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actuallyjusthanne's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I was recommended this book by Hailey: I read A Wrinkle in Time when I was in middle/high school and didn't like it, and haven't felt like picking up another Madeleine L'Engle book since, but she recommended it to me so strongly that I picked it up!
The book opens with a tragedy that changes the trajectory of the Austins' life, and they are going to be taking in a child from another family: Maggy, who was raised differently from them. At the heart of the book, it is a coming of age/growing up story, where the intrusion of Maggy into their life forces them to grow up and face the real world in ways that the Austin children hadn't conceived of.
I thought it was a sweet book: it was a series of slice of life anecdotes about a family with 5 children, reminiscent of The Moffats or The Melendy family books. It had a really classical old-timey feel with a very wholesome family-centric message, which was fun to read but nothing particularly to write home about. Some/most of the anecdotes were fairly dated (getting measles, snowy days, the mentions of how hospitals and schools operated) but as someone who grew up on Wholesome Stories From The 60s, it was really sweet to read.
The narration voice was really similar to Cheaper by the Dozen or maybe Caddie Woodlawn, and it was just very all-American feeling. There are those vibes that it could very quickly turn racist, but to date, it has just been about growing up and how to operate as a family.
All in all, a very cute little middle grade book! I do plan on reading the rest of the series, but am not in a particular rush to pick up the rest of the books.
The book opens with a tragedy that changes the trajectory of the Austins' life, and they are going to be taking in a child from another family: Maggy, who was raised differently from them. At the heart of the book, it is a coming of age/growing up story, where the intrusion of Maggy into their life forces them to grow up and face the real world in ways that the Austin children hadn't conceived of.
I thought it was a sweet book: it was a series of slice of life anecdotes about a family with 5 children, reminiscent of The Moffats or The Melendy family books. It had a really classical old-timey feel with a very wholesome family-centric message, which was fun to read but nothing particularly to write home about. Some/most of the anecdotes were fairly dated (getting measles, snowy days, the mentions of how hospitals and schools operated) but as someone who grew up on Wholesome Stories From The 60s, it was really sweet to read.
The narration voice was really similar to Cheaper by the Dozen or maybe Caddie Woodlawn, and it was just very all-American feeling. There are those vibes that it could very quickly turn racist, but to date, it has just been about growing up and how to operate as a family.
All in all, a very cute little middle grade book! I do plan on reading the rest of the series, but am not in a particular rush to pick up the rest of the books.
espindler's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
mimima's review against another edition
4.0
My mother assured me that I had loved this in childhood and as soon as I got into it, I remembered it strongly. Good to re-read and one that I hope to continue the series (did I read those? Stay tuned for my memory.)
sarahelc's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
booksandbigideas's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 THIS IS SO CUTE AND SWEET. It also touches on some darker topics, despite being a bit idealistic. Regardless, I'm so glad I decided to read this before jumping into A Ring of Endless Night! Though I think I'm going to read Book 2 as well
saraleacock's review against another edition
4.0
Just a fun, episodic book that reads like a memoir about life in mid-century America in a good, loving family.
mrskatiefitz's review against another edition
5.0
This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.
I have read several Madeleine L’Engle novels as an adult, but I’ve never made my way through the entirety of any of her series. I’ve decided that the best way to remedy this situation is to read the interconnected Murray-O’Keefe and Austin novels in the order in which they were published. This means, when I do finally finish this task, I will have read Meet the Austins, A Wrinkle In Time, The Moon By Night, The Arm of the Starfish, The Young Unicorns, A Wind in the Door, Dragons in the Waters, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, A Ring of Endless Light, A House Like a Lotus, Many Waters, An Acceptable Time, and Troubling a Star. After reading Meet the Austins, I’m really looking forward to the rest.
While I associate L’Engle with science fiction, this first novel about the Austins is completely realistic. The lives of the four Austin kids - John, Vicky, Suzy, and Rob - are upset when their uncle and his co-pilot are killed in a crash, and the co-pilot’s daughter, Maggy, comes to live with the Austins. Maggy is a brat when she arrives, and it takes the family a while to warm up to her. It is only when they must face the possibility that Maggy might return to her surviving blood relatives that they realize how much a member of the family she really has become.
The chapters in this book are definitely interrelated, but each one represents one particular episode out of the Austins’ lives. Each episode highlights the strength of the sibling relationships, the devotion of the Austin parents, but also the family’s idiosyncrasies and flaws that keep them from becoming saccharine portraits of perfection. One of my favorite episodes in the entire book is when all the Austins dress up as a well-to-do family in order to scare off their uncle’s unsuitable girlfriend. Even Mr. and Mrs. Austin are in on the joke, which really makes them seem real and alive to the reader. I also think Vicky’s relationship to Rob, and the entire family’s reaction when Rob goes briefly missing, are very touching elements to the story, and very well-described.
