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The Awakening: A Novel of Discovery
Aurora Rose Norquest is different from her neighbors, different from most people. Still single at thirty-five, she spends every hour of her days and nights in an elegant Manhattan apartment, quietly caring for her invalid mother. Then her mother dies, and Aurora's world spins on its axis. Reality shatters into startlingly realistic nightmares, and the shards of troubling memories slice into her sleep. Everything Aurora has believed about herself and her world fades into murky dreams that will not let her rest. Something, someone is pursuing Aurora--growing more threatening by the day, testing the limits of her sanity. Will she find the courage to confront her unseen pursuer? Or will she surrender to the destructive melancholy that haunts her days and nights? What will it take to satisfy the relentless intruder whose voice presses her toward The Awakening ?
311 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2004
51 people are currently reading
631 people want to read
About the author
Angela Elwell Hunt
271 books1,968 followersChristy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who have learned to expect the unexpected in novels from this versatile author. With nearly six million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 165 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to novels.
Now that her two children are grown, Angie and her husband live in Florida with Very Big Dogs (a direct result of watching Turner and Hooch and Sandlot too many times). This affinity for mastiffs has not been without its rewards--one of their dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest canine in America. Their dog received this dubious honor after an all-expenses-paid trip to Manhattan for the dog and the Hunts, complete with VIP air travel and a stretch limo in which they toured New York City.
Afterward, the dog gave out pawtographs at the airport.
Angela admits to being fascinated by animals, medicine, psychology, unexplained phenomena, and “just about everything” except sports. Books, she says, have always shaped her life— in the fifth grade she learned how to flirt from reading Gone with the Wind.
Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Note was featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, and American Christian Fiction Writers bestowed the same award in 2019.
In 2006, Angela completed her Master of Biblical Studies in Theology degree and completed her second doctorate in 2015. When she’s not home reading or writing, Angie often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences. And to talk about her dogs, of course.
Now that her two children are grown, Angie and her husband live in Florida with Very Big Dogs (a direct result of watching Turner and Hooch and Sandlot too many times). This affinity for mastiffs has not been without its rewards--one of their dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest canine in America. Their dog received this dubious honor after an all-expenses-paid trip to Manhattan for the dog and the Hunts, complete with VIP air travel and a stretch limo in which they toured New York City.
Afterward, the dog gave out pawtographs at the airport.
Angela admits to being fascinated by animals, medicine, psychology, unexplained phenomena, and “just about everything” except sports. Books, she says, have always shaped her life— in the fifth grade she learned how to flirt from reading Gone with the Wind.
Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Note was featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, and American Christian Fiction Writers bestowed the same award in 2019.
In 2006, Angela completed her Master of Biblical Studies in Theology degree and completed her second doctorate in 2015. When she’s not home reading or writing, Angie often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences. And to talk about her dogs, of course.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
December 27, 2008
I gave up on Christian fiction some time ago, but we sell so much of it in our bookshop that it's always available, and this one wasn't part of a series or an overt romance.(Saints preserve us!) And I liked the cover (yes, I know). So I grabbed it to read as we traveled over Christmas.
Pleasant surprise: the author was literate, and the book was vaguely based on the Sleeping Beauty motif in addition to being an allegorical quest for God. The main character is VERY afraid to reconnect with her estranged father and has been told a bunch of lies about his character. I really enjoyed that perspective.
I'll read almost any twice-told or fractured fairy and folk tales, so naturally enjoyed this theme. Also, that Christian writing flaw prone to insult the intelligence by providing symbolism and hints over and over again that this book is really about God, was less in evidence. CS Lewis writes just about the best allegorical fiction ever, and Chesterton writes them so well you can't actually tell what they're about (oh, wait a minute). For the most part, it seems that Christian writers are afraid you might not get it, so everything is overblown and hyperbolic and at some point somebody delivers The Sermon. Sometimes I wonder if bad Christian writing is frighteningly like an inoculation: a little dose, watered down, might keep you from having a real encounter with God--which is scary and intensely real and life-changing when it happens.
Hunt got past that "gonna help you get it" crap largely by making her main character very naive, sheltered and afraid of life. You got what was coming ages before she did, but it didn't feel so insulting as a reader because she really was that out of it, yet still likable.
Saying all this makes me feel critical and at odds with those I don't want to be at odds with, because as a Christian I want to like what other Christians write.
Still, maybe Art isn't meant to serve a proselytising (British spelling alert) agenda because if you're honestly convinced that what you're saying is true, you don't have to bend everything around you to make it fit into your worldview. Shades of Voltaire's comments, but anyway, I enjoyed the book and the way Hunt writes. I'm inspired to explore a couple more stand-alone Christian novels from our shop to see if there're any more hidden gems amongst them.
Pleasant surprise: the author was literate, and the book was vaguely based on the Sleeping Beauty motif in addition to being an allegorical quest for God. The main character is VERY afraid to reconnect with her estranged father and has been told a bunch of lies about his character. I really enjoyed that perspective.
I'll read almost any twice-told or fractured fairy and folk tales, so naturally enjoyed this theme. Also, that Christian writing flaw prone to insult the intelligence by providing symbolism and hints over and over again that this book is really about God, was less in evidence. CS Lewis writes just about the best allegorical fiction ever, and Chesterton writes them so well you can't actually tell what they're about (oh, wait a minute). For the most part, it seems that Christian writers are afraid you might not get it, so everything is overblown and hyperbolic and at some point somebody delivers The Sermon. Sometimes I wonder if bad Christian writing is frighteningly like an inoculation: a little dose, watered down, might keep you from having a real encounter with God--which is scary and intensely real and life-changing when it happens.
