Many Waters

Sandy and Dennys have always been the normal, run-of-the-mill ones in the extraordinary Murry family. They garden, make an occasional A in school, and play baseball. Nothing especially interesting has happened to the twins until they accidentally interrupt their father’s experiment.

Then the two boys are thrown across time and space. They find themselves alone in the desert, where, if they believe in unicorns, they can find unicorns, and whether they believe or not, mammoths and manticores will find them.

The twins are rescued by Japheth, a man from the nearby oasis, but before he can bring them to safety, Dennys gets lost. Each boy is quickly embroiled in the conflicts of this time and place, whose populations includes winged seraphim, a few stray mythic beasts, perilous and beautiful nephilim, and small, long lived humans who consider Sandy and Dennys giants. The boys find they have more to do in the oasis than simply getting themselves home–they have to reunite an estranged father and son, but it won’t be easy, especially when the son is named Noah and he’s about to start building a boat in the desert.

Genre: Middle grade
Science fiction/fantasy

Other Books in the Series

‘Many Waters’ is the fourth book in L’Engle’s The Time Quintet, which also includes:

Many Waters

Audio Excerpt

Reviews

“Sandy and Dennys, twins and middle children in the Newbery-winning A Wrinkle in Time, are transported to the time just before the Flood. . .This will be enjoyed for its suspense and humor as well as its other levels of meaning.”
―Kirkus Reviews

“L’Engle blends speculative fiction with biblical theology to create another provocative spellbinding tale.”
―Philadelphia Inquirer

“The story combines spiritual, religious, and scientific themes into a creative narrative about the situation on Earth that led to the building of an Ark…. If you are a L’Engle fan, this moving book will not disappoint.”
―irenei, Amazon, 2015

“A truly enjoyable read, weaving the twins into Noah ‘s story with imagination and thought. Madeleine L’Engle’s ability to give scientific concepts a gentle, understandable, and story-enhancing slant shines once again.”
―Steve, Amazon, 2013

Articles

“Many Waters”
Mallory Ortberg, 2015 / The Toast

“Biblical Fantasy: Many Waters”
Mari Ness, 2012 / TOR

“Many Waters Cannot Quench Love, Neither Can the Floods Drown It”
Megan Crane, 2012 / Forever Young Adult

“Down the Rabbit Hole: Re-reading Madeleine L’Engle”
Sarah S., 2013 / girls like giants blog