Above all, though, the chapter which gives the most insight into the Austin family’s role in the world is one that was left out of the first published edition of the book. It’s called The Anti-Muffins, and it tells of the Austins’ club, which is based entirely on the idea that it’s undesirable to be conformist. Muffins come out of the pan all the same, but the Austins strive against that, hoping for a world where it’s okay to be a little bit strange. Also in the club is a Hispanic boy named Pablo whose family is poor. His presence is said to be the reason the chapter was originally cut from the book. But thank goodness it was put back in. I skipped it on my first read-through to see what the story was like without it. It was still very good - the vocabulary is very rich, the style very enjoyable, etc. - but something about that Anti-Muffins chapter makes the book feel whole to me. I truly wish I had read this book as a child just for that chapter.
This book has quickly become one of my favorites, and it has me completely hooked on the Austin characters. I can tell already I’m going to enjoy this little reading exercise, and especially enjoy seeing where L’Engle takes these characters in the books I've yet to read.
I have read several Madeleine L’Engle novels as an adult, but I’ve never made my way through the entirety of any of her series. I’ve decided that the best way to remedy this situation is to read the interconnected Murray-O’Keefe and Austin novels in the order in which they were published. This means, when I do finally finish this task, I will have read Meet the Austins, A Wrinkle In Time, The Moon By Night, The Arm of the Starfish, The Young Unicorns, A Wind in the Door, Dragons in the Waters, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, A Ring of Endless Light, A House Like a Lotus, Many Waters, An Acceptable Time, and Troubling a Star. After reading Meet the Austins, I’m really looking forward to the rest.
While I associate L’Engle with science fiction, this first novel about the Austins is completely realistic. The lives of the four Austin kids - John, Vicky, Suzy, and Rob - are upset when their uncle and his co-pilot are killed in a crash, and the co-pilot’s daughter, Maggy, comes to live with the Austins. Maggy is a brat when she arrives, and it takes the family a while to warm up to her. It is only when they must face the possibility that Maggy might return to her surviving blood relatives that they realize how much a member of the family she really has become.
The chapters in this book are definitely interrelated, but each one represents one particular episode out of the Austins’ lives. Each episode highlights the strength of the sibling relationships, the devotion of the Austin parents, but also the family’s idiosyncrasies and flaws that keep them from becoming saccharine portraits of perfection. One of my favorite episodes in the entire book is when all the Austins dress up as a well-to-do family in order to scare off their uncle’s unsuitable girlfriend. Even Mr. and Mrs. Austin are in on the joke, which really makes them seem real and alive to the reader. I also think Vicky’s relationship to Rob, and the entire family’s reaction when Rob goes briefly missing, are very touching elements to the story, and very well-described.
Above all, though, the chapter which gives the most insight into the Austin family’s role in the world is one that was left out of the first published edition of the book. It’s called The Anti-Muffins, and it tells of the Austins’ club, which is based entirely on the idea that it’s undesirable to be conformist. Muffins come out of the pan all the same, but the Austins strive against that, hoping for a world where it’s okay to be a little bit strange. Also in the club is a Hispanic boy named Pablo whose family is poor. His presence is said to be the reason the chapter was originally cut from the book. But thank goodness it was put back in. I skipped it on my first read-through to see what the story was like without it. It was still very good - the vocabulary is very rich, the style very enjoyable, etc. - but something about that Anti-Muffins chapter makes the book feel whole to me. I truly wish I had read this book as a child just for that chapter.
This book has quickly become one of my favorites, and it has me completely hooked on the Austin characters. I can tell already I’m going to enjoy this little reading exercise, and especially enjoy seeing where L’Engle takes these characters in the books I've yet to read.
essentiallymeagan's review against another edition
4.0
I know this is a children's book. But I wanted to read it when I found out that Madeleine L'Engle had passed away earlier this week and I found out that there were more than 2 books in the Austin Family books. I had read the last two in the series when I was younger so I thought it would be best to start with the first book.
angelakay's review against another edition
3.0
Eh, rounding up to three stars. There are a lot of things that bug me about this book but the Autin Family series overall is decent YA for its time and you really need the setup from MTA for the other books. On the other hand, OMG THE PATRIARCHY! IT BURNS US! If there is one main lesson we are to learn from this book (and tbh from [b:The Moon by Night|462893|The Moon by Night (Austin Family, #2)|Madeleine L'Engle|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442201665l/462893._SY75_.jpg|3149767] as well), it's that Daddy and Jesus are always right and if something bad happened to you it's probably because you defied one of their will, you dirty heathen.