And Both Were Young Madeleine L’Engle Audiobook Review

I need more Madeleine L’Engle in my life. Sure, she’s retro, but friends, I’m sort of sighing over the sweetness of And Both Were Young. Weird as this sounds, And Both Were Young totally relaxed me and was such a calming read – bringing me back to a different time.

And Both Were Young, Madeleine L'Engle, Audiobook, cover

And Both Were Young

So Phillipa (Flip) Hunter lives an ideal life with her painter father – traveling and then going to live in NY with her Grandmother when she can’t go with dad. Then this sophisticated beautiful woman named Eunice comes along and F-s things up, just like these types always do. Eunice convinces Flip’s dad to send Flip to boarding school in Switzerland. Which would be totally cool – only Flip doesn’t get along with the other girls at her school – they all act much older than her. Plus Flip is painfully shy. She meets Paul, a boy, in the woods by chance and the two strike up a friendship.

Oh, friends, sometimes I will take a chaste read over steamy sexytimes – especially if Madeleine L’Engle is at the helm. And Both Were Young recalls innocent first love. Obviously Flip and Paul are into each other, but they aren’t having sex or anything. It’s just innocent and fun and cute overload.

Flip’s a character I love because I relate to her in that she’s painfully shy, but grows out of it. When I was a kid til I became a teenager, I was very shy and didn’t talk to people, much like Flip, out of a sort of fear. Now, well, you can all attest to the opposite, but I did like being able to relate to Flip, especially as And Both Were Young was published originally in 1949.

Part of the reason And Both Were Young by Madeleine L’Engle was so soothing to me is I listened to the audiobook version produced by Listening Library narrated by Ann Marie Lee which is unabridged and is 7 hours and 55 minutes long. Ann Marie Lee’s voice never gets super loud, she doesn’t have an annoying accent. Her narration isn’t your face pow pow pow. Rather, she lends a gentle voice to the story and is easy on my ears. She used this elegant accent for Flip’s classmates to show how sophisticated and grow up they were and it was like listening to some of the characters from the parties in Breakfast At Tiffany’s talk. Goodness I loved it. And Both Were Young by Madeleine L’Engle is a great listen especially if you live in an area prone to horrible drivers – like me – seriously who goes 45 in a 55? It’ll relax your nerves. Trust.

Disclosure: Borrowed from my local library – which is totes a hot spot.

Other reviews of And Both Were Young by Madeleine L’Engle:

Chachic’s Book Nook
Angieville
Forever Young Adult

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April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.
About April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

Comments

  1. It is a quiet kind of read, isn’t it? Very different from contemporary YA because of the setting but I really enjoyed reading it. I was shy kid as well! No one believes me when I tell them that because I’m really outgoing now.

  2. When I was a youngster this was one of my go-to comfort reads! I love painfully shy Flip and troubled Paul – perfect wintertime book!

  3. Sighing and peacefulness are certainly what I experience whenever I reread this book. It is so sweet and earnest, and I will always love Flip and Paul.

  4. Although my favourite book is written by Madeleine L’Engle (A Ring of Endless Light), I’m so ashamed to admit that I haven’t quite read all of her novels. And Both Were Young is one of the books of hers I’ve always wanted to read, but have never gotten the chance too. After reading your review though, I think this is something I’ll have to change!

  5. The author’s name is so familiar… I think I’ve read some of her stuff, but I can’t remember what. This book sounds super cute. I love innocent first love stories.

  6. I LOVE Madeleine L’Engle! I’ll have to check this out!

  7. I’m always looking for a new audiobook to listen to in the car – I seem to have the same problem as you do. People, the speed limit on the highway is 70, not 55. This sounds like such a sweet read; I’m a huge sucker for books that take me back to those awkward, painfully shy days of my teenage years when boys were foreign to me!

  8. I adore books that focus on that sweet innocent young love. It’s those moments in life you always want to venture back to, I think it’s why I enjoy reading them so much. 🙂

    this cover is cute. This is sorta how my back yard would look right now if winter would get her shit together. Truth be told, I’m okay if it skips a year. lol.

  9. I am unfamiliar with this book! Thanks so much for enlightening me. I’ll put it on my list!

  10. This book does sound relaxing and lovely.

    (But I’m not gonna lie. I like it when you say pow pow pow.)

  11. I have tried to read everything I could get my hands on by Madeleine L’Engle (who was not retro, in my day, I’m afraid) but I missed this one. I’ll be looking it up, thanks!

  12. sounds wonderful…. now I want to listen to this one 🙂

  13. I agree with you – if you have an experienced author, chaste first love stories can be the way to go.

    Plus, if this wasn’t a nice relaxing story: meeting a boy while alone in the woods is probs not the best idea.

  14. Oh I loved this book when I was younger! This is another one I’d love to reread some day.

  15. I read L’Engle’s books over and over in my teens. So much love for this one.

  16. I just bought this to complete my L’Engle bookshelf. My bookcase is now very content. A lovely story.