Angels of Destruction
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Product Description
Review
`This is a beautifully told story that's slightly eerie, compelling and sad' --The Sun, Natasha Harding
`An intriguing, intelligent tale... Donohue creates a world both strange and surprising while also touching and compassionate' --The Big Issue, Antonia Charlesworth
`An intriguing, intelligent tale... Donohue creates a world both strange and surprising while also touching and compassionate' --The Big Issue, Antonia Charlesworth
Book Description
A mesmerising second novel from the acclaimed author of The Stolen Child
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The story begins in 1985. One bitterly cold night, Margaret quinn, a widow, who lives alone and still mourns the loss of her child; a daughter, who ran away a decade earlier with the boy that she loved, opens the door to find Norah, a small bespectacled girl, frozen and shivering with a battered suitcase leaning against her legs. Margaret takes the girl in, but who is she and what is her purpose?
The second part of the book flashes back to 1975 and tells the story of Erica, Margaret's child, and Wiley, a boy who is obsessed with the Angels of Destruction, a group of radicals, and decides to join their revolution. It reveals how love is at times blind and how it can sweep you along with things you have no control over. Part three returns to 1985 and is about forgiveness and hope. The two parts preceding are now entwined and come together in conclusion.
This book is expertly written. There is fantasy and magic, but it's subtle and weaves its way through the story leading the reader to believe, without question. However, for me, the story was more about love and loss, grief and forgiveness. It is haunting and melancholy without sentimentality. The mystery behind Norah, Una and the man in the camel-haired coat is never really revealed, but the hint of angels influences us in who we believe them to be. The true essence of the story does have an ending, which is very moving.
This is not a quick read, but then I wouldn't want it to be. The story demands the pace to be slow to coincide with the sorrowful atmosphere.
I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
(I gave this 7/10 on my blog)
The second part of the book flashes back to 1975 and tells the story of Erica, Margaret's child, and Wiley, a boy who is obsessed with the Angels of Destruction, a group of radicals, and decides to join their revolution. It reveals how love is at times blind and how it can sweep you along with things you have no control over. Part three returns to 1985 and is about forgiveness and hope. The two parts preceding are now entwined and come together in conclusion.
This book is expertly written. There is fantasy and magic, but it's subtle and weaves its way through the story leading the reader to believe, without question. However, for me, the story was more about love and loss, grief and forgiveness. It is haunting and melancholy without sentimentality. The mystery behind Norah, Una and the man in the camel-haired coat is never really revealed, but the hint of angels influences us in who we believe them to be. The true essence of the story does have an ending, which is very moving.
This is not a quick read, but then I wouldn't want it to be. The story demands the pace to be slow to coincide with the sorrowful atmosphere.
I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
(I gave this 7/10 on my blog)
Format:Paperback
I loved Keith Donohue's first novel, The Stolen Child, and so I ordered this, his second, as soon as I knew it existed.
The premise is interesting. Margaret's daughter ran away and then her beloved husband died, leaving her alone in the world. But then, on a cold winter's night, she opens the door and finds a child. A little girl. Norah. She claims to belong to no one, and and acquiesces when Margaret takes her in and plans to pass her off as a long-lost grandchild.
It set up some interesting possibilities, But I was concerned that Margaret, a mother who had lost a child, gave not one minute's thought to the possibility that there was somebody out there missing Norah. And I was concerned that the story wasn't holding me tightly and that I was asking there was those sort of questions.
There was nothing blatantly wrong, but the story didn't quite come alive. But I had faith in the author, and in the premise, so on I went.
Norah turned out to be not like other children. Who was she? Where did she come from? Who was the mysterious figure who followed her? What happened to Margaret's daughter? And how would the answers to all of those questions fit together?
The answers emerge slowly as past and present stories are told and eventually come together.
The story was well constructed and strong enough to keep the pages turning. There were some lovely moments, but there were also a few that just didn't ring true.
It never did really come alive. The characters, the dialogue, they were all just a little flat - and this was a story, I think, that needed a few quirks, a few twists.
I wasn't heartbroken, but I was disappointed..
The premise is interesting. Margaret's daughter ran away and then her beloved husband died, leaving her alone in the world. But then, on a cold winter's night, she opens the door and finds a child. A little girl. Norah. She claims to belong to no one, and and acquiesces when Margaret takes her in and plans to pass her off as a long-lost grandchild.
It set up some interesting possibilities, But I was concerned that Margaret, a mother who had lost a child, gave not one minute's thought to the possibility that there was somebody out there missing Norah. And I was concerned that the story wasn't holding me tightly and that I was asking there was those sort of questions.
