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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli

Genre: Historical Fiction, Youth
Length: 121 pages

Reviewed by: Emma Fitzgerald

“Thou hast only to follow the wall far enough and there will be a door in it.”

So states Brother Luke in the first chapter of Marguerite de Angeli’s The Door in the Wall, which chronicles the story of Robin de Burefurd, a young boy living in Medieval England. Robin is crippled, but this does not stop him from having adventures and ultimately becoming a hero to his family and friends. With the help of Brother Luke and other friends, he learns to overcome the adversity of his handicap and discovers his God-given purpose.

De Angeli’s writing is clear, concise, and vivid. She does a splendid job of conveying the flavor of medieval living in her beautifully crafted descriptions of the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells that Robin and his friends encounter. I particularly appreciated the simplicity of her style. Her descriptions leave a good deal to the imagination, lightly sketching the various scenes while avoiding overly flowery prose. She uses lively dialogue to reveal much about the characters and their outlook on life, and much of the plot is revealed through believable dialogue. As an added bonus, De Angeli also seems to have researched the time period thoroughly, as she weaves interesting historical tidbits into her narrative, such as what was expected of a young squire in a noble house, or the way time was reckoned by the church calendar. Overall, the book is a model of simple beauty, well crafted and restrained in the best sense.

The morality in the book stems unmistakably from a Christian source. The dedication page quotes Revelation 3:8, and the book constantly celebrates the peace and joy that come from serving God in whatever capacity one is able. Another main theme that runs through out the book is the worth and joy of doing things “for God’s honor.” Robin learns that though he cannot run about like others, he can still demonstrate kindness, courage, honesty, diligence, and other godly qualities. Brother Luke’s words of wisdom echo biblical truth and serve as the moral center of the book. He gently rebukes Robin for complaining and reminds him, “We can only do the best we can with what we have. That, after all, is the measure of success: what we do with what we have.”

In conclusion, this little book was both charming and uplifting. Although it is aimed at a younger audience and would be ideal for ages 8-13, I would recommend it to anyone looking to disappear for a few hours into a world of squires, knights, wandering minstrels, kindly monks, and medieval adventure.

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