a ring of endless light, by madeleine l’engle

young adult, science fiction, coming of age | t | 5 stars

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 - 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 explores spirituality and the human experience in a way that's simultaneously optimistic and unflinchingly realistic.

the book (which is part of l'engle's chronos series, but can be read as a standalone novel) 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 while trying to rescue someone who went out sailing in a storm. death is a pretty significant theme throughout the book - vicky spends the novel navigating what death means throughout the novel, and it’s never easy or simple.

but while a ring of endless light is heart-breaking at points, l'engle doesn't focus exclusively on pain when it comes to life or death. the same scene can address the specter of death and be very life-affirming, because while people's pain and suffering is never minimized, neither is their capacity for joy and love. vicky’s summer is spent reconciling those two impossible sides of the coin and coming to terms with how she feels about it - and how she fits into the world in general.

there's a fantasy/science fiction element to the story as well: vicky spends the bulk of the summer assisting her older brother's friend with his research on wild dolphins, including attempts to psychically connect with them. while it's a significant part of the book and strongly influences how she processes her experiences, it's not presented as an escapist gateway to a world of magic. instead, it's woven seamlessly in with the rest of the narrative, and her experiences with the dolphins - and with her brother's friend - ultimately reinforces her grasp on reality, rather than luring her away from it.

it’s a beautiful, comforting book - and for me, at least, never more so than when i'm grappling with people i care about getting sick or dying. i can't recommend it strongly enough.