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Angel
Two girls are inextricably linked by destiny.
Stephanie is friendless, strange, a misfit.
Freya can't stop seeing angels.
But when one of those angels begins to stalk her, its shadow following her everywhere, Freya is forced to make decisions from which there is no turning back.
Reviews
'Outstanding prose is married to a suspenseful plot and a quiet humour.' Amanda Craig, The Times
'Stands out for its original subject and plot ...each book takes McNish into new territory, and this one is both assured and thought-provoking.' Nikki Gamble, The Bookseller
'Tense, quirky and highly individual, this story has plenty going for it.' Nicholas Tucker, TES
'A deft construction — McNish vividly portrays two worlds in the light of each other, creating a thin space between them that makes for a moving and thought provoking tale.' Huw Thomas, BOOKS FOR KEEPS
'A fascinating read.' Carousel
'This neat combination of teen angst and behavioural ethics is — complex and charged.' The Daily Telegraph
'What a book. I simply couldn't put it down ... a highly charged look at personal spirituality... the writing is effortless and elegant and as it slips between character perspectives, Angel never loses an air of authenticity. And at moments, it reaches the sublime. I loved it.' Jill Murphy, The Bookbag
'This unusual fantasy is made plausible by a very strong depiction of the underpinning pattern of teenage anxieties and everyday angst.' Lesley Agnew, The Bookseller
'Haunting and thought provoking.' Cy Mag
'A fantastic read.' Jo Griffiths, Waterstones
'If you love stories about friendship, this one's a must!' Bliss
Stephanie is friendless, strange, a misfit.
Freya can't stop seeing angels.
But when one of those angels begins to stalk her, its shadow following her everywhere, Freya is forced to make decisions from which there is no turning back.
Reviews
'Outstanding prose is married to a suspenseful plot and a quiet humour.' Amanda Craig, The Times
'Stands out for its original subject and plot ...each book takes McNish into new territory, and this one is both assured and thought-provoking.' Nikki Gamble, The Bookseller
'Tense, quirky and highly individual, this story has plenty going for it.' Nicholas Tucker, TES
'A deft construction — McNish vividly portrays two worlds in the light of each other, creating a thin space between them that makes for a moving and thought provoking tale.' Huw Thomas, BOOKS FOR KEEPS
'A fascinating read.' Carousel
'This neat combination of teen angst and behavioural ethics is — complex and charged.' The Daily Telegraph
'What a book. I simply couldn't put it down ... a highly charged look at personal spirituality... the writing is effortless and elegant and as it slips between character perspectives, Angel never loses an air of authenticity. And at moments, it reaches the sublime. I loved it.' Jill Murphy, The Bookbag
'This unusual fantasy is made plausible by a very strong depiction of the underpinning pattern of teenage anxieties and everyday angst.' Lesley Agnew, The Bookseller
'Haunting and thought provoking.' Cy Mag
'A fantastic read.' Jo Griffiths, Waterstones
'If you love stories about friendship, this one's a must!' Bliss
311 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2007
20 people are currently reading
714 people want to read
About the author
Cliff McNish
42 books253 followersI was born in Sunderland, a city in the north-east of England.
I don’t recall too much about my first 8 years of life other than I loved being outdoors especially in the woods near our house. I came home every night covered in scratches.
My first real book memory is being given C.S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew by my English teacher, Mrs Baldwin. I loved that, and all the other Narnia books.
So how did I become an author?
As a parent I was used to making up short and funny stories for my daughter, Rachel. When she was about ten, however, she wanted a story about a really, really nasty witch. This time I put pen to paper and what started off as a tiny scrap of an idea got bigger and bigger and BIGGER. It became The Doomspell.
After I finished it, I continued my love affair with fantasy by creating The Silver Sequence which I still think is probably my best and definitely my most original work. Following that, I tried to scare everyone half to death with a couple of ghost novels – Breathe and The Hunting Ground.
I could tell you more about myself, but the truth is that perhaps the biggest gift we can give anyone is our imagination and everything important I have to offer you about that is in the novels.
I don’t recall too much about my first 8 years of life other than I loved being outdoors especially in the woods near our house. I came home every night covered in scratches.
My first real book memory is being given C.S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew by my English teacher, Mrs Baldwin. I loved that, and all the other Narnia books.
So how did I become an author?
As a parent I was used to making up short and funny stories for my daughter, Rachel. When she was about ten, however, she wanted a story about a really, really nasty witch. This time I put pen to paper and what started off as a tiny scrap of an idea got bigger and bigger and BIGGER. It became The Doomspell.
After I finished it, I continued my love affair with fantasy by creating The Silver Sequence which I still think is probably my best and definitely my most original work. Following that, I tried to scare everyone half to death with a couple of ghost novels – Breathe and The Hunting Ground.
I could tell you more about myself, but the truth is that perhaps the biggest gift we can give anyone is our imagination and everything important I have to offer you about that is in the novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
June 12, 2011
I don't actually know what to rate this book.
I didn't really like it.
But there were a handful of bits that I REALLY did.
It was, for the most part, average with below average parts, so it'll get a below average score.
The main character was irritating, the main 'baddie' not even half as bad as the writer wanted to make us believe.
Her brother and his friend were the best characters but even they had their moments of being damn frustrating.
This book did everything that someone else has done but not as well as they did it.
By no means is this a bad book. I'm sure there are many people out there who would love this.
I just wish that the characters hadn't been so flat and - half the time - stupid.
I couldn't connect with them. I didn't sympathise when they chickened out because the way it was written made me just want to slap the crap out of them. When some of them were bullied, it kind of got glossed over which confused me as to what had actually happened.
The characters made bad choices and ended up whining about it later before making the same choice over again. What was the point in spending all that time whining if you're just going to make the same mistake? I see none.
It was supposed to be a story about discovery, and that needs a lot of character growth included. I just couldn't see the characters growing. They simply changed their minds on a whim.
