Angels: Amazon.co.uk: Marian Keyes: Books

Amazon.co.uk Review

A new Marian Keyes novel is always something to celebrate, and her sixth novel, Angels, will have you cheering. From the first couple of sentences: "I'd always lived a fairly blameless life. Up until the day I left my husband and ran away to Hollywood, I'd hardly ever put a foot wrong" to the hugely satisfying last page, you're immediately involved in the story of Maggie Walsh's life; of how it went wrong, and then went right again.

The Walshes starred in a previous Keyes novel, the delightful Rachel's Holiday; Maggie is Rachel's older sister, (one of five) and the only one who "never did any of that nasty sleeping around business". Instead she got married to her first boyfriend Paul Garvan and everything was fine, until they suffered a couple of "setbacks". Unable to face sorting out the difficulties, Maggie hightails it to Los Angeles to stay with her old pal Emily. Emily is a script writer, her short film A Perfect Day was a big hit in Ireland, but her working life is a little tougher in the land of sunshine and fat-free Pringles. The two girls, along with a supporting cast of wannabes, scary film studio folk and slacker next door neighbours, get on with sorting out their emotional issues in a stylishly witty, wonderfully warm fashion. Maggie's devilish ex-boyfriend and the commitment phobic Troy add in a delightful frisson of sexual tension.

Marian Keyes observations on the foibles of love and LA are laugh-out-loud funny, but there's a beguiling tenderness there too. By the time you reach the final full stop you'll be sighing with contentment, and just wishing that Marian would get a move on with the next book. --Eithne Farry --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Queen of the girlie-girl novel, Irish author Keyes makes her fifth outing-and first to be set in the US-a laugh-out-loud tour through the land of broken hearts and fun shoes. The life catastrophes of Claire and Rachel have been addressed previously (Watermelon, 1998; Rachel's Holiday, 2000), and now it's time for Maggie, the "good one" of the five Irish Walsh girls. Likened to warm, plain yogurt, Maggie has indeed kept to the straight and narrow (although this is in comparison, mind you, to her alcoholic, drug-abusing, man-eating sisters) with a nice job, nice house, and an even nicer husband named Garv. But when Maggie discovers after nine years of marriage that Garv may have been having an affair, she leaves him, going first to her parents' house in Dublin, then to Los Angeles (why not, since she's also just been fired) to stay with best friend Emily. A struggling screenwriter, Emily introduces Maggie to the Hollywood life: actress/model/waitresses (mattresses, for short), phony-baloney double-speak, plastic-surgeried everything, bluish-brown skies, white furniture, and anorexic dogs. Her own life a shambles, Maggie tumbles into Emily's world of friends (yummy indie director Troy, beautiful lesbian Lara), screenwriting (if Emily's newest script doesn't work out, she's back to Dublin), and cocktail parties with "complicated martinis." Maggie falls in love briefly with Troy, then with Lara, but in truth it's really Garv she wants, and it may be that their recent "set-backs" have been caused less by marital malaise than by the two miscarriages Maggie recently had. Will Maggie ever find happiness again? Will she stay in LA? Will Emily really rewrite her screenplay with an all-dog cast? Rest assured, reader, all works out as it should. It's little surprise that all Keyes's novels are released in summer-with their appealing combination of lighthearted humor, high-end shopping, and a little true love. (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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32 of 32 people found the following review helpful

Like coming home again 25 Oct 2002

By Rachel Parker

Format:Hardcover

The thing about Marian Keyes books is that you get so involved that you wake up wanting to read another chapter as if it is a part of YOUR day that is unfolding!!

A welcome return to the Walsh family ( Rachel from Rachel's holiday and Claire from Watermelon) and their cocktail of alcohol dependance, junk food greed and disreputable daughters.Fabulous!!

Maggie Walsh , sister of Claire and Rachel, goes through the
" Turning 30/should I be having kids crisis", exacerbated by the fact that no -one will tell her the truth about labour pains ( it hurts believe me!!). Crisis is catalyst for relationship breakdown which in turn is catalyst for her buggering off to L.A.

Maggie's time in LA is interspersed with thoughtful insights into her history and the book swings from past to present in a Wuthering Heights kind of a way, keeping you gripped and wanting to get through the chapters like Penelope Pitstop on speed so you can find out about her past!!

The satirical look at LA is hilarious - wait till you find out about the very latest plastic surgery - quite an image!!

The way that Maggie thinks " To hell with it" and behaves out of character is almost like it's you yourself on holiday thinking " sod it". Marian Keyes lets you know the characters so personally that you experience Maggie's risks and thrills almost first hand. When Maggie wakes up to herself is something we can all identify with, the happy ending is something we all deserve but most of us don't get! Still that's why it's a book and a brilliant one!

When do we get the next book about another wayward sister?

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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

engaging and hilarious 3 July 2003

By Elizabeth H. Bell

Format:Paperback

I'm a big fan of Marion Keyes, and this one does not dissapoint. This book is about expectations, love, nostalgia and as an added punch a very funny commentary on life in the dream capitol of the world (or at least the US)Los Angeles, as seen through the sensible eyes of a gal from across the pond. LA is an industry town, and that industry is show business, and this novel, in addition to providing all the elements of a satisfying, enjoyable chick lit read, also provides a hilarious skewering of the way that town works- with its "yogalates" classes and nail salons. I didn't want to put it down- possibly the best Marion Keyes yet.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

Yet another Marian Keyes winner! 27 Sep 2002

By A Customer

I am an avid reader of Marian Keyes' novels, and received Angels as a birthday gift back in June. In fact, Ms. Keyes was reading from "Angels" in my neighborhood bookstore here in the USA, but I had just had surgery and couldn't attend.
Angels just might be my new favorite Keyes book! I laughed the entire way through the book....but then, before I knew it, I was actually crying while reading along too. Keyes' books are always light-hearted, yet based in reality, and offer some heart-felt poignent moments that have her characters baring their innermost souls. At the same time, Keyes has a wonderful ability to play on the "transplanted" characters, whether they are from Ireland and plopped down smack in the middle of Los Angeles, or they have a steady career and find themselves suddenly sacked without a job at all, or being wonderfully married only to be suddenly single, etc.
Angels captures the superficial soul of Hollywood and LA VERY accurately, with her usual wit and honest observations. And in the meantime, the novel is filled with characters that you want to keep reading about! Well done Ms. Keyes!