There was nothing blatantly wrong, but the story didn't quite come alive. But I had faith in the author, and in the premise, so on I went.
Norah turned out to be not like other children. Who was she? Where did she come from? Who was the mysterious figure who followed her? What happened to Margaret's daughter? And how would the answers to all of those questions fit together?
The answers emerge slowly as past and present stories are told and eventually come together.
The story was well constructed and strong enough to keep the pages turning. There were some lovely moments, but there were also a few that just didn't ring true.
It never did really come alive. The characters, the dialogue, they were all just a little flat - and this was a story, I think, that needed a few quirks, a few twists.
I wasn't heartbroken, but I was disappointed..
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
20 reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Read between the lines
19 Mar 2009
Format:Roughcut|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book says much about the human condition, especially about the relationship between parent and child. The author paints so well in words the way we interact only on the surface, and fail to truly communicate our deepest hopes, loves, and fears. At moments, the book is heart-wrenching, not so much for what is said, but for what is unsaid. The characters are drawn so realistically, that when I was finished reading, I wanted to know what the future held for these people. The fantasy aspect to this book leaves much for one to question, but again, is that not part of the human condition?
I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys the fantastic, the painful, the hopeful, and the thoughtful. It grabs you by the heart from page one and does not let go. For those that have read The Stolen Child, I found this book to be superior, especially in terms of character development.
I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys the fantastic, the painful, the hopeful, and the thoughtful. It grabs you by the heart from page one and does not let go. For those that have read The Stolen Child, I found this book to be superior, especially in terms of character development.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Strange, moving and beautiful...
19 Mar 2009
Format:Roughcut
In this second novel by a talented author, the story flows along so beautifully that the reader does not want to skip one syllable for fear of missing something wonderful. At times sad,yet with hope always underlying every chapter,the story was easy to love. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys something different and likes to be surprised by their books.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Highly Recommended
8 Jan 2010
Format:Paperback
When I first received this book to review, I read the synopsis and thought it was going to be about fantasy and magic, but what I got was so much more.
The story begins in 1985. One bitterly cold night, Margaret quinn, a widow, who lives alone and still mourns the loss of her child; a daughter, who ran away a decade earlier with the boy that she loved, opens the door to find Norah, a small bespectacled girl, frozen and shivering with a battered suitcase leaning against her legs. Margaret takes the girl in, but who is she and what is her purpose?
The second part of the book flashes back to 1975 and tells the story of Erica, Margaret's child, and Wiley, a boy who is obsessed with the Angels of Destruction, a group of radicals, and decides to join their revolution. It reveals how love is at times blind and how it can sweep you along with things you have no control over. Part three returns to 1985 and is about forgiveness and hope. The two parts preceding are now entwined and come together in conclusion.
This book is expertly written. There is fantasy and magic, but it's subtle and weaves its way through the story leading the reader to believe, without question. However, for me, the story was more about love and loss, grief and forgiveness. It is haunting and melancholy without sentimentality. The mystery behind Norah, Una and the man in the camel-haired coat is never really revealed, but the hint of angels influences us in who we believe them to be. The true essence of the story does have an ending, which is very moving.
This is not a quick read, but then I wouldn't want it to be. The story demands the pace to be slow to coincide with the sorrowful atmosphere.
I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
(I gave this 7/10 on my blog)
The story begins in 1985. One bitterly cold night, Margaret quinn, a widow, who lives alone and still mourns the loss of her child; a daughter, who ran away a decade earlier with the boy that she loved, opens the door to find Norah, a small bespectacled girl, frozen and shivering with a battered suitcase leaning against her legs. Margaret takes the girl in, but who is she and what is her purpose?
The second part of the book flashes back to 1975 and tells the story of Erica, Margaret's child, and Wiley, a boy who is obsessed with the Angels of Destruction, a group of radicals, and decides to join their revolution. It reveals how love is at times blind and how it can sweep you along with things you have no control over. Part three returns to 1985 and is about forgiveness and hope. The two parts preceding are now entwined and come together in conclusion.
This book is expertly written. There is fantasy and magic, but it's subtle and weaves its way through the story leading the reader to believe, without question. However, for me, the story was more about love and loss, grief and forgiveness. It is haunting and melancholy without sentimentality. The mystery behind Norah, Una and the man in the camel-haired coat is never really revealed, but the hint of angels influences us in who we believe them to be. The true essence of the story does have an ending, which is very moving.
This is not a quick read, but then I wouldn't want it to be. The story demands the pace to be slow to coincide with the sorrowful atmosphere.
I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
(I gave this 7/10 on my blog)
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