Therefore, this was not for me. But it could have been worse.
I didn't really like it.
But there were a handful of bits that I REALLY did.
It was, for the most part, average with below average parts, so it'll get a below average score.
The main character was irritating, the main 'baddie' not even half as bad as the writer wanted to make us believe.
Her brother and his friend were the best characters but even they had their moments of being damn frustrating.
This book did everything that someone else has done but not as well as they did it.
By no means is this a bad book. I'm sure there are many people out there who would love this.
I just wish that the characters hadn't been so flat and - half the time - stupid.
I couldn't connect with them. I didn't sympathise when they chickened out because the way it was written made me just want to slap the crap out of them. When some of them were bullied, it kind of got glossed over which confused me as to what had actually happened.
The characters made bad choices and ended up whining about it later before making the same choice over again. What was the point in spending all that time whining if you're just going to make the same mistake? I see none.
It was supposed to be a story about discovery, and that needs a lot of character growth included. I just couldn't see the characters growing. They simply changed their minds on a whim.
Therefore, this was not for me. But it could have been worse.
July 4, 2011
I don't mind this book, its characters, or its writing. In general, each was clear, albeit cluttered every now and then, which is far more than I can say about other YA novels like Twilight and Starcrossed. However, Angel lacks something vital to all storytelling--heart, passion, or whatever else you want to call it. The way McNish tells his tale feels stale and lifeless, as if he didn't understand his characters. There's no feeling, there's just . . . nothing. I wasn't pulled into the story at all, even for all the writing's sophistication. Whatever enjoyment I could've had evaporated with Freya's need to tell her story--neither of us got what we were looking for, let alone what we expected.
February 13, 2015
I remember loving this book very much when I was about 11! I called it 'my favorite book of all time' (still now), but I actually can hardly remember the story! Of course I still remember my favorite parts; tragic and the fluffy moments!
And I still can't believe why people don't like it, that makes me hesitate to give 5 stars.... And fantasy lovers must love it!
And I still can't believe why people don't like it, that makes me hesitate to give 5 stars.... And fantasy lovers must love it!
July 30, 2009
Whilst working at Waterstones - as usual - I picked up this book as I was intrigued by the simple title. I read the blurb and was interested, especailly since I am veering in the direction of Supernatural at the moment. I started reading this and was immediately intrigued. The way Cliff McNish writes although not obvious is subtlely eery. Especially when introduced to Mestraal. The discription although not overly detailed was very real - I for one have looked at the slither of light underneath my door and been scared when a shadow may pass over it and that feeling crept over me whilst reading scaring me slightly.
I felt the book was very moving and I agreed with the comment from The Times of the "outstanding prose". This book ws a joy to read and I loved not only the relationship between the family but also the choices that Freya had to make, which in turn guided her to the person that Hestron, Mestraal and Freya herself knew she could be.
I felt the book was very moving and I agreed with the comment from The Times of the "outstanding prose". This book ws a joy to read and I loved not only the relationship between the family but also the choices that Freya had to make, which in turn guided her to the person that Hestron, Mestraal and Freya herself knew she could be.
March 2, 2010
An interesting and captivating look at Angels and a dark one at that!
With Angel books being the new "it" theme these days, I was eager to read more YA stories about them. Angel did not disappoint.
While some may not like the writing style British author Cliff McNish brings into his stories, I for one was fascinated and enjoyed his style, the plot and it's characters.
Along side with Angels, this story is also about the lessons that go along with cliques and bullies, and while I was annoyed by them and even a bit disturbed, it thicken the plot nicely.
Dark, moving and intriguing, Angel was a great read!
With Angel books being the new "it" theme these days, I was eager to read more YA stories about them. Angel did not disappoint.
While some may not like the writing style British author Cliff McNish brings into his stories, I for one was fascinated and enjoyed his style, the plot and it's characters.
Along side with Angels, this story is also about the lessons that go along with cliques and bullies, and while I was annoyed by them and even a bit disturbed, it thicken the plot nicely.
Dark, moving and intriguing, Angel was a great read!
June 25, 2019
**Real rating 3.5**
I do love a supernatural book, and I was intrigued when I read the description on the back. The book was such an easy read that I finished it in one sitting. It kept me enthralled from the beginning as you instantly want to know more about the girl that can see angels and the secrets that are hiding in her family.
Freya Harrison is a girl that many girls can identify with (not the being able to see angels part), but the feeling the need to fit in. She's a typical teenage girl hiding part of herself in order to fit in with the most popular girl. Despite being realistic to how some teenage girls act, I did find it slightly annoying while reading: freya doesn't talk to her brother outside because Amy's there, she becomes anxious when Amy's upset so she does everything to please Amy etc. It was nice to also hear events from Freya's brothers point of view, but ur does emphasis further how selfish Freya can be which does increase your frustration from time to time. An early childhood encounter with an angel leaves her in a fragile mental state, but when she starts to think she is "better", the angels come flooding back to her. Freya has a battle between a light and a dark angel that leave her confused with herself and frankly sometimes being seriously annoying. This continues slightly when she discovers a secret about herself, but it does taper off near the end of the book when Freya finally begins to accept who she is. The only thing that slightly ruins a part of it, is when Freya kisses her "guardian angel" and you can't help but feel slightly put off. This is only mentioned once but when she has another encounter after there seems to be some romantic tension.
Stephanie Rice is the opposite. She's a girl who is naive to the world due to her home schooling, but she is unashamed of her love for angels. It does get a little werid when Stephanie becomes obsessed with Freya and draws a picture of her and kisses her "heart". However, you do sympathise with Stephanie as she just wants to be liked but is so naive to how the world works that she is an easy target. But she does have her moments were she stands up for herself and you find yourself routing for her.
