- Hardcover
- Publisher: HarperCollins; Abridged edition edition (1 Jan 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0007154763
- ISBN-13: 978-1402535062
- Product Dimensions: 13.8 x 12.6 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,225,260 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Falling Angels
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
In Falling Angels, Tracy Chevalier has combined a moving elegy to the lost innocence of the 21st century's grandmothers and great-grandmothers with a reminder of the strength and modernity of their aspirations and achievements. Maude and Livy are aged six in 1901, when Queen Victoria has just died and the whole country is in mourning. In 1910 they are almost young women who have experienced their own personal losses and belong to a generation who are no longer prepared to wear black for months to mark the death of Edward VII. Their families, the Colemans and the Waterhouses ("no relation to the painter"), meet in a graveyard beside their family graves. One has a large marble angel erected above it, the other an urn (an allusion more to the morbidity of a Victorian columbarium than the eternity of Keats' pre-Victorian "unravish'd bride of quietness"). Their choices of a monument to death seem to reflect their differing attitudes to life, but Chevalier makes clear that these two families are forever linked in their fates and aspirations.
The story moves swiftly, switching to multiple narratives: young but quickly maturing Maude and Livy; the adult Colemans and Waterhouses; their servants; and Simon the gravedigger boy. Chevalier has chosen carefully who speaks when, and who, more importantly, keeps silent. Livy's little sister Ivy May is one of the most beguiling figures of the work, but is given only two sentences of her own (and those two bring a lump to the throat). Mrs Coleman's experiences with the campaign for women's suffrage are marginalised through silence; Maude and Livy tell instead of their reaction to the women's antics. And while Falling Angels may be a story of women, despite, or perhaps because of their exclusion from contemporary politics, Simon's observations are the most honest and revealing.
Chevalier herself writes after the story's end that "the Acknowledgements is the only section of a novel that reveals an author's "normal" voice. Every character uses their "normal" voice in this novel, and Chevalier's own voice excels in ensuring that each one is unique (for example, everything is "delicious" for Livy), so that, like Mr Coleman mourning his daughter growing up, you will "miss her when she goes". --Olivia Dickinson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"In her New York Times best-selling follow-up, Chevalier once again paints a distant age with a rich and provocative palette of characters. Graced with the luminous imagery that distinguished Girl With a Pearl Earring, Falling Angels is another dazzling tour de force from this "master of voices"
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I avoided reading this for a long time, because I had read mixed reviews on Amazon about it and I was afraid I would be disappointed. I didn't want to knock Chevalier from the pedal stool I put her on after reading 'Girl'.
I'm glad I took the risk. On page four, I realised I was utterly hooked.
Falling Angels follows the lives of two very different best friends from five years old through to their teens. Lavinia is spoilt, beautiful yet insecure about her families' (slight) lack of wealth. Maude is plain but intelligent and compassionate, well off but unaware of it.
Each chapter is taken from different characters points of view - the girls, their parents and families, cooks and maids. This is where Chevalier shines - the plot is never confused or lost amongst all these different voices. These shifting view points only add to the compelling story.
The book starts with the death of Queen Victoria and the new ruling of King Edward. Chevalier weaves slow, subtle social changes of the Edwardian era into the storylines and quietly looks at how it affects the characters. The Sufragettes movement is largely featured, Maudes mother becomes involved and quickly becomes consumed by it. You feel Edwardian London coming to life around you.
Chevaliers' talent is creating atmosphere and stillness in very ordinary situations and simmering them to boiling point. She can build and inject pressure effortlessly.
I have never had any interest in historic novels but Chevalier could write about a sheet of blank paper and you would devour it!
The fans of 'Girl' do not think this is a modern classic, and maybe it cant live up to 'Girl', yet it has all the terrific Chevalier magic. That makes it a worthy read in my eyes.
Don't get caught up in comparing it with 'Girl' with 'Falling Angels' its not worse, it's just different. This is a divine little book to get lost in, I couldn't recommend it more.
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This was my first Tracy Chevalier read, but it certainly won't be my last. My reading group read this because one of our members had read Girl with a Pearl Earring and liked Chevalier's style, but this turned out to be one of the most successful book group sessions we've had to date.
