Angel Face

by Norma Klein

After his father walks out on his slightly crazy mother, sixteen-year-old Jason, the last child at home, finds it difficult to deal with his mother's increasing desperation.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

245 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Norma Klein was born in New York City and graduated cum laude and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa from Barnard College with a degree in Russian. She later received her master's degree in Slavic languages from Columbia University.

Ms. Klein began publishing short stories while attending Barnard and since then she had written novels for readers of all ages. The author got her ideas from everyday life and advised would-be writers to do the same -- to write about their experiences or things they really care about.

Ms. Klein died in 1989.

Reviews

[Annabelle]

The highs and lows of first love, from a sensitive, teenaged guy's point of view. Conflicted too, given the family's troubles. Klein's books never end on a high note, but this was notably tragic.

* Very likely bought this from a Walgreens at South San Francisco and, together with one or two other books by Norma Klein, whose stories about New York teenagers, so worldly and so independent, so blasé--intrigued this hick fifteen-year-old from Dumaguete, Philippines. Lugged the books in my backpack on a flight and car ride by way of Chicago to Beloit, Wisconsin. An even hicker town than Dumaguete, it seemed. And maybe why I loved it there.

[Ruby Hollyberry]

This is intense - and graphic. I am surprised today in our more puritanical society that it was on the shelf in my fifth grade classroom. But that teacher had great taste.

[Reading with Cats]

Whelp, *that* was very much of its time. And definitely should have stayed there.

[Sue]

Another stellar Klein novel! A great sketch of a teen boy reeling from his parents’ recent divorce. GIGANTIC twist in the end. I highly recommend this one.

[JH]

I really enjoy everything by this author. This book was excellent. I loved reading about a first relationship. I loved seeing children struggle with their parents divorce and subsequent relationships. The money struggles and being stuck between parents felt so realistic.

[Audrey Ettinger]

I love Norma Klein, and I picked this one up in my childhood home. It really wasn't my favorite book of hers, particularly because of the portrayal of Jason's mother as helpless after her divorce (although perhaps this was realistic). Jason's friendship with his teacher's father whom he babysits was a nice touch, and the excitement and confusion of a first romance were pretty realistic.