I was intriguied by cliff's depiction of where these angels come from, and I am glad he didn't go down the "servant's of god" route. I liked the idea that they are basically these alien creatures on our planet, who like humans, have their limits. Cliff beautifully emphases this when One of the angels dies saving a family and also when another angel highlights the amount of energy it takes to help humans. It is nice to read a story about them and not instantly feel like the story is going to be ruined by the angels swooping in and saving the day.
The reason I didn't give this book a higher rating, is because I don't feel it is as complex as other stories I have read. However, I do admit that if a sequel was brought out, I would find myself reading it.
I do love a supernatural book, and I was intrigued when I read the description on the back. The book was such an easy read that I finished it in one sitting. It kept me enthralled from the beginning as you instantly want to know more about the girl that can see angels and the secrets that are hiding in her family.
Freya Harrison is a girl that many girls can identify with (not the being able to see angels part), but the feeling the need to fit in. She's a typical teenage girl hiding part of herself in order to fit in with the most popular girl. Despite being realistic to how some teenage girls act, I did find it slightly annoying while reading: freya doesn't talk to her brother outside because Amy's there, she becomes anxious when Amy's upset so she does everything to please Amy etc. It was nice to also hear events from Freya's brothers point of view, but ur does emphasis further how selfish Freya can be which does increase your frustration from time to time. An early childhood encounter with an angel leaves her in a fragile mental state, but when she starts to think she is "better", the angels come flooding back to her. Freya has a battle between a light and a dark angel that leave her confused with herself and frankly sometimes being seriously annoying. This continues slightly when she discovers a secret about herself, but it does taper off near the end of the book when Freya finally begins to accept who she is. The only thing that slightly ruins a part of it, is when Freya kisses her "guardian angel" and you can't help but feel slightly put off. This is only mentioned once but when she has another encounter after there seems to be some romantic tension.
Stephanie Rice is the opposite. She's a girl who is naive to the world due to her home schooling, but she is unashamed of her love for angels. It does get a little werid when Stephanie becomes obsessed with Freya and draws a picture of her and kisses her "heart". However, you do sympathise with Stephanie as she just wants to be liked but is so naive to how the world works that she is an easy target. But she does have her moments were she stands up for herself and you find yourself routing for her.
I was intriguied by cliff's depiction of where these angels come from, and I am glad he didn't go down the "servant's of god" route. I liked the idea that they are basically these alien creatures on our planet, who like humans, have their limits. Cliff beautifully emphases this when One of the angels dies saving a family and also when another angel highlights the amount of energy it takes to help humans. It is nice to read a story about them and not instantly feel like the story is going to be ruined by the angels swooping in and saving the day.
The reason I didn't give this book a higher rating, is because I don't feel it is as complex as other stories I have read. However, I do admit that if a sequel was brought out, I would find myself reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2014
It's a sober YA book. What more can you ask for?
At first, I was reluctant to read Mcnish's Angel because it's a YA book, and the synopsis I found made it sound so cliched. Not to mention that I felt too old to read YA books aside from The Hunger Games trilogy, which has an overt political undertone. I tend to avoid the YA section like a plague these days. But this much is true: the synopsis didn't do this book justice. And the tiny blurb at the back of the book, too, didn't do it justice (it made it sound like all those superficial, overly-cliched paranormal romances). The reviews didn't quite do it justice too, but hey, to each their own.
The general tone of the novel felt like Mcnish's angels themselves: mostly ambiguous, a creature of the air, has a wonderful story to tell, but refreshingly, grittingly realistic in a way. The pacing felt just right to me, and the author doesn't rush to reveal his cards or try to shoehorn in too many mysteries. I love the slow build-up, and Freya's encounter with Mestraal is painfully realistic. Put a fourteen-year old girl with an ominous, almost eldritch creature, and she would be terrified out of her mind. Keep that in mind, YA authors. And keep in mind, too, that dark angels was generally unpleasant company to keep had they been real, or, as I'd love to put it: they're terrifying as fuck. I was hoping to see this terrifying aspect from the other angels too, and the author didn't disappoint (Hestron had eyes all over his body, a throwback to the Cherubim and Ophanim) - but it was Freya's reaction who disappointed me. But, to give her the benefit of the doubt, she was changing into one herself, so it's probably not a big deal to her. Still, it would be nice if the mythology of these mysterious creatures would be touched upon more than just "they came from the stars". Although it's likely better that way, given that this is a YA book. (Can I hope for an "adult" version? One where Freya had grown up, maybe, and finding out about hers and the angels' origins? Oh, that's why we have fanfictions.)
Kudos to Mcnish for daring to raise about the issue of bullying, by the way. I read some reviews here complained about how he's too focused on it, but I actually loved this book better because of it. As a victim of it myself, I can say fhat yes, it'll ruin your life (the psychological damage practically lasted forever) and yes, it is a more imminent threat, especially to teenagers, than demons. Or the Biblical apocalypse. That's why we need more YA writers writing about it. Mcnish presented it as part of the inescapable reality of teenagers, as much as his angels being aliens. He's doesn't deny it, nor tuning it down. He presented this reality as it is.
His angels are also limited, not the omnipresent semi-deities our mythologies made them up to be. They have to make hard moral decisions, and have to live with the consequences. Some of them, like Mestraal, couldn't bear it, and they shut themselves out from it. They are like the fictional superheroes we created, not invulnerable immortal entities. They are like us. (Only with wings and an extra set of arms, and a hellish number of eyes.) In a way, it taught the readers about choices, morality and consequences, and I sure as hell hoped that I've read something like this in my teenage years.