This novel is very readable and the device of having different characters narrate the story keeps it really fresh. It was also difficult to put this book down as I felt compelled to find out what was going to happen to all of the characters. This novel also transports you to what must have been a really interesting time for society, on the cusp of leaving the Victorian age of repression behind and entering the new 'modern' Edwardian age of progress.
Each character seems to be well-rounded with good and bad points but we are still left with unanswered questions about why some of them act in the way they do, which I think is just how a good book should be - not necessarily giving you ALL the answers, but definitely giving you something to think about. It also integrates contemporary history into the novel as seen on a large scale (women's suffrage) but also intimately records history on a small scale through two families' daily lives.
I read that Chevalier is considering writing a sequel to this novel and I have to say that I would be interested in reading it. For those interested in this novel, I would suggest they look at http://www.tchevalier.com/ AFTER they have read Falling Angels, so as not to give anything away beforehand. Thumbs up, Ms Chevalier!
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The story of Maude Coleman, Lavinia Waterhouse and their families is told in the first person by each character involved so it reads very much like a diary. I like how the reader gets to see everyone's perspectives on a situation instead of hearing a story from just one angle. We hear the traditional and modern views of the time...in a changing world where the women's suffrage movement is getting more and more forceful leading (in this story) to the Hyde Park demonstration.
As someone who enjoys walking around old Victorian cemeteries it was lovely to have this one brought to life with the people who visited and worked there. I found the details of mourning etiquette during the Victorian period and the early 1900's fascinating: How long is acceptable to mourn, what to wear and what to do with it after the mourning period is over, and the views of the time on cremation and who should be buried where in the cemetery.
A sensitive and fascinating read.
As someone who enjoys walking around old Victorian cemeteries it was lovely to have this one brought to life with the people who visited and worked there. I found the details of mourning etiquette during the Victorian period and the early 1900's fascinating: How long is acceptable to mourn, what to wear and what to do with it after the mourning period is over, and the views of the time on cremation and who should be buried where in the cemetery.
A sensitive and fascinating read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Gripping, from cover to cover.
Tracy Chevalier cleverly displays the position of women on late Victorian society and changing attitudes at the end of the era. Read more
Published 2 months ago by CBrenham
Falling Angels
Tracy Chevalier's Falling Angels serves it's purpose as an early 20th century historical novel. It tells a believable story about two upper class London families connected through... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Kobroen
An intriguing tale....
Falling AngelsBook
Falling AngelsE-Kindle Book
I loved this book from start to finish....very strange how it centers all around the cemetery however it is weird how you... Read more
Falling AngelsE-Kindle Book
I loved this book from start to finish....very strange how it centers all around the cemetery however it is weird how you... Read more
Published 7 months ago by The Lost Jost
-Changing times
By starting this book at the time of Queen Victoria's death in 1901 and telling the story mainly through the eyes of two middle-class families of differing levels of prosperity,... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Clive A. H. Still
A wonderful book!
I had never read any of Tracy Chevalier's books but know someone who likes her work a lot, so when I saw this one on a book stall I didn't hesitate to select it. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Ms. K. J. Waghorn
Sentimental story which was very easy to read
This book is driven by the individual characters. They take turns to narrate sections of the story, varying up from just one page. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Janie U
Initial Reaction
Another excellent book from Ms Chevalier. Interesting storyline and chapters just long enough for a short read before bed! Read more
Published 16 months ago by Flowergirl
Tracy Chevalier
Tracy Chevalier writes good historical fiction. I selected this book having read Girl with a Pearl Earring, Remarkable Creatures and her first book, Virgin Blue. Read more
Published 17 months ago by soprano 1
Excellent Read, Slight Disappointing Finish
This tale follows two middle class families at the start of the 20th century in London and is told through multiple characters, mostly by the women. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Hagrid's Umbrella
Inside the Victorian mind
Once you get used to the fact that the narrator slips into the mind of several of the protagonists and each chapter is written from another person's perspective you can start... Read more
Published 23 months ago by HenPen
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