Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. A Swiftly Tilting Planet shifts the focus from Meg to Charles Wallace. How did this change in protagonist affect your experience compared to reading A Wrinkle in Time (1962)? Did you find Charles Wallace’s time-traveling journey through different historical periods as compelling as the space-faring adventures of the first book?

2. The novel weaves together science fiction, high fantasy, theology, and historical fiction. What did you think of this genre blend? Did you feel these different elements worked together harmoniously, or did they sometimes feel at odds with each other?

3. How did the central threat of nuclear war feel to you as a reader? Did the book’s metaphysical solution, changing a single crucial decision in the past in order to alter the present, feel like a satisfying way to resolve such a modern, technological danger?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Matthew Maddox’s small, private decision to send Zillah to Vespugia ends up saving the world. Can you think of a time when a seemingly minor choice you made, or one you witnessed, had unexpectedly large consequences? How does this story make you think differently about the impact of your daily actions?

2. The story emphasizes that history is alive and interconnected, with the past directly influencing the present Murry family through Mrs. O’Keefe’s lineage. Have you ever explored your own family history and discovered stories or patterns that felt meaningful or connected to your own life?

3. Charles Wallace’s greatest challenge is learning to let go of his intellectual pride and surrender to intuition and a greater power. Think about a situation in your own life where you had to balance logic against faith or intuition. What did you learn from that experience?

4. What do you make of the idea that joy, as embodied by Gaudior and the dog Ananda, represents a sustaining force within creation and the harmony of the universe? Can you recall a moment in your own life when joy or hope helped you endure a difficult situation or see things differently?

5. In what ways did the theme of an individual shouldering a great burden to avert collective doom resonate with you?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The book was written during the Cold War, and the fear of nuclear annihilation is its driving force. How does this historical context shape the story’s tone and urgency? Where do you see similar anxieties about global catastrophe appearing in our world today?

2. L’Engle’s Christian Humanist worldview confidently combines science and faith, with Nobel Prize-winning scientists accepting the power of an ancient rune. How do you think this fusion of reason and spirituality is perceived in contemporary culture? Do you think a book like this would be written or received differently today?

3. What is the significance of the witch trial episode where Zylle is accused of witchcraft and persecuted because of fear, superstition, and social suspicion?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does L’Engle use the gradual revelation of Beezie’s tragic past to create this character arc? What does her journey suggest about memory, trauma, and redemption?

2. How does the novel use the “brother against brother” motif to trace the influence of the Echthroi through history?

3. The concept of “kything” allows Meg to be an active participant even though she never leaves her room. In what ways does her role as an anchor and witness shape the narrative? How does her telepathic connection with Charles Wallace underscore the theme of interdependence?

4. Consider Matthew Maddox as the story’s unlikely hero. Why do you think L’Engle chose a writer to perform the single act that saves the world? What does his character suggest about the nature of true power and heroism?

5. How is music used as a symbol for the cosmic struggle between creation and uncreation throughout the book?

6. What makes the novel’s approach to time travel and causality unique? Have you read other stories that explore altering the past, like Ray Bradbury’s “A Sound of Thunder” (1952), and how does this book’s focus on a moral, empathetic connection to the past compare?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you could send Charles Wallace and Gaudior to another moment in history where a single decision might alter the course of events, which event would you choose? What challenges might they face in that particular time and place?

2. Imagine you’re adapting this novel for the screen. How would you visually represent the abstract concepts of “kything” and the Echthroi’s attempts to distort or break harmony? What creative choices would you make to show Charles Wallace’s experience of being “Within” another person’s consciousness?

3. The Rune of St. Patrick is a powerful tool for aligning with the forces of creation. If you were to write a modern-day rune to protect against a contemporary “power of darkness,” what forces or concepts would you invoke in its verses?