The prose are easily digestible but good, and the characters are alive. Freya is just another teenage girl who's trying to put her "crazy" past behind her, and is trying to fit in. Even before taking up the angelic mantle, she already had to make tough moral decisions - helping a seemingly crazy lady in front of her popular friends, wanting to talk to a peer who could destroy the social status she'd built. We've all been there, or in similar situations thereof, and clarity always comes later. It's about choices, choices, choices; choices that'll shape your life, just as it had shaped Freya's life. Other than Freya, the characters all have clear motives, and understandable; sadly, even girls like Amy, Gemma, and Vicky (whose types really do existed in real life). The only one I could not bring to like (aside from Amy, but she's just that horrible as a human being) was Stephanie. She strikes me as hoo-boy-crazy-as-fuck. I could say a thousand incriminating things about her, but that's just a matter of personal preference. After all, some of us been through her phase - zealously believing in something, desperately wishing it to be true, and had that tower of Babel destroyed violently. I could understand her desperate wish of wanting a friend, too.
And in the heart of it all, lies family. The author touched the topic of friendship too, since it's such an inseparable part of the human condition, but when it comes down to it, it's about family. I'm not a big believer of families, but Mcnish definitely is. And that is refreshing because at the end of the story, Freya's heart didn't go out to Adam, nor does she ended up kissing him again, or getting a new boyfriend; but her heart goes out to her father. Her father, who's always been there for her, always believing in her, even bringing her back from her period of crazy. Her father, who was sick...and may or may not be dying. And I love it. I love it because when I was a teenager (which was not a long time ago actually) I did all sorts of horrible things to my parents and called them all sorts of horrible names. I never realised how much they have sacrificed for me, how they've always been there for me, and that, despite their (and my) mistakes, they genuinely loved me. How I wished I was like Freya, who realised what a horrible human being she has been to her parent much sooner than I do. And Mcnish was right, in a way: family does matter. Boyfriends and friends come and go, but family is bound to stay forever.
Yes, I'd totally recommend this book, especially to its intended audience: teenagers. Especially bullied teenagers. It's a delight to be read by adults too, for the topics and questions it raised was timeless: choices, family, growing up (among other things). How good do you have to be? It's up for you to decide, but can you live with the consequences?
At first, I was reluctant to read Mcnish's Angel because it's a YA book, and the synopsis I found made it sound so cliched. Not to mention that I felt too old to read YA books aside from The Hunger Games trilogy, which has an overt political undertone. I tend to avoid the YA section like a plague these days. But this much is true: the synopsis didn't do this book justice. And the tiny blurb at the back of the book, too, didn't do it justice (it made it sound like all those superficial, overly-cliched paranormal romances). The reviews didn't quite do it justice too, but hey, to each their own.
The general tone of the novel felt like Mcnish's angels themselves: mostly ambiguous, a creature of the air, has a wonderful story to tell, but refreshingly, grittingly realistic in a way. The pacing felt just right to me, and the author doesn't rush to reveal his cards or try to shoehorn in too many mysteries. I love the slow build-up, and Freya's encounter with Mestraal is painfully realistic. Put a fourteen-year old girl with an ominous, almost eldritch creature, and she would be terrified out of her mind. Keep that in mind, YA authors. And keep in mind, too, that dark angels was generally unpleasant company to keep had they been real, or, as I'd love to put it: they're terrifying as fuck. I was hoping to see this terrifying aspect from the other angels too, and the author didn't disappoint (Hestron had eyes all over his body, a throwback to the Cherubim and Ophanim) - but it was Freya's reaction who disappointed me. But, to give her the benefit of the doubt, she was changing into one herself, so it's probably not a big deal to her. Still, it would be nice if the mythology of these mysterious creatures would be touched upon more than just "they came from the stars". Although it's likely better that way, given that this is a YA book. (Can I hope for an "adult" version? One where Freya had grown up, maybe, and finding out about hers and the angels' origins? Oh, that's why we have fanfictions.)
Kudos to Mcnish for daring to raise about the issue of bullying, by the way. I read some reviews here complained about how he's too focused on it, but I actually loved this book better because of it. As a victim of it myself, I can say fhat yes, it'll ruin your life (the psychological damage practically lasted forever) and yes, it is a more imminent threat, especially to teenagers, than demons. Or the Biblical apocalypse. That's why we need more YA writers writing about it. Mcnish presented it as part of the inescapable reality of teenagers, as much as his angels being aliens. He's doesn't deny it, nor tuning it down. He presented this reality as it is.
His angels are also limited, not the omnipresent semi-deities our mythologies made them up to be. They have to make hard moral decisions, and have to live with the consequences. Some of them, like Mestraal, couldn't bear it, and they shut themselves out from it. They are like the fictional superheroes we created, not invulnerable immortal entities. They are like us. (Only with wings and an extra set of arms, and a hellish number of eyes.) In a way, it taught the readers about choices, morality and consequences, and I sure as hell hoped that I've read something like this in my teenage years.
The prose are easily digestible but good, and the characters are alive. Freya is just another teenage girl who's trying to put her "crazy" past behind her, and is trying to fit in. Even before taking up the angelic mantle, she already had to make tough moral decisions - helping a seemingly crazy lady in front of her popular friends, wanting to talk to a peer who could destroy the social status she'd built. We've all been there, or in similar situations thereof, and clarity always comes later. It's about choices, choices, choices; choices that'll shape your life, just as it had shaped Freya's life. Other than Freya, the characters all have clear motives, and understandable; sadly, even girls like Amy, Gemma, and Vicky (whose types really do existed in real life). The only one I could not bring to like (aside from Amy, but she's just that horrible as a human being) was Stephanie. She strikes me as hoo-boy-crazy-as-fuck. I could say a thousand incriminating things about her, but that's just a matter of personal preference. After all, some of us been through her phase - zealously believing in something, desperately wishing it to be true, and had that tower of Babel destroyed violently. I could understand her desperate wish of wanting a friend, too.
