“An unusual and beautiful book,” the first novel by the bestselling author of A Wrinkle in Time explores the life of a young artist (Los Angeles Times). At only ten years old, Katherine Forrester has already experienced her fair share of upheaval. It has been three years since she last saw her mother, a concert pianist whose career was cut short by a terrible accident. After a brief reunion, … accident. After a brief reunion, tragedy strikes once more, forcing Katherine from the familiarity of New York City to a foreign Swiss boarding school.
Far from home, she struggles with the challenges of growing up. Stifled by her daily routine and the pettiness of her classmates, Katherine’s piano lessons with a gifted young teacher provide an anchor in the storm. After graduation, she follows in her mother’s footsteps, pursuing a career as a pianist in Greenwich Village. There, she must learn to reconcile her blossoming relationship with her fianc#65533; with the one consistent and dominant force in her life: music.
Inspired by the author’s time living among artists, The Small Rain follows Katherine’s journey from a distraught girl to an exuberant and talented woman with the breadth and poignancy that defines Madeleine L’Engle’s signature style.
This ebook features an illustrated biography of Madeleine L’Engle including rare images from the author’s estate.
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Its a quick, entertaining read. Not the best of Madeline L’Engle. I’ve started the sequel and think that is going to be deeper. Good beach read.
Beautifully written. Following the emerging life of a gifted pianist, a young woman who aspires to emulate her mother, leads through testing times to triumph.
Interesting family dynamics.
Experiment in dual thought processes…interesting
I didn’t care for the style. It seemed stilted and dull. I didn’t finish the book. It wasn’t objectionable in any way, just uninteresting.
This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Madeleine L’Engle writes this story so beautifully that it is impossible to not journey with her. The character evokes so many, many emotions of every woman…during her life journey. It’s exquisite. Impossible not to read her sequel. You just cannot put it aside…it becomes a part of you.
I enjoyed the writing style and the way the author made the characters come alive. They were flawed people who lived through hard difficulties.
Great coming of age story for a gifted artist
A good read if you are interested in character’s internal thoughts and philosophies. Read the sequel to find out what happens next…
Although I lovd “A Wrinkle in Time” as a child (and teacher) I never knew L’engle was also a gifted writer of adult fiction. Warning: This book will make you long to read the next one (A Severed Wasp).
I was given A Wrinkle in Time when I was about 12 years old back in the ’60’s and loved it, rereading it many times over, but didn’t know of any other of the author’s work, or if she even had written anything else. A few years later, in my teens, I saw this book, The Small Rain, in a bin at a flea market, thrilled to recognize the author, and bought it for about a quarter. I was first impacted by how different it was from Wrinkle — not sci-fi or fantasy in the least — but the story drew me in and wrapped me thoroughly in its spell. There is something about how L’Engle could formulate the intricacies of relationships familial, casual, and karmic among people of talent and genius that was unique. It’s what was missing in the movie A Wrinkle in Time. It’s something quintessential and difficult to capture, I think, though I still would love to see it done someday. I still love this book and re-read it about every ten years or so. I think anyone of an artistic temperament who, attempting to follow their muse through the minefield of contemporary schooling that is determined to squelch anything too imaginative, innovative or creative, found themselves entirely misunderstood, even traumatized in early childhood, would find a very identifiable character in Katherine. Decades later, L’Engle wrote the sequel, called A Severed Wasp. I was highly disappointed. Though it wasn’t a badly written book, I think L’Engle lost quite a bit of her magic when her religious inclinations overshadowed her writing style. In other words, she got preachy and lost that magical touch.
I read “A Wrinkle in Time” as a child, but this book makes me want to reread every Madeleine L’Engle book ever penned!
My two daughters loved A Wrinkle in Time, then her other books, but I had never experienced her writing. Now in my 70’s, I have come lately to her very first book. Loved it. Great character development. I look forward to searching out her many other books.
Odd characters and strange story. I expected more from this author, whose famous novel, “A Wrinkle in Time”, I enjoyed immensely.
I loved this book when I first read it in college… It’s well written, but heroine is too overaught and melodramatic most of the time for my adult tastes… DO NOT waste your time with it’s sequel published in 2017!
Ugh.
I could see this being made into a movie — but it would have to be black-and-white, not color. The language/phrasing is sometimes a bit odd, but consistent with the time in which it takes place.
I could not get into this book. It seemed awkward and just did not draw me in even after 100 pages.
One of my favorite writers
One of the best writers I’ve ever read. Now I’m going to read everything she wrote.
Beautifully written