book data
801 ratings, 3.72 average rating, 28 reviews
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published
1999
(first published 1968)
by Tandem Library
binding
School & Library Binding
isbn
0881037362
(isbn13: 9780881037364)
description
They had been standing around the lamp, looking at Emily holding it in her strong fingers, rubbing it. Certainly none of them, not even Rob, expected ...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 965)
Read in January, 1987
recommends it for:
L'Engle fans
One of the things L'Engle does best is carefully intertwine her otherwise disparate tales. I delighted in stumbling across peripheral characters whom I recognized as well-loved protagonists from her other series. The Austins serve as a homey, grounding backdrop for the story of a gifted, troubled former gang member in 1960s New York City. I read and reread this tale as a young adult but was saddened to discover upon picking it up again maybe a year ago that it doesn't age as well as I'd hoped. B...more
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Read in January, 1970
I found this book quite unnerving when I first read it, and it made a profound impression. However, my proudest (most shameful?) moment was in college taking Shakespeare when the final exam included a question about Coriolanus, which I had not actually had time to read because so busy writing in my journal. I had a moment of terror, then gritted my teeth, and began, "The noted writer, Madeleine L'Engle, in her tribute to Coriolanus..."
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Square Fish is re-releasing the entire Austin Family Chronicles, handsomely repackaged. I read this one first, and it was like a wrinkle in time meets the hardy boys in St. John's Cathedral. Interesting in that it's both edgier and younger than her more popular series (and that the protagonists are more tragically fallible). good read; i'm excited about the entire set.
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This book was very interesting because it didnt really talk about unicorns. It was about this family and how lots of mysteries make their way in to the story. Like how Josiah Davidson, Dave was what almost every one called him, was an ex gangster. He had turned his life around and joined the local boys chorus. He quickly became a trusted friend of a "normal" family.
Emily is this blind girl that sings and plays the piano. She was not always blind. It was a very sad night when it h...more
Emily is this blind girl that sings and plays the piano. She was not always blind. It was a very sad night when it h...more
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Read in January, 1980
recommends it for:
everyone!
Although I'm not a big reader of fantasy, I absolutely love Madeleine L'Engle's books. It doesn't matter if you are a grown-up, and this book is billed as young adult; read it anyway!
L'Engle explores the topic of a powerful gang in New York City (not your typical shoot-out gang, but more psychological and sinister), which meets in an abandoned subway station. The leader has come into the possession of a powerful laser, which he uses to control his subjects. He obtained the laser by breaki...more
L'Engle explores the topic of a powerful gang in New York City (not your typical shoot-out gang, but more psychological and sinister), which meets in an abandoned subway station. The leader has come into the possession of a powerful laser, which he uses to control his subjects. He obtained the laser by breaki...more
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The Austins have ended their roadtrip in the wilds of NYC, where intrigue awaits in L'Engle's employer, the Cathedral of St. Paul.
This book tries to explore the same issues of a Wrinkle in Time, but in a much less well thought out way. The story's interesting but ridiculous, and not in a high quality fantasy way. The Austins, except for angelic Rob, take a back seat to native New Yorkers Dave and Emily, but it's not really clear why. Are they going to appear later? Why involve the Austins at ...more
This book tries to explore the same issues of a Wrinkle in Time, but in a much less well thought out way. The story's interesting but ridiculous, and not in a high quality fantasy way. The Austins, except for angelic Rob, take a back seat to native New Yorkers Dave and Emily, but it's not really clear why. Are they going to appear later? Why involve the Austins at ...more
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Read in August, 2008
I'm starting to think that L'Engle's various series are largely interchangeable. Characters cross back and forth and don't really have a "home", references are blithely made to any and all previous books, and there isn't much individual identity in subject matter or approach that separates the different series. This is more a mystery-suspense story, which I had previously thought was the province of the O'Keefe stories. Vicky, who is the protagonist of the previous Austin series books,...more
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2 comments
I really give this one like 2.5 stars. I didn't like it as much as the others in the Austin series (though I was sick while I was reading it, and that might have influenced my opinion of it). It just doesn't seem to fit with the others: It isn't told from Vicky's point of view. It couldn't really be from Vicky's point of view, since so little of it actually involves her—another flaw in my view. Vicky is the whole reason to read the series. The subject matter didn't seem to jive with the other ...more
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Read in July, 2008
This book was very well-written in a way that most books just aren't any more.