And in the heart of it all, lies family. The author touched the topic of friendship too, since it's such an inseparable part of the human condition, but when it comes down to it, it's about family. I'm not a big believer of families, but Mcnish definitely is. And that is refreshing because at the end of the story, Freya's heart didn't go out to Adam, nor does she ended up kissing him again, or getting a new boyfriend; but her heart goes out to her father. Her father, who's always been there for her, always believing in her, even bringing her back from her period of crazy. Her father, who was sick...and may or may not be dying. And I love it. I love it because when I was a teenager (which was not a long time ago actually) I did all sorts of horrible things to my parents and called them all sorts of horrible names. I never realised how much they have sacrificed for me, how they've always been there for me, and that, despite their (and my) mistakes, they genuinely loved me. How I wished I was like Freya, who realised what a horrible human being she has been to her parent much sooner than I do. And Mcnish was right, in a way: family does matter. Boyfriends and friends come and go, but family is bound to stay forever.
Yes, I'd totally recommend this book, especially to its intended audience: teenagers. Especially bullied teenagers. It's a delight to be read by adults too, for the topics and questions it raised was timeless: choices, family, growing up (among other things). How good do you have to be? It's up for you to decide, but can you live with the consequences?
October 3, 2011
Ever since she was a young girl, for as long as she can remember, Freya Harrison has wanted to be an angel. She was visited by one when she was eight. One so beautiful she was left desperate. She was hospitalized soon after. Now, she’s back at school and desperate to fit in. Stephenie Rice is friendless and strange. She believes in angels with all her heart, in everything Freya is denying to herself. But when Freya starts seeing a dark angel, horribly deformed, she turns to the only person who will believe her: Stephenie.
Meanwhile, Freya’s brother is being beaten up for looking after a Year Seven boy and her dad is living with a huge secret…
And then Freya is visited once again by her light angel. And her whole world is changed beyond recognition…
All the concepts behind this book were amazing: friendship, love, self-sacrifice… And the characters were all very diverse and interesting. The messages about the dangers of peer pressure and bullying were wonderfully strong. It was very new and different from all the other angel books I’ve read. I really was rather addicted, wanting to find out what happened to everyone. It wasn’t perfect, but I did like it.
Freya was damaged, delicate, fractured. I admired her determination, her stubbornness. But I didn’t like what she did with her new ‘friends’. I’m not saying that I didn’t like Freya, because I did. But I just saw how wonderful she could be, and I felt she could do so much better. She was strong, after the long struggle with the mental institutions. But that was why I got annoyed: she’d gone through all that, so why make someone else feel bad? Peer pressure at work there, people. And she didn’t see what was right in front of her face. She got better as the book went on, but she did annoy me a little to begin with.
Stephenie was sweet. And very strange. She didn’t have any friends, as she had been home-schooled and had her ‘friends’ and playmates hand-picked for her by her parents. She had more confidence, more backbone than many a person, and was also determined as hell. She was kinda creepy and very weird, but she would do anything to help Freya. I couldn’t help liking the girl: she was cute and innocent.
The rest of the characters were brilliant and completely believable. Freya’s Dad, so strong and loving. Her brother Luke, who got over his biggest fears to save a boy he barely knew. Then you had the classic mean-girl bully, Amy, who was a total wimp and overall horrid person. Gemma the sheep. And Vicky, who left me hopeful that she could better herself. And the angels, complete opposites and both so very strong and powerful.
It was the angels in this book that made it ever so special. They were completely different from anything I’d read about before. In some ways, they were very much your traditional guardian angel. Apart for one very, very big difference… It was wonderful to read about these beings, and I must admit that it was one of the key points that made me want to read on.
The writing was equally wonderful: hauntingly beautiful, and brilliantly simple. And this story was beautiful. It was about true friendship, sacrifice, forgiveness and love. I couldn’t help being touched by one of the prominent emotions: the need to belong. We all want to belong, don’t we? Well, that need was everywhere in Angel. I know that there have been many so-so reviews of this book, but I really liked it. Ok, it had it’s rough spots and I guessed some of the twists, but overall I really, truly liked it. It was inspiring.
Meanwhile, Freya’s brother is being beaten up for looking after a Year Seven boy and her dad is living with a huge secret…
And then Freya is visited once again by her light angel. And her whole world is changed beyond recognition…
All the concepts behind this book were amazing: friendship, love, self-sacrifice… And the characters were all very diverse and interesting. The messages about the dangers of peer pressure and bullying were wonderfully strong. It was very new and different from all the other angel books I’ve read. I really was rather addicted, wanting to find out what happened to everyone. It wasn’t perfect, but I did like it.
Freya was damaged, delicate, fractured. I admired her determination, her stubbornness. But I didn’t like what she did with her new ‘friends’. I’m not saying that I didn’t like Freya, because I did. But I just saw how wonderful she could be, and I felt she could do so much better. She was strong, after the long struggle with the mental institutions. But that was why I got annoyed: she’d gone through all that, so why make someone else feel bad? Peer pressure at work there, people. And she didn’t see what was right in front of her face. She got better as the book went on, but she did annoy me a little to begin with.
Stephenie was sweet. And very strange. She didn’t have any friends, as she had been home-schooled and had her ‘friends’ and playmates hand-picked for her by her parents. She had more confidence, more backbone than many a person, and was also determined as hell. She was kinda creepy and very weird, but she would do anything to help Freya. I couldn’t help liking the girl: she was cute and innocent.
The rest of the characters were brilliant and completely believable. Freya’s Dad, so strong and loving. Her brother Luke, who got over his biggest fears to save a boy he barely knew. Then you had the classic mean-girl bully, Amy, who was a total wimp and overall horrid person. Gemma the sheep. And Vicky, who left me hopeful that she could better herself. And the angels, complete opposites and both so very strong and powerful.
It was the angels in this book that made it ever so special. They were completely different from anything I’d read about before. In some ways, they were very much your traditional guardian angel. Apart for one very, very big difference… It was wonderful to read about these beings, and I must admit that it was one of the key points that made me want to read on.
