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A review by fantasynovel
Camilla by Madeleine L'Engle
5.0
The thing about Frank is that he's not the best at all, but Camilla's so in love with him that she doesn't notice his flaws. I can't tell if Madeleine L'Engle meant Frank to be a paradigm of romance, but I don't care. To me, the fact that Camilla thinks Frank is perfect is the point. This is her first love, and she's trying so hard to be grown up, and those two things mix together.
Even though Frank is a flawed person, the moments of romance were still really exciting because they made me feel like I did when I was a little kid reading these books. They made my heart so warm. I seriously felt Camilla's emotions.
A lot of this book went over my head when I read it in elementary school, I think. It's very cool to return to it years later and understand it on a different level. Like realizing that Frank kind of sucks a little. I used to accept Frank with blind wonder just like Camilla, but now I'm like, Frank, stop throwing temper tantrums and shaking your girlfriend.
So many times I'm disappointed with books from my childhood, but the writing in this is so beautiful. Camilla's burgeoning awareness of her parents' interiority propelling her entrance into adulthood feels so painful and so real.
There's also the fact that the book is set in Manhattan in the 50s. It makes the city feel so exciting again. I love when Camilla rides the subway. Also, the Met is described in such loving detail. Actually, most of the outdoor setting is described lovingly.
Even though Frank is a flawed person, the moments of romance were still really exciting because they made me feel like I did when I was a little kid reading these books. They made my heart so warm. I seriously felt Camilla's emotions.
A lot of this book went over my head when I read it in elementary school, I think. It's very cool to return to it years later and understand it on a different level. Like realizing that Frank kind of sucks a little. I used to accept Frank with blind wonder just like Camilla, but now I'm like, Frank, stop throwing temper tantrums and shaking your girlfriend.
So many times I'm disappointed with books from my childhood, but the writing in this is so beautiful. Camilla's burgeoning awareness of her parents' interiority propelling her entrance into adulthood feels so painful and so real.
There's also the fact that the book is set in Manhattan in the 50s. It makes the city feel so exciting again. I love when Camilla rides the subway. Also, the Met is described in such loving detail. Actually, most of the outdoor setting is described lovingly.