By Layla Al-Hussaini, Staff Writer

Camilla

Madeline L'Engle

You may remember Madeleine L’Engle as the brilliant mind behind the childhood treasure,  "A Wrinkle In Time." But would you recognize one of her lesser known tales? Eleven years before the novel now almost synonymous with her name, came the young adult romance a"Camilla," a wonderful book that I would give eight out of ten stars. 

The book follows a young woman named Camilla, who lives a rather sheltered and privileged life as the story begins. Her parents continually shower her with love, affection, and material items. Camilla’s naive world is given a shock of reality when her closest friend, Luise, confides in her about her struggles surrounding her family. What is soon revealed in the novel, is despite their well-to-do appearance, Camilla’s family is far closer to that of Luise’s than others would know. Her family struggles surrounding mental health, divorce, and arguments begin to increasingly affect Camilla’s life. She finds herself avoidant of her family’s struggles, but she soon meets a young man who helps her accept and work through her struggles at home. 

Frank gives Camilla a glimpse of real life outside the doors of her parent’s sheltered home. She finds herself, for the first time in her life, to be able to confide in another person about her fears, hopes, and anxieties of life. 

L’Engle’s novel explores a number of themes including rebelling against societal expectations, learning life lessons, religious ideologies, independence, and maturity. Frank’s intelligent and philosophical beliefs and ideas are a shock to Camilla. Many differences and similarities can be drawn between the pair. Frank inspires Camilla to come into her own intelligence and pursue her own passions; to come out of the mold her parents have created for her, and eventually grow into her own person mentally, emotionally, and intellectually.

"Camilla" has far more to offer than many of the romance novels on the market, both from when it was first published in 1955 and republished in 2009, and today. Rather than having the focal point of the story being Frank and Camilla’s romance, the story focuses far more on the growth and lessons learned from each other. Frank equips Camilla with the tools she needs to deal with her own internal struggles and conflicts. 

Many books, especially from this time period, can be massively predictable. The focus on Camilla’s growth as a young woman, even independently from Frank, is a unique twist. Many books may focus on the heartbreak or even burden of love, but instead, it focuses on Camilla learning to rely on herself, not others. 

Overall, I would give Camilla an 8 out of 10. The science and philosophy influence that many of L’ Engle’s creations share is evident in this tale as well. It’s a lovely element of the novel. When I first began reading it, I thought the book may be a little juvenile, but there are truly gems to discover for readers of all ages. 

As the novel approaches its 70th anniversary, of course, it has some clique and predictable elements and Frank and Camilla’s somber end is a bit of a downer as well. The character development was inspiring and gave a lot of depth to the tale. 

If you are looking for a thought-provoking twist on the classic first-love story, I would without a doubt recommend you pick up a copy of L’Engle’s novel. You can add the tale to your collection for $14.50 on Amazon.com. 

Camilla

By Madeline L'Engle

Can be found at:

Amazon

Morrill Memorial Library