Saturday, July 18, 2009

Green Angel by Alice Hoffman


Left on her own when her family dies in a terrible disaster, fifteen-year-old Green is haunted by loss and by the past. Struggling to survive physically and emotionally in a place where nothing seems to grow and ashes are everywhere, Green retreats into the ruined realm of her garden. But in destroying her feelings, she also begins to destroy herself, erasing the girl she'd once been as she inks darkness into her skin. It is only through a series of mysterious encounters that Green can relearn the lessons of love and begin to heal enough to tell her story.
Title and author of book: Green Angel by Alice Hoffman

Fiction or non-fiction? Genre? Young Adult Fiction. Fantasy.

What led you to pick up this book? Nymeth recommends it and does it not have one of the best covers ever? I love the cover to this book!

Summarize the plot, but don’t give away the ending! See above...

What did you like most about the book? Well, the cover, like I said above. I really liked the idea behind this book. It appears to be a fantasy novel, but really, it is about a girl that has to learn to deal with the horrible circumstances she has found herself in. Her family has been killed and she has been left alone. She feels like she is the only person still living, but events are going to unfold that show that there really are things to live for. It will save her from herself and allow her to find the person that she has lost. It was a touching, yet sad, book that can easily appeal to anyone that has had to go through the very strong process of mourning. Everyone deals with it in a different way.

What did you like least? I read this book a while ago, and while I enjoyed it at the time, it is not a book that has really stuck with me. It took me posting the synopsis above to really remember what had happened. Other books have stuck with me better. I hate to admit that it takes a lot to stick with me anymore, but that's what happens when you read a lot. If I had read this a different year where I hardly read anything, I think it would have been a lot more memorable.

Have you read any other books by this author? What did you think of those books? I have read The Story Sisters, The Ice Queen, Here on Earth, Practical Magic, Illumination Night, and At Risk. They all were rather different books. Four of them I read so long ago that I could probably reread them and they be totally different books to me. The Story Sisters has a review pending, so I will wait to say anymore on that one. The Ice Queen is probably my favourite book by her.

What did you think of the main character? The main character in this book was a broken character. I really felt for her. She had suffered an extreme loss and was trying to deal with it, or well, not deal with it, anyway that she could. She was trying to disappear, but by writing the book she was making herself remembered. She also interacts with interesting characters throughout. I felt like she was a readable character that with the exception of some magic realism, was dealing with the stages of mourning.

What about the ending? I liked the ending. It cleared things up and didn't leave anything hanging. It wasn't necessarily a predictable ending, but it was the ending that fit. Overall, I enjoyed it.

19 comments:

  1. I haven't read any of Alice Hoffman's young adult novels. Heck, I've only read two of her adult novels. I liked each one of them though. I'll have to try this one. It sounds good.

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  2. The Ice Queen is also my favourite of hers so far, but I also enjoyed this one a lot. I'm looking forward to your review of The Story Sisters!

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  3. I have an Alice Hoffman book that isn't very long, and yet it's been taking me so long to read it, I finally put it back on the shelf to try again some other time.

    I simply adore this cover though. If I see it in the university library I might pick it up to give it a try.

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  4. I read Practical Magic back in 1999 and didn't like it at all. I hated her writing, so I've never read anything else by her. After her recent temper tantrum, I'm even less inclined to give her a second try.

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  5. This was the first of Alice Hoffman's work that I read, and I really loved it. The cover is stunning too. Glad you enjoyed it!

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  6. I read Blackbird House and really enjoyed it so I'll probably put it on my TBR list.

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  7. Anonymous6:17 PM

    Whoever chose that cover art has good taste! I've been meaning to pick this up...

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  8. I have yet to read alice hoffman, but I love the look of this cover.

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  9. I read this book a while ago too and the cover is extremely gorgeous! I thought it was pretty good.

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  10. I haven't read any of Alice Hoffman's books... this one sounds great so I'll have to check it out.

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  11. I have Ice Queen but haven't read it. This one sure sounds good. I'm going to put this into my wish list.

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  12. Anonymous7:54 AM

    I was bought a copy of this by Mariel and still haven't read it to my shame. I love alice Hoffman though, espeiclaly The Ice Queen which I highly recommend. I hope you read more by her and they make more of an impression. The cover is beautiful!

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  13. Like Amanda, I was thoroughly put off by her recent temper tantrum. But I'm trying so hard lately to just separate author from book. I definitely would like to read some of her books one of these days...and I do have both this and The Ice Queen on my shelves.

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  14. I love Alice Hoffman, and I don't think I've noticed this one! Shame on me. My favorites of hers to date are Blackbird House and a YA novel, Incantation. Both were just fantastic. I'll have to give this one a go as well!

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  15. I must have missed Nymeth's review (or else I just forgot about this) but I didn't know she had a YA book out. It does sound good to me so I'll have to add it to my list. I haven't had great success with Alice Hoffman but I always think I'd enjoy her books. I like all that magical realism stuff :)

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  16. I haven't read a lot of Alice Hoffman's work, but I have enjoyed what I've read. I haven't read Green Angel, though.

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  17. I couldn't agree more, the cover to this book has been a favorite since the first time I saw it. I've often wanted to pick up the book just because of this. I haven't read any of her work but The Ice Queen is one that I really liked the premise of and will probably start with it if I ever do pick her up.

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  18. I haven't read too many by Hoffman, but I enjoyed what I have read. This one sounds really good, and I love the cover, reminds me of the newer DeLint covers.

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  19. Literary Feline: It was good! This was my first young adult novel by her, but I have more on hold at the library.

    Ana: I need to read more before I decide what my favourite is, but at the moment it is The Ice Queen.

    Cat: I hate when that happens!

    Amanda: I don't consider Practical Magic a masterpiece by her. That's for sure! Bad decision by her for the temper tantrum... I still read her, though...

    Mariel: I love the cover! It's about time that I read it. :)

    Vasilly: Blackbird House plans to be one of my next reads.

    xalwaysdreamx: Isn't the cover great? It makes the book. :)

    Serena: You should give her a try.

    Staci: I love the cover and story was good too.

    Melody: I hope you enjoy it!'

    Alice: You should read The Ice Queen. It was a good read.

    Rhinoa: You should read it! I have had good luck with Hoffman. More that I like than I have hate.

    Debi: I know... Good author. I hate that she is losing respect because of a temper tantrum...

    Andi: I have Incantation on my list at the library. :)

    Iliana: I hope you enjoy it! I know. She is a bit hit or miss with me... I keep reading her, though.

    bermudaonion: I hope you five this one a try.

    Carl: I'd read this book just for the cover... The Ice Queen is good, too. :)

    Joanne: Yes, I can see the connection to the deLint covers.

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