Angels Turn Their Backs

by Margaret Buffie

In this novel by Margaret Buffie, Addy's parents have just split up and her one real friend is a thousand miles away. Where can Addy turn when she feels as if she's falling apart?

Genres: Young Adult, Mental Health, Childrens, Canada, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published June 18, 1998

About the author

Award winning author, Margaret Buffie, was born and grew up in the west end of Winnipeg, attended various schools - graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Manitoba. An artist for many years, Margaret decided to write a YA novel and Who Is Frances Rain? was published by Kids Can Press. It quickly became a bestseller after appearing in bookstores in 1987. Since then Margaret has published nine more YA books. She works at her home in Winnipeg during the winter and on the veranda of her cottage in Northwestern Ontario in the summer months. Margaret's books have been published in the United States, Norway, Italy, Sweden, Australia, Great Britain, Germany, China and other countries. Margaret is the recipient of the prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for Body of Work (For writing inspirational to Canadian Youth); The Young Adult Canadian Book Award; is a two time winner of the McNally Robinson Book for Young People award and has been shortlisted for many other awards and honours.

Here are a few reviews of my first novel and most recent novel. To see more reviews for my other books go to http://margaretbuffie.com and click on each title.

WHO IS FRANCES RAIN?

REVIEW: Who is Frances Rain? is as distinctly Canadian as the intoxicating lure of silent woods and wind-whipped lakes. The textures of the narrative and the well-rounded characters are just as haunting as the ghosts Lizzie finds on Rain Island. It’s a ghost story with much to reveal to the thoughtful reader about the turbulent emotions at work within families. It’s a novel that makes us grateful for a strong new voice in Canadian literature for young people, a voice we’ll want to hear again soon. QUILL AND QUIRE

REVIEW:Who is Frances Rain? will probably be devoured by its young adult readers in one sitting. It deserves to be; this is an excellent book. TORONTO STAR

REVIEW:Buffie’s story is moody and atmospheric – the lake and the island are pungently, perfectly evoked. Lizzie’s encounters with ghosts are beautifully handled, with just the right balance of eerie and emotional moments. PUBLISHERS WEELY

WINTER SHADOWS

REVIEW:Vicky Metcalf Award-Winner MargaretBuffie returns with a breathtaking novel that is part realism, part time-travel fantasy,
and part coming of age tale. Winter
Shadows focuses on two young women who
live in the same Manitoba home a century and a half apart.....
This communication across time obviouslydraws on the conventions of fantasy, but these elements
arenever forced or implausible, and there is plenty of suspense and energy to sustain the two alternating narratives." QUILL AND QUIRE, DECEMBER 2010:

REVIEW: Buffie is a master of the ghost story, carefully allowing Cass and Beatrice to drift in and out of each other's lives in convincing fashion. The convention of the diary allows Cass to connect the dots and learn more about her ancestors. The dialogue both in past and present is authentic, revealing character and moving the action along. CANADIAN MATERIALS

REVIEW: The alternating narratives are gripping, and the characters are drawn with rich complexity; even the stepmothers are finally humanized. Readers will be pulled in by the searing history of bigotry as well as the universals of family conflict, love, and friendship. Grades 7-10.
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOC. BOOKLIST: January 2011

THE DARK GARDEN

REVIEW: a first rate blend of ghost story and problem novel about Thea, 16, struggling to recover from traumatic amnesia after a bike accident. Buffie creates a tightly knit, evocatively written, and lushly (but chastely) romantic thriller. The protagonists - living and dead - are distinctly characterized; a once beautiful, now weed-choked garden is simultaneously setting and symbol of lost happiness. vivid sensory writing makes the fluctuations in Thea’s state of consciousness perfectly convincing. KIRKUS

Reviews

[Sam Shoup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real Rating: 4.5
Angels Turn Their Backs was written in 1998 by Margaret Buffie. It tells the story of Addy Jarrick, an apprehensive, introverted girl who suffers from agoraphobia: the fear of leaving the safety of one's home. After she and her mom leave her dad in Toronto to live in Winnipeg due to her mother's new job, Addy does not want to leave the believed safety of this new apartment. Over the course of the book, she has to learn to cope with her fear while also dealing with the issues of living in this new environment, especially the mysterious past of the building's previous owner.

Cons:
I have very little problems with this book. The only thing I can think of is that the supernatural side of the book is disappointing. I was expecting that there was something special about Addy that she was just discovering, like being psychic or something. I'm not going to spoil what is really happening, but it's not what I thought.

Pros:
Everything else about this book is fantastic! Besides the disappointing supernatural side of it, the story is great!

Every character is likeable, although I suspect that some may not like Addy that much due to her personality (hopefully that will change once they really get to understand her). One of my favorite characters has to be Victor the parrot. This bird is hilarious!

The book only takes place in this one apartment building, which was a risky decision by Ms. Buffie because it could have caused the book to be boring due to lack of setting variety. Overall though, it pays off for the better! By staying in this one setting, we can more easily get inside Addy's head and view this place as a safe haven.

The themes are also great! The book discusses fear, living with hardship both physically and mentally, and making sure that your sanity is still in check. But it also talks about overcoming those challenges with the help of those close to you. This is a great book for anyone with reserved and apprehensive personalities.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, Angels Turn Their Backs is a delightful read with a mostly great story, characters, setting, and themes. While I wish that the supernatural side had been more involved with the story or at least what I had expected it to be, this complaint is really more of my nitpicky side. As someone who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome, I found Addy and her predicament to be one of the most relatable, personal stories that I have ever read about.

[Alex McCafferty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this book as a teenager and I can't believe how much it has stuck with me as an adult. I literally just spent two hours sifting online trying to figure out what book this was using only the keywords "angel" and "agoraphobia". I literally could not be happier to have found this book.

[Madame Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl named Addy is agoraphobic. Going outside overwhelms her. When she moves to Winnipeg with her mother, she moves into a mysterious house. She is drawn to a room that seem to call her and wants her to stay in. This is the second book I read by Margaret Buffie. Winter Shadows is one of my favourites.

[Bethel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good picture of all the emotions involved when someone is having what people might call a 'mental problem'. It's accurate and doesn't explain away everything. A lot of times in situations like this there are not clear answers for everything.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you know someone who has, or you yourself have, panic attacks/social anxiety, you should read this. It taught me a little about what my sister goes through, and it also was a really good story.

[Michaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I read as a young teen and continues to be at the top of my list!