The writing was equally wonderful: hauntingly beautiful, and brilliantly simple. And this story was beautiful. It was about true friendship, sacrifice, forgiveness and love. I couldn’t help being touched by one of the prominent emotions: the need to belong. We all want to belong, don’t we? Well, that need was everywhere in Angel. I know that there have been many so-so reviews of this book, but I really liked it. Ok, it had it’s rough spots and I guessed some of the twists, but overall I really, truly liked it. It was inspiring.
June 16, 2011
Even before “angels became the new vampires” in literature—if you know what I mean—I’ve already encountered a novel that zeroes in on humans and angels and the possible connections and mutations between them (I know I still have the X-Men: First Class flick hangover, but 'paranormal' mutations do sort of apply in this book; if you figure out what I was trying to say, consider yourself SPOILED :p).
The premise is really promising. Freya is a teenage girl who has been obsessed with angels ever since she saw one in her bedroom. She had been put under therapy for seeing them, which therapists dismiss as hallucinations. Thinking that she’s already “healed”, Freya starts from scratch to build a new, normal life. That’s until the angels start appearing again, and this time they’re just not the beautiful beings with strong gossamer wings; there’s one that is as black as a raven, following her anywhere she goes. Freya tries to run away from the creature, but she knows she can't hide from the creature no matter where she goes…
The prose is not florid yet not too flat, and for that I’m giving this book a check. I prefer female protagonists who get to kick a lot of behinds, but I’m willing to give Freya a chance when I first got my hands on this book. Several chapters later, I guess the dynamite in my chest of “chances” have gone off, triggered by the fact that the characters do not 'grow'; they are not so well-inflated that you can see their fragile flatness as easily as you can pierce a water surface with your finger.
I confess that I was truly engrossed by about the first three quarters of the book, but the thrill dwindled a bit when I reached the near-to-last part. The main twist didn’t have much of an effect on me, and that’s saying something because it’s a big life-changing “bang!” for the character. As for the secondary character Stephanie, she is your standard heroine’s side-kick, and she kind of reminds me of Helen Burns, the childhood best friend of the title character in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.
Giving it three stars.
The premise is really promising. Freya is a teenage girl who has been obsessed with angels ever since she saw one in her bedroom. She had been put under therapy for seeing them, which therapists dismiss as hallucinations. Thinking that she’s already “healed”, Freya starts from scratch to build a new, normal life. That’s until the angels start appearing again, and this time they’re just not the beautiful beings with strong gossamer wings; there’s one that is as black as a raven, following her anywhere she goes. Freya tries to run away from the creature, but she knows she can't hide from the creature no matter where she goes…
The prose is not florid yet not too flat, and for that I’m giving this book a check. I prefer female protagonists who get to kick a lot of behinds, but I’m willing to give Freya a chance when I first got my hands on this book. Several chapters later, I guess the dynamite in my chest of “chances” have gone off, triggered by the fact that the characters do not 'grow'; they are not so well-inflated that you can see their fragile flatness as easily as you can pierce a water surface with your finger.
I confess that I was truly engrossed by about the first three quarters of the book, but the thrill dwindled a bit when I reached the near-to-last part. The main twist didn’t have much of an effect on me, and that’s saying something because it’s a big life-changing “bang!” for the character. As for the secondary character Stephanie, she is your standard heroine’s side-kick, and she kind of reminds me of Helen Burns, the childhood best friend of the title character in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.
Giving it three stars.
May 8, 2012
Freya loves angels, in fact she loves them so much she was hospitalized for being mentally crazy. She just got out a few months ago and is recovering but one day a new girl named Stephanie joins her class and Stephanie believes in angels. Now her world is changed forever as she faces the truth about who she is and what she is meant to be.
I picked this book up because I desperatly needed something to read and this looked intersting so I started reading it and found out that it was good. I thought that the two girls, Freya and Stephanie, were a little weird because they kept doing weird things. They cried too much too and Freya kept breaking down.
I finished this book because it was pretty good and I wanted to find out what's going to happend next to Freya and Stephanie. The ending was really good and it made me want to figure out what's going to happend in the next book, if there is a next book.
I would recommend this book to Michelle T because this book is different thant he other books and I want to see what she thinks about it.
I picked this book up because I desperatly needed something to read and this looked intersting so I started reading it and found out that it was good. I thought that the two girls, Freya and Stephanie, were a little weird because they kept doing weird things. They cried too much too and Freya kept breaking down.
I finished this book because it was pretty good and I wanted to find out what's going to happend next to Freya and Stephanie. The ending was really good and it made me want to figure out what's going to happend in the next book, if there is a next book.
I would recommend this book to Michelle T because this book is different thant he other books and I want to see what she thinks about it.
October 18, 2012
I thought the book was interesting. The characters reminded me of the people at our school. A girl named Freya was trying to fit in and be like the other girls but she had a secret that made her different then the others. She believed in angels and nobody was going to tell her different. She was fitting in well until a girl named Stephanie came to that school with the same beliefs. Freya had to get put in the hospital because her father thought she was crazy and she had just started to get over her thoughts when Stephanie brought up angels again and Freya started reliving the experience again. One night Freya got an unexpected visit from a real angel and everything she thought was fake was real. That angel told her that she was becoming an angel and she was to help the people in danger. She took on the duty and she realized that it was harder then she thought. I would recommend this book to people in high school because it is an easy book but some parts are a little difficult to follow.
January 20, 2010
For such an astronomical plot, it was week.
The story was inconsistent, skipping from the main character to her brother to some strange girl. The only likable character was Luke (the brother) and his role in the story is minute. Disproportionate with the amounts of ink and paper used to develop it.
The story was inconsistent, skipping from the main character to her brother to some strange girl. The only likable character was Luke (the brother) and his role in the story is minute. Disproportionate with the amounts of ink and paper used to develop it.
February 3, 2012
It was a well written book and definitely picked up my interest for fallen angels and etc. but it takes time to get into the book and OMG FREYAS CHARACTER GETS ON MY NERVES! And whats the deal with Stephenie Rice? The way shes always kissing Freyas pictures.... Awks!
