#vicky austin

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

A Ring of Endless Light (2002)

[peg-carter]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Not Agent Carter, but - I wrote a little L’Engle fic. 

Rob and Vicky, grieving, post- A Ring of Endless Light.

[thirdasstlibrarian]

A Ring of Endless Light, by Madeleine L’Engle

A Ring of Endless Light, by Madeleine L’Engle

Rating: 5 stars | Genre(s): Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

This has been one of my favorite books for about as long as I can remember. It’s ostensibly a coming of age story for young adults, but that’s not quite an accurate characterization of it. I think that pretty much anyone of any age from any background could read A Ring of Endless Light and take something meaningful away from it, because it really explores on spirituality and the human experience in an optimistic and an unflinchingly realistic way. 

The book revolves around a teenage girl named Vicky Austin. She and her family are visiting her grandfather on Seven Bay Island, just as they do every summer - but this time, they’re staying for several months, because Vicky’s grandfather is dying of leukemia.

It opens on a heartbreaking note: Vicky is attending the funeral of an old family friend, who died of a heart attack while trying to rescue someone who went out sailing in a storm. Death is a pretty significant theme throughout the book - Vicky has to deal with the specter of it in several different forms, and it’s never easy or simple.

But while A Ring of Endless Light is heart-breaking at points, it’s also very life-affirming. The pain and suffering that people suffer is never minimized, but neither is their capacity for joy and love. Vicky’s summer is spent reconciling those two impossible sides of the coin, including fielding the romantic interests of an old friend, a rich and unstable boy she first met the previous year, and a friend of her brother’s from the research institute he’s working in for the summer.

Her relationship with each is very different, and each boy has his own demons to contend with. Her brother’s friend probably provides her with the most distraction, though - he’s conducting research with wild dolphins, including attempts to psychically connect with them, and he asks her for help.

It’s a beautiful book. Everyone should read it.

[katieannwrites]

Ten Literary Characters Who Are Important To Me

In no particular order...

10) Vicky Austin 09) Lucy Pevensie 08) Brett Ashley 07) Drizzt Do’Urden 06) Calvin O’Keefe 05) Jo March 04) Ponyboy Curtis 03) Mary Lennox 02) Kristy Thomas 01) Molly McIntyre

[indigobluerose]

Polly O’Keefe and Vicky Austin have met several of the same boys, but never each other. I wish there was a book about Vicky and Polly meeting and becoming friends. So much of their stories focus on the boys they know.

[inwhichiread]

How can one person be so frightened, and so sad, and then so joyful, in such a short time?

A Ring of Endless Light, Madeleine L'Engle (Chapter 8)

[everyturnasurprise]

The earth will never be the same again Rock, water, tree, iron, share this grief As distant stars participate in the pain. A candle snuffed, a falling star or leaf, A dolphin death, O this particular loss A Heaven-mourned; for if no angel cried If this small one was tossed away as dross, The very galaxies would have lied. How shall we sing our love's song now In this strange land where all are born to die? Each tree and leaf and star show how The universe is part of this one cry, Every life is noted and is cherished, and nothing loved is ever lost or perished

Vicky Austin (A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle)