Three Faces of an Angel

by Jiří Pehe, Gerald Turner (Translation)

This novel about the twentieth century begins when time was linear and ends when the notion of progress becomes less well defined. "It strikes me that Josef Brehme lived in an epoch when time still proceeded in a straight line from the past to the future

364 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

(preface: While reading this book, a deadline loomed over my head, as it was part of an assignment. This probably affected how much I was able to enjoy it.)

"Where has it all gone? What's happened to it all? Can it be experienced again? That love, that security. Or is it just an illusion that fizzles out in a single instant? Is everything in the world just an illusion?"

'Three Faces of an Angel' chronicles the experiences of three generations of a Czech family. Their stories span from the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Communist regimes. The stories of Josef, Hana and Alex are intertwined with the rapidly changing ideologies of the twentieth century, shaping their pasts, presents and futures.

Josef and Hana are such interesting and complex characters and I was drawn to both of them. I felt Alex lacked the depth of the other two and it somewhat weakened the final part of the book. This is an excellent book, but perhaps because of the circumstances that I found myself reading in, I didn't really connect with the characters and their stories. I do enjoy multiple narrations when done right and this is an example of one.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three Faces of An Angel is a very interesting tale of a Czech family over three generations in the twentieth century. The characters are fascinating and their stories dramatic but believable. The history in Czech lands in the 20th century is reflected in the fates and activities of the characters. The third portion of the work is the weakest--more philosophical and more about life choices than about life--but overall, this work is fascinating and well-written.

[Helena · Rating 5 out of 5]

3 generace, významné historické události. Perfektní.

[sienna · Rating 3 out of 5]

First two sections were excellent, even if in my opinion Pehe writes very weirdly about women. Alex seems like a one dimensional character - so i thought the last act was weak. Read for history class

[World Literature Today]

"Three Faces of an Angel is a captivating three-generational Czech saga spanning the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to present day. It weaves the lives of three Brehme family members against the changing ideologies of the twentieth century in the Czech lands. This novel works very well because all three disparate voices ring true. Pehe paints a realistic portrait of Josef as a Czech Legionnaire while Alex’s struggle with postmodern culture exudes sincerity. If there is one quibble, it would be that the feminine voice of Hanna could be more nuanced from the others, to make her character more plausible." - Virginia Parobek

This book was reviewed in the March 2016 issue of World Literature Today magazine. Read the full review by visiting our website: http://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/2...