Most helpful customer reviews
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5.0 out of 5 stars
More than typical teen-aged angst, Nov 15 2003
Every adult-in-the-making goes through at least one "difficult year." For Vicky Austin, that year comes when she's 14. She hasn't been able to do anything right (or it seems that way to her, at least!) for months, and now her parents have decided to tear her previously secure world apart. Dr. Austin is taking a temporary research and teaching position in New York City, leaving his small-town medical practice in another doctor's hands. The Austin family's home in Thornhill, Connecticut will be occupied by that other doctor's family, and that's where their pets will remain, too. But before they move into a New York apartment, the Austins embark on a cross-country camping trip - from Atlantic (Grandfather Eaton's home on Seven Bay Island) to Pacific (Laguna Beach, California, where they visit Uncle Douglas and Aunt Elena) and back.It's an eventful trip during which Vicky has her first taste of romance, as she meets and is followed all the way across the country by a troubled and sometimes frightening rich boy named Zachary Grey. Zach's angry, hopeless response to life (which he fears losing at any moment, thanks to a rheumatic fever damaged heart) forces Vicky to confront twin demons that are making her own life miserable, in what L'Engle sensitively yet unsentimentally presents as something more than typical teen-aged angst. Vicky is part of the first generation to grow up under the shadow of the atom bomb, becoming aware of world events and their significance at the Cold War and nuclear arms race's height (this book's copyright date is 1963). She's become old enough, during her "difficult year" of being 14, to realize that she and everyone she loves can die at any moment; and she's also become old enough to ask herself whether or not God is really there. The love and respect she has for her grandfather, a minister and former missionary, can't save her from wondering if Zachary and others like him may not be right. Although I didn't find THE MOON BY NIGHT as enjoyable a read as other L'Engle books because it was a bit too introspective for me (I'm used to more action and dialog, and missed it sorely as I ploughed through page after page of interior monologue), it is nevertheless the one I would most recommend to today's young readers. I was just a little bit younger in 1963 than Vicky Austin, and I remember only too well how it felt to know that my generation might not live to grow up - much less middle-aged or old - thanks to a world suddenly grown far smaller and more dangerous than the one in which our parents came of age. The children of post-911 should find plenty to identify with in Vicky's crisis of hope and faith, and much encouragement in its resolution.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Summer Romance, Dec 18 2002
At the tender age of 14-years-old, Vicky Austin is filled with uncertainty about her life. She feels out of place, and, unlike the rest of her family, she feels unsure about what she wants to make of herself when she gets older. But when her parents decide to take a cross-country camping trip, she couldn't be more exciting. On the way, for the first time ever in her life, she meets up with a boy (a gorgeous one for that matter), named Zachary, who is actually interested in her. And she's interested in him too. But as he pops up at every one of the Austin family's camping stops, the family begins becoming aggravated with the boy. Now Vicky is becoming even more confused, what with suddenly having a boy's attention on top of everything else. Will Vicky ever be able to sort out her problems, or will her "difficult year" last longer than she actually thinks.Another excellent novel in the Austin series. Madeleine L'Engle has touched on a subject that affects people of all ages, and adds a bit of romance to liven things up. A must-read book for everyone, especially for girls ages 12-16. Erika Sorocco
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Life For A Teen Girl, Dec 6 2002
This story is about the thoughts of a young girl as she goes through life, finding who she truly is. What's happening? Where are you, God? Why me? ... Ever thought this before? Vicky Austin has. Being 14 isn't easy, and that's why I liked this book. Beautifully written, explaining a teen girl's life through this young girl's emotions. "The Moon By Night" deals with many situations that a young woman may come across, particularly the choice between boys. A romance written for teen girls seeking understandment, this book is a best.
Thinking of what I didn't like about this book, I can't. I guess what annoyed me was that throughout the whole book, the Austin family is moving from one place to the next, which gets kind of old. Also, Vicky seems to just go off with any guy, not knowing what exactly they are like. This is seen through my eyes, since I would not just let any boy kiss me. So it isn't very fair, since that is just me and everyone is different. I enjoy romance with heart, that make me think. In the end, my resolution is, "Read the book!"
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by Madeleine L'Engle
by Madeleine L'Engle
by Madeleine L'Engle
by Madeleine L'Engle