January 15, 2009
The story dragged and had a totally lame ending. Actually, the entire plot was lame.
June 7, 2010
......Didn't Even finish it....
April 22, 2021
Kniha sa mi veľmi nepáčila... recenzia - http://books-mylife.blogspot.sk/2013/...
December 17, 2020
I loved this book so so so much. I hadn’t been reading much, and this book just gave that word a whole new meaning. I could not put this book down. Highly recommended.
January 24, 2021
Good story. Really enjoyed this book. I really wished there was a sequel.
November 9, 2024
This was a reread from when I was about 14.
I had a phase when I wanted to read all the YA books about angels, and the Title checked out.
I like that this book dared trying to do something new. It's not that enjoyable of a read though.
There's two plots running alongside each other. The angel plot (which is supposed to be the main plot and doesn't actually start properly until like 40% in) and the bullying plot which feels like it takes up 70% of the book and yet it had no conclusion at all. - - As I'm sitting here typing out the review I can't help but wonder if the parents even found out about the bullying? Like, it's so weird to leave it unresolved. What happened to Sam??
Something I did like is that the two girls, Freya and Stephanie, don't become best friends like a lot of other books would have done it. Stephanie actually gives Freya a really hard time. And not to be that person, but It is kind of relatable, though, how Freya wants to be nice and offers to be Stephanie's friend, only to find out the new girl has no social skills at all and now she won't leave you alone.
The whole angel plot doesn't make a lot of sense either. Nothing was really explained.
Wouldn't really recommend. Not even for representation of bullying since it's not resolved at all. The bullies are only going to find new victims.
I had a phase when I wanted to read all the YA books about angels, and the Title checked out.
I like that this book dared trying to do something new. It's not that enjoyable of a read though.
There's two plots running alongside each other. The angel plot (which is supposed to be the main plot and doesn't actually start properly until like 40% in) and the bullying plot which feels like it takes up 70% of the book and yet it had no conclusion at all. - - As I'm sitting here typing out the review I can't help but wonder if the parents even found out about the bullying? Like, it's so weird to leave it unresolved. What happened to Sam??
Something I did like is that the two girls, Freya and Stephanie, don't become best friends like a lot of other books would have done it. Stephanie actually gives Freya a really hard time. And not to be that person, but It is kind of relatable, though, how Freya wants to be nice and offers to be Stephanie's friend, only to find out the new girl has no social skills at all and now she won't leave you alone.
The whole angel plot doesn't make a lot of sense either. Nothing was really explained.
Wouldn't really recommend. Not even for representation of bullying since it's not resolved at all. The bullies are only going to find new victims.
November 6, 2018
It had potential to be a good read, but missed it by a good 700 miles. Ouch.
An interesting plot: High-school teen Freya is slowly, but surely, turning into an angel, all the while trying to balance her own life and trying to make friends at her high school.
However, the execution was lacking.
By having the point of view "jump" around to different characters' point of view (third person limited), it was very difficult to follow along with a fluid storyline, and made me quite nauseous (That happened way too much, and I had to stop reading for a day or two).
The characters were albeit kind of lousy in the decisions they made (Freya not standing up for Stephanie and befriending her; Stephanie triggering Freya with talk of angels, even after Freya explained to her that she spent time in hospital for hallucinating such; Stephanie starting a fire in her bedroom, etc.) but I really like how Luke was written, trying his best to protect Sam from Tate.
I thought that the story could've developed better, with Freya and Stephanie's relationship in particular, having them develop a "I'll take you under my wing" sort-of platonic friendship (pun intended).
Speaking of, why did Freya suddenly turn into a nephilim, with no explanation whatsoever? Menstraal said that human-angel hybrids are not caused by genes, as Luke is fully human, so this can't be from either her dad nor her mom (as theorized).
But that begs the question, "How does her dad know about her wings without them physically there, just by looking at Freya's behavior?"
The inconsistency of this just bothers me, as I feel that Freya's mom was some sort of angel, and Freya's behavior reminded him of her mom when they were both young, and of course, before she died.
Anywho, I thought that this book was an OK read, with some minor issues with consistency and with character development, but it could be better
An interesting plot: High-school teen Freya is slowly, but surely, turning into an angel, all the while trying to balance her own life and trying to make friends at her high school.
However, the execution was lacking.
By having the point of view "jump" around to different characters' point of view (third person limited), it was very difficult to follow along with a fluid storyline, and made me quite nauseous (That happened way too much, and I had to stop reading for a day or two).
The characters were albeit kind of lousy in the decisions they made (Freya not standing up for Stephanie and befriending her; Stephanie triggering Freya with talk of angels, even after Freya explained to her that she spent time in hospital for hallucinating such; Stephanie starting a fire in her bedroom, etc.) but I really like how Luke was written, trying his best to protect Sam from Tate.
I thought that the story could've developed better, with Freya and Stephanie's relationship in particular, having them develop a "I'll take you under my wing" sort-of platonic friendship (pun intended).
Speaking of, why did Freya suddenly turn into a nephilim, with no explanation whatsoever? Menstraal said that human-angel hybrids are not caused by genes, as Luke is fully human, so this can't be from either her dad nor her mom (as theorized).
But that begs the question, "How does her dad know about her wings without them physically there, just by looking at Freya's behavior?"
The inconsistency of this just bothers me, as I feel that Freya's mom was some sort of angel, and Freya's behavior reminded him of her mom when they were both young, and of course, before she died.
Anywho, I thought that this book was an OK read, with some minor issues with consistency and with character development, but it could be better
February 22, 2022
Freya saw an angel when she was a child, and became so obsessed with angels that she was hospitalized for years. Now she's back in the "normal" world, doing her best to fit in at school. Things are going well until a new girl, Stephanie, arrives. Stephanie is also obsessed with angels, and she senses in Freya a kindred spirit. Though Freya spurns Stephanie to try to keep her social standing at school, Freya's vision of a dark angel leads her to a bigger purpose.
