a few aspects of the novel that tend to be "mature" -- for example, the Nephilim, who are angels that abandoned heaven to marry the daughters of men -- it really is aimed at readers of all ages. L'Engle truly is a gifted and poetic writer, and I savor all of her wonderful descriptions. The characters, though based on actual people, still manage to retain a certain uniqueness that is no doubt created by the author's wonderful use of the English language. I adore theology, and coming across a rare gem like this was an absolute joy! I highly recommend it for anyone who would love to read something other than the usual ficiton novel.

What a great idea! I have been waiting for someone to write a fantasy/fiction story on a theme from the Bible for a while! L'Engle is a very talented and diligent author who knows how to expertly put down her thoughts and convictions on paper. Many Waters is an inspiring book, and yes, as a previous reviewer mentioned, it is not for the very young. The book's themes are more for the adolescent who might be struggling with mixed feelings over what true love is and the dangers of surrendering to lust. The Nephilim and Seraphim, who play a big part in the book, are a beautiful analogy of the age- old battle between good and evil. Young adults and struggling teens can find that Sandy and Dennys are true heroes as they dealt wisely with the difficult decisions set before them. Unlike many of today's YA books, Many Waters holds such themes as love, respect to elders, faith, and virtue in high esteem. Your teens will not only find an adventurous read, but will also be challenged to take a second look at the virtues that their present generation label as old-fashioned and out of date. Congatulations, Mrs. L'Engle. A fine work.

I am a big fan of Madeleine L'Engle, and I've read most of her books. I liked every one, especially Many Waters. I believe that Madeleine was very imaginative in telling the story of Noah and the Ark. If you are looking for an adventure, read this book!

I adored the Wrinkle in Time series, but I wasn't even aware of this one until recently so when I learned of its existence I was very excited to read it. Unfortunately, it's very disappointing compared to the others.

In contrast to the rest of the series, here the Murray kids' journey through time occurs simply by accident rather than for a particular purpose. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that, but it does make the whole thing seem a bit...pointless.

The story is interesting enough, but the writing often seems strained. The dialogue in particular is absolutely cringeworthy at times. To some degree this could be excused in a kids' book; I certainly don't expect the same quality of writing as I would in a book aimed at adults. But in how many kids' books is a character described as a "slut" and an "easy lay"? Some of the sexual themes in this book seem to raise the target age significantly above what I would have expected from the rest of the series and from the quality of the writing. I'm not offended by it personally (though I've no doubt some readers - or at least their parents - would be), but it just doesn't really seem appropriate.

If you're a Wrinkle in Time fanatic you'll read this book whatever the reviews say, and you'll probably get some enjoyment out of it. But in my opinion it is not up to the standards set by the original book and A Swiftly Tilting Planet in particular.