A review by benjfleck
And Both Were Young by Madeleine L'Engle
3.0
And Both Were Young: Or, Boarding School Blues
Getting shipped off to boarding school probably isn't the best feeling for many children. No one should be separated from their parents for too long during their formative years. However, there can be benefits too. Philippa Hunter gets sent to a boarding school in Switzerland after her mother died and her photographer father traveled off for work. It's not long after WWII and the world is in flux. Philippa is lost, lonely, and angry. She is awkward and doesn't know how to make friends. The world sucks for her!
But through a friendship with a mysterious boy named Paul and guidance from a caring teacher, Philippa, or Flip, starts to find her place. The story is a warm, heartfelt, and intriguing coming of age story where Flip gains friends, confidence, and true understanding of life. At times, she was a bit whiny and annoying, but imagining being her shoes, I might've felt the same way. Plus, her classmates were dicks.
Altogether, the story is a nice simple one and while it didn't shine for me, it wasn't terrible or bad. Plus, a boarding school in the Swiss Alps??! I mean HOW COOL.
P.S. Watch out for creepers creeping in the mountain woods trying to claim people as their kids. That's creepy AF!
Getting shipped off to boarding school probably isn't the best feeling for many children. No one should be separated from their parents for too long during their formative years. However, there can be benefits too. Philippa Hunter gets sent to a boarding school in Switzerland after her mother died and her photographer father traveled off for work. It's not long after WWII and the world is in flux. Philippa is lost, lonely, and angry. She is awkward and doesn't know how to make friends. The world sucks for her!
But through a friendship with a mysterious boy named Paul and guidance from a caring teacher, Philippa, or Flip, starts to find her place. The story is a warm, heartfelt, and intriguing coming of age story where Flip gains friends, confidence, and true understanding of life. At times, she was a bit whiny and annoying, but imagining being her shoes, I might've felt the same way. Plus, her classmates were dicks.
Altogether, the story is a nice simple one and while it didn't shine for me, it wasn't terrible or bad. Plus, a boarding school in the Swiss Alps??! I mean HOW COOL.
P.S. Watch out for creepers creeping in the mountain woods trying to claim people as their kids. That's creepy AF!