I thought this book sounded interesting from a review I read here on Goodreads about 13 years ago... I'd agree with the writer of that review that this book had a similar writing style to David Almond's Skellig, but aside from some intriguing concepts I found this didn't have the same elevation of themes as Skellig did. Though Freya is obsessed with angels, she treats other people rather poorly, even as she is . The concept of each feather on an angel's wings having sentience was a little too weird for me, and I wanted much more of a reconciliation between Freya and her father and brother. Of all the things I most wanted was for Freya's confrontations with mean girl Amy to have been different - would an angel really stoop to Amy's level of insults? It just didn't seem to fit with the idea of angels to me.
I thought this book sounded interesting from a review I read here on Goodreads about 13 years ago... I'd agree with the writer of that review that this book had a similar writing style to David Almond's Skellig, but aside from some intriguing concepts I found this didn't have the same elevation of themes as Skellig did. Though Freya is obsessed with angels, she treats other people rather poorly, even as she is . The concept of each feather on an angel's wings having sentience was a little too weird for me, and I wanted much more of a reconciliation between Freya and her father and brother. Of all the things I most wanted was for Freya's confrontations with mean girl Amy to have been different - would an angel really stoop to Amy's level of insults? It just didn't seem to fit with the idea of angels to me.
March 18, 2023
Se lo avessi finito di leggere quasi dieci anni fa quando lo iniziai per la prima volta probabilmente mi sarebbe piaciuto di più.
Un classico Urban Fantasy Ben scritto ma a tratti frettoloso in parti che credo avrebbero richiesto maggiore approfondimento.
Affronta sì tematiche angeliche ma in una visione particolare, diversa da quella che mi è capitato di leggere in passato e questa è una caratteristica che non mi fa pentire di aver preso in mano questo libro dopo tanti anni; un piacevole cambio di scenario.
Inizialmente quando è stato svelato il segreto della protagonista mi è sembrato fin troppo banale e già visto, ma la sua evoluzione, aspettandomi "il peggio", mi ha fatto ricredere.
Credo sia un buon libro per poter iniziare a riflettere sulla propria umanità e su cosa significhi volere e fare del bene per gli altri, sulle difficoltà e sul potere della forza di volontà.
Il fine è stato particolarmente frettoloso, quasi un finale aperto in qualche modo, mi è parso quasi privo di conclusione soprattutto letti gli ultimi avvenimenti, ma per il resto è un libro che comunque consiglierei.
Un classico Urban Fantasy Ben scritto ma a tratti frettoloso in parti che credo avrebbero richiesto maggiore approfondimento.
Affronta sì tematiche angeliche ma in una visione particolare, diversa da quella che mi è capitato di leggere in passato e questa è una caratteristica che non mi fa pentire di aver preso in mano questo libro dopo tanti anni; un piacevole cambio di scenario.
Inizialmente quando è stato svelato il segreto della protagonista mi è sembrato fin troppo banale e già visto, ma la sua evoluzione, aspettandomi "il peggio", mi ha fatto ricredere.
Credo sia un buon libro per poter iniziare a riflettere sulla propria umanità e su cosa significhi volere e fare del bene per gli altri, sulle difficoltà e sul potere della forza di volontà.
Il fine è stato particolarmente frettoloso, quasi un finale aperto in qualche modo, mi è parso quasi privo di conclusione soprattutto letti gli ultimi avvenimenti, ma per il resto è un libro che comunque consiglierei.
July 3, 2024
The story has an interesting plot and characters. I was very invested in mestral's character too. Freya is kinda relatable too. There were quite some moments which made me laugh out loud. However, I feel like the ending wasn't the best. Like, the author could've done much better. I've got so many questions and I was flabbergasted to see how it just ended. I want a sequel about what happens next. Does Tate leave like alone? Is the friendship between Freya and Stephanie still intact? Is freya's dad still alive? And what happened to mestral? I'm still confused about certain things but ig it is pretty good for a short read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2021
DNF at 218.
This book is DEFINITELY meant for YA. As someone nearly 30, I could not get into the characters or the pathetic story.
There are way too many side stories as well. You start out learning about Freya & her friends. Then the new girl comes in— fine. Good for adding conflict. Then there’s the two (or three? I wasn’t certain) angels. Then Freya’s maybe boyfriend. And her brother. And his bully. And the kid he’s standing up for. And her dad.
The story was too thin to give any sort of depth to anyone.
This book is DEFINITELY meant for YA. As someone nearly 30, I could not get into the characters or the pathetic story.
There are way too many side stories as well. You start out learning about Freya & her friends. Then the new girl comes in— fine. Good for adding conflict. Then there’s the two (or three? I wasn’t certain) angels. Then Freya’s maybe boyfriend. And her brother. And his bully. And the kid he’s standing up for. And her dad.
The story was too thin to give any sort of depth to anyone.
August 28, 2019
I loved Doomspell and so was looking forward to recapturing a great read. However this was a disappointing weird book. At first I would have given only a one or two star reviews. I disliked the bullying aspects and it was just weird. It did grow on me towards the end and I'm glad I preserved with it and it was a quick read!
June 20, 2024
I was a bit confused as to where this book was going at first, but I think this is a lovely story about the meanings of love, true friendship and it encourages you to think about those closest to you and look out for them.
June 29, 2023
I think it is a very interesting book, but I feel that it could have been executed better. Overall, I love the story and plot!
February 8, 2024
Ugh. I wanted to give this book more than 3 stars.
This book was so good at the start and in the middle… then the ending hit and I was like “what the fuck is this”.
Sad times.
This book was so good at the start and in the middle… then the ending hit and I was like “what the fuck is this”.
Sad times.
March 1, 2024
i liked it, but it wasn't really mind blowing
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