The title is misleading; the book has nothing to do with unicorns or even fantasy, it just comes from a quote about how young people can be like unicorns - wild and uncommitted, and can only be tamed of their own free will.
Toward the end it got a little creepy with the bad guys doing some horrible things. Not in a graphic or bad way, but just slightly scary.
It gave me a lot to think about. I really enjoyed read...more
The title is misleading; the book has nothing to do with unicorns or even fantasy, it just comes from a quote about how young people can be like unicorns - wild and uncommitted, and can only be tamed of their own free will.
Toward the end it got a little creepy with the bad guys doing some horrible things. Not in a graphic or bad way, but just slightly scary.
It gave me a lot to think about. I really enjoyed read...more
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Read in June, 2008
the most bizarre of the austin family stories- first we have two first-person narratives of vicky's coming of age, then we have the young unicorns- and then we have two more first-person narratives of vicky's coming of age.
as a hard-core l'engle fan, though, i can't help but enjoy this strange story of the austin's mix-up in an evil plot to reform new york city. it's weird, it's quaint, and it involves a medical doctor pretending to be a genie in a lamp. hee!
as a hard-core l'engle fan, though, i can't help but enjoy this strange story of the austin's mix-up in an evil plot to reform new york city. it's weird, it's quaint, and it involves a medical doctor pretending to be a genie in a lamp. hee!
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Read in September, 2008
When I read this book as a kid, I actually kind of hated it. I think I've always identified so much with Vicky that any Austin family book not narrated by her just wasn't worth my time. This time around, I just read it like any Madeleine L'Engle book (that is, kind of ridiculous, with weird fake science and espionage) and enjoyed it. That being said, I still don't think it really belongs with the other four books in the series.
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This was the worst book I have ever read. I serious. If someone asked my what the worst book I've ever read was, I would say The Young Unicorns. I actually fell asleep while I was reading it and that was the only time I have ever fallen asleep while reading a book. The word unicorn was never mentioned even once and the whole book just seemed really confusing.
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Read in September, 2007
This was my least favourite book of the Austin Family series. I think it tried to be a mystery but it was just so hard to get interested in. I felt like there should have been a book before this one to explain a lot of what happened. Let's just say that Bishop's, abandoned subway stations, genie's and Laser's don't belong in the same book.
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Read in December, 2007
I keep picking up on different things as I re-read this one. For instance, this time through I caught quite a bit of the foreshadowing, and especially noted that while the "Bishop" was comfortable enough fooling the people, he still didn't dare to pretend to celebrate the sacraments, which means he was aware of a distinction.
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
Young Fantasy lovers
L'Engle should be recommended to kids who love Harry and want some more books to read. I wouldn't start them on this one, however. They should be introduced to L'Engle through the Wrinkle in Time four book series.
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What if we could cure the "disease" of evil from humanity? This is the question the book discusses from the point of view of the Austin's and a few friends. One of my very favorite books.
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Read in June, 2006
I'll have to re-read all these Austin books... I'm not reading them in chronological order, so it can get a little confusing. I LOVE all the science that L'Engle puts into her books.
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Read in February, 2008
I enjoyed this young adult fiction. It made me think about some things in life a little more. It was compelling and I wanted to keep reading to find out the ending.
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She's better at science fiction. Compared to Swiftly Tilting Planet and Wind in the Door, this was disappointing and not well-developed.
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Read in November, 2008
recommends it for:
L'Engle fans
This was the first book I have read about L'Engle's Austin family and it was quite a page-turner. Very enjoyable read!
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