Camilla Dickinson, also published as Camilla (ISBN 0-440-01020-9), is a 1951 novel by Madeleine L'Engle

Madeleine L'Engle

Madeleine L'Engle was an American writer best known for her young-adult fiction, particularly the Newbery Medal-winning A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time...

. Camilla Dickinson, a fifteen-year-old New Yorker, narrates an important approximately three week period of her life in November 1950.

Plot summary

Camilla is facing significant problems at home. Her mother, Rose, has begun an affair with a man named Jacques. Her mother begs Camilla to keep it a secret, while Camilla's father, Rafferty, asks her to be honest and tell him the truth. Camilla is torn between her loyalty to both parents and begins to realize they are very imperfect people.

To cope with the struggle, Camilla befriends Frank, her best friend's older brother. He is understanding of her problems and assists her in accepting her parents flaws. Frank encourages Camilla to define herself not by her family but to define herself as who she truly is. The pair share ideas on life, religion and philosophy and begin to form a romantic attachment. Their happiness is cut short when their families problems get worse. Frank's parents break up and he is forced to suddenly move away with his father. Camilla's parents decide to work on their marriage and go on a European Vacation together. Unfortunately, while her parents are traveling, Camilla is going to be sent to a Swiss boarding school. While Camilla is heartbroken by the loss of Frank, she uses the inner strength she has gained in the past weeks to deal with the changes in her life.

Main characters

Camilla Dickinson- The fifteen year old narrator.

Rose Dickinson- Camilla's mother, who is having an affair. She is very beautiful but weak, foolish and needy.

Rafferty Dickinson- Camilla's father. He is an architect, serious and cold. But in many ways, he is also weak because he is unable to leave Rose, no matter what she does.

Luisa Rowan- Camilla's best friend. Luisa is strong-willed and very possessive, especially when is comes to Camilla. Her parents are also face serious marital issues.

Frank Rowan- Luisa's older brother who has recently returned from boarding school. He is very philosophical and passionate but is also troubled by his own problems.

Jacques- Rose's lover. He seems very intelligent but also manipulative.

All of these characters, except for Jacques, appear in the sequel, A Live Coal in the Sea

A Live Coal in the Sea

A Live Coal in the Sea written by Madeleine L'Engle and published in 1996, is the sequel to Camilla , one of L'Engle's earliest novels. While Camilla was written for a young adult audience, A Live Coal in the Sea is an adult novel...

.

Film adaptation

An adaptation of the novel is being made into a film written and directed by Cornelia Moore. The drama will star Adelaide Clemens

Adelaide Clemens

Adelaide Clemens is an Australian actress. She was nominated for a Logie Award in 2008 for her role in the television series Love My Way. Clemens has appeared in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and will portray Heather Mason in the upcoming horror film Silent Hill: Revelation 3D.-Career:Clemens began...

 as Camilla Dickinson alongside Gregg Sulkin

Gregg Sulkin

Gregg Sulkin is an English actor. He made his film debut in the 2006 British release Sixty Six, and subsequently became known for appearing in the Disney comedy series As the Bell Rings and Wizards of Waverly Place. In 2010, he starred in the television movie Avalon High.-Life and career:Sulkin...

. Cary Elwes

Cary Elwes

Ivan Simon Cary Elwes , known professionally as Cary Elwes, is an English actor. The son of Dominick Elwes and Tessa Georgina Kennedy, Elwes acted in off-Broadway plays during college and moved to the United States in the early 1980s. He is known for his role as Westley in the cult classic The...

 and Samantha Mathis

Samantha Mathis

Samantha Mathis is an American actress. The daughter of actress Bibi Besch, Mathis made her film debut in Pump Up the Volume , opposite Christian Slater...

 will play Raferty and Rose Dickinson. The project will begin filming in Spokane, Washington

Spokane, Washington

Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...

in mid-November 2010.

The official movie site is: camilladickinson.com.