AngelicaArthur Phillips
Well, it's that time of year again, a time when quiet and relaxation are replaced with work and stress. That's right, summer's over, and I'm headed back to school. As a result, things have been pretty quiet around here. Progress on that stupid resolution is slow, and non-educational reading has been pretty nonexistent.
That said, I was able to read Angelica, and the fact that I was able to read it despite having so much "real" stuff to do is a testament to the novel's awesomeness. In fact, once I started it, I wasn't able to keep my mind on much else.
Angelica's one of those novels that gives readers the same story from several different perspectives, and even though I've read plenty of books that use this technique, I've never before encountered it done to such effect. The result is a twisting, serpentine version of what is true that illustrates how contradictory the truth can be.
Although the specifics differ with each version, the setup is always the same. Victorian England. A family torn apart by powerful forces. A mother fights for the survival of her daughter. But what, you're probably asking, is happening to the child. Well, now, that remains to be seen.
Angelica is part mystery, part ghost story, part psychological examination -- and no part disappoints. Each person's version of the truth is correct, even though it might differ from the account of another. I sympathized with each character, and I was fascinated by how each person's version of the truth was somehow correct, even as it totally differed from the other accounts.
In a nutshell: Saying more will ruin the fun; you'll just have to take my word for it. Angelica is a powerful, unforgettable novel that shows how totally different perceptions can be equally accurate.
Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars
That said, I was able to read Angelica, and the fact that I was able to read it despite having so much "real" stuff to do is a testament to the novel's awesomeness. In fact, once I started it, I wasn't able to keep my mind on much else.
Angelica's one of those novels that gives readers the same story from several different perspectives, and even though I've read plenty of books that use this technique, I've never before encountered it done to such effect. The result is a twisting, serpentine version of what is true that illustrates how contradictory the truth can be.
Although the specifics differ with each version, the setup is always the same. Victorian England. A family torn apart by powerful forces. A mother fights for the survival of her daughter. But what, you're probably asking, is happening to the child. Well, now, that remains to be seen. Angelica is part mystery, part ghost story, part psychological examination -- and no part disappoints. Each person's version of the truth is correct, even though it might differ from the account of another. I sympathized with each character, and I was fascinated by how each person's version of the truth was somehow correct, even as it totally differed from the other accounts.
In a nutshell: Saying more will ruin the fun; you'll just have to take my word for it. Angelica is a powerful, unforgettable novel that shows how totally different perceptions can be equally accurate.
Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars
6 comments:
I wanted this book already, but now I want it more than ever.
I have not heard of this book, but I am now very intrigued!
I have just recently started exploring the relationship between fact and fiction and the line is not as clear as I had once thought. I think this book would be a wonderful study.
Best of luck with the start of a new school year. I am beginning my 2nd week.
I'm glad you were able to get in a "you" book in between all the obligatory stuff; that's not easy! And that it was such a great book makes it all the better. :) good luck with school this fall :-) I'm sure I'll be checking in to see how you're doing!
i can sympathize...school's getting read to start up here too--i've been back a few hours a day doing scheduling and the like, but we don't officially start until 9/10.
as for this book...despite the brevity of your account, you've intrigued me! you said far more with less than i could ever do! thanks for the suggestion. :)
Hei thanks for this! I really enjoy reading your thoughts. I also work 8am to 5pm and I try to squeeze sometime to read. Hence, I like in commuter trucks (on my way to and from work), at nights and at weekends. This makes me slow in posting reviews. All the same I found myself reading 6 novels last month (August); not an impressive achievement but one I can boldly hit my chest for especially since I am a slow reader, huh?
Nana, I'd be thrilled with 6 books, considering I only read 2 in August. That has to be a new low for me!
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