Title: And Both Were Young
Author: Madeleine L’Engle
First published January 1, 1949
256 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780440902294 (ISBN10: 0440902290)
Rating: 3.88
Overview
At a Swiss boarding school, Flip feels like an outsider. She can’t keep up with the other girls and their sophistication, and talking about boys leaves her tongue-tied.
Instead, she finds solace in sketching and wandering in the mountains. One day, while on a solo walk, she meets a French boy named Paul, and her world is forever changed.
As their relationship blossoms, Flip’s self-confidence grows, but there are moments when she wonders if she truly knows Paul. Dating is forbidden, so they must keep their romance a secret.
Despite this, Flip is determined to help Paul confront his troubled past and find a brighter future. Will their love survive the obstacles that stand in their way?
About the Author
Madeleine L’Engle was a renowned American author famous for her young adult fiction. Her most acclaimed work is A Wrinkle in Time, which won the Newbery Medal.
Her interest in modern science is reflected in her books, which feature concepts such as tesseracts, mitochondrial DNA, and organ regeneration.
Born on November 29th, 1918, Madeleine spent her early years in New York City. She was more interested in writing stories, poems, and journals for herself than doing school work, which affected her grades.
However, she never let that discourage her.
At the age of 12, she moved to the French Alps with her parents and went to an English boarding school. Her love for writing continued to grow, and she flourished during her high school years in Charleston, South Carolina.
In college, she studied English and graduated with honors from Smith College.
After college, she moved into a Greenwich Village apartment in New York and worked in the theater while writing during her free time. She published her first two novels, and , before meeting her future husband, Hugh Franklin.
They got married during her understudy performance in Anton Chekov’s .
Madeleine continued to write while raising her family on a small dairy farm in Connecticut. They eventually moved back to the city with their three children, but kept their country house, Crosswicks, where they still spend summers.
As the years passed, Madeleine kept writing and Hugh continued his acting career. They enjoyed each other’s company and life, and Madeleine became the librarian at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, where she has maintained an office for over thirty years.
After Hugh’s death in 1986, Madeleine found solace in writing and lecturing. She has written over 60 books and continues to write even into the 21st century.
She enjoys spending time with her loved ones, including her friends, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Editoral Review
And Both Were Young, written by Madeleine L’Engle, is a classic novel that was first published on January 1, 1949. L’Engle, who is renowned for her iconic works in the young adult genre, crafted this novel with her trademark style and themes.
And Both Were Young is a coming-of-age story that focuses on the themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. The novel is set in a Swiss boarding school, where the main character, Philippa Hunter, is sent after losing her parents in a car crash.
Philippa is a sullen and aloof girl, struggling with grief and finding it hard to adjust to a new life in a foreign country. As she navigates the challenges of school life, she encounters a group of students who become her friends and a handsome schoolmate, Paul, who becomes her love interest.
The book’s themes of love, loss, and self-discovery are explored through the vivid portrayal of Philippa’s journey. Philippa’s character development is particularly noteworthy, as L’Engle portrays the young girl’s transformation from a withdrawn and introverted individual to a confident and self-assured young woman.
The portrayal of the boarding school setting is another highlight of the novel. L’Engle’s descriptive writing brings the Swiss mountains, valleys, and forests to life, creating a vivid and immersive environment for Philippa’s story to unfold.
And Both Were Young has cultural significance as a novel written in the post-World War II era, where the themes of self-discovery and coming-of-age were particularly relevant. The novel stands the test of time and remains a compelling read for modern-day audiences.
While the book’s pacing and plot structure are strong, the writing style is somewhat dated, which might make it difficult for contemporary readers to connect with the characters. However, this is a minor flaw, and the book’s strengths more than make up for it.
Overall, And Both Were Young is a beautifully written and timeless coming-of-age story that is definitely worth reading. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the young adult genre or is looking for an engaging and thought-provoking read.
Based on my overall impression of the book, I would give it a rating of 4.5 out of 5, as it is a must-read for those who appreciate classic literature.