Hunt got past that "gonna help you get it" crap largely by making her main character very naive, sheltered and afraid of life. You got what was coming ages before she did, but it didn't feel so insulting as a reader because she really was that out of it, yet still likable.
Saying all this makes me feel critical and at odds with those I don't want to be at odds with, because as a Christian I want to like what other Christians write.
Still, maybe Art isn't meant to serve a proselytising (British spelling alert) agenda because if you're honestly convinced that what you're saying is true, you don't have to bend everything around you to make it fit into your worldview. Shades of Voltaire's comments, but anyway, I enjoyed the book and the way Hunt writes. I'm inspired to explore a couple more stand-alone Christian novels from our shop to see if there're any more hidden gems amongst them.
August 8, 2012
Spoiler Alert: So, I picked this book up at a thrift store. I thought the idea of an agoraphobic woman dealing with death might be interesting. I did not realize I was picking up Christian Fiction, which I didn't know existed. Evidently it means that women are weak to the point of mental illness or if strong, are manipulative liars and men are pretty awesome - strong and good. They will take care of you. CF also means that any strange plot twists can be explained away by God's hand. Unless you're a fan of this genre, stay away from this book.
January 10, 2011
I was a Christian Fiction hater. Sappy, insipid, trite, predictable, nauseating and preachy were just a few of the adjectives I used to describe my least favorite genre. Naturally, until today, I'd not actually *read* a Christian Fiction novel, fearful of all those menacing Amish folk on the covers of so many of the books. But, I just put down The Awakening and I have a feeling that I, like Paul, have been persecuting a beautiful thing.
Not only is Mrs. Hunt an excellent wordsmith, she spins a great plot and captured my attention immediately. I genuinely liked her characters and found the story to be completely engaging. The author refrained from sermonizing while still getting the Good News message out. Best of all, Amish romance played no part in the engrossing and original story line.
Christian fiction skeptics, I commend this book to you. I'm looking forward to reading more by Angela Hunt and finding more inventive Christian authors like her.
Not only is Mrs. Hunt an excellent wordsmith, she spins a great plot and captured my attention immediately. I genuinely liked her characters and found the story to be completely engaging. The author refrained from sermonizing while still getting the Good News message out. Best of all, Amish romance played no part in the engrossing and original story line.
Christian fiction skeptics, I commend this book to you. I'm looking forward to reading more by Angela Hunt and finding more inventive Christian authors like her.
June 9, 2012
Incredibly beautiful allegory. Profoundly moving.
January 9, 2016
This was my first experience with Angela Hunt as a writer and also Christian Fiction and I am so happy I gave both a chance. Such a great book, I really enjoyed it.
July 8, 2018
This was a great read.....cried, smiled....just really enjoyed it.
January 26, 2020
Very strange.
April 30, 2020
"We are people who love words, but words are not necessary…"
The Awakening quickly captured me and I will admit, had me reading late into the night (true to its name😉). Considering it's about a girl too anxious to so much as step out of her apartment, this is impressive.
Aurora has put her life on hold for years, to take care of her mother who suffers from dementia. When her mother dies, she doesn't know what to do with herself; she has no future plans; no friends (apart from her mother's best friend who she regards as an aunt), and severe anxiety. To make matters worse, vivid nightmares and visions keep her up every night.
With the death of her mother, Aurora is suddenly drawn to the idea of meeting her father, a famous novelist but also who, she is told left her mother for a more attractive life in London.
When a new neighbour moves in next door, she is wary and unwilling to befriend him. Even so, Phil slowly gains her trust and friendship. It’s Phil that encourages ‘Rosie’ to step past the confining walls she has carefully constructed around herself. He helps her take more than, “baby steps” and encourages her to step out of the shadow her mother left behind.
The chapters-titles switch between Apartment 15A and Apartment 15B (occasionally 15C). This helps keep the reader’s eye on the narrator and setting without too much confusion.
The Author had me quickly invested in the characters and though I expected to feel impatience with Aurora’s intense fears and anxieties of the very smallest thing, (where the simplest act of buying a roll of painter’s tape becomes a cause for celebration,) Angela Hunt draws you inside the head of the character, helping you understand and empathize with her.
I particularly enjoyed Rosie and Phil’s relationship. It never blossomed into a full romance until the end of the book, but I loved how comfortable they felt around each other, switching easily between silly bantering, (Phil’s AWful jokes), and more serious conversations arguing and confiding in each other.
This was my first of (hopefully) many Angela Hunt books and though there were moments in which I felt slightly disoriented, they quickly passed and I thoroughly enjoyed the little apartment world she created for us.
The Awakening quickly captured me and I will admit, had me reading late into the night (true to its name😉). Considering it's about a girl too anxious to so much as step out of her apartment, this is impressive.
Aurora has put her life on hold for years, to take care of her mother who suffers from dementia. When her mother dies, she doesn't know what to do with herself; she has no future plans; no friends (apart from her mother's best friend who she regards as an aunt), and severe anxiety. To make matters worse, vivid nightmares and visions keep her up every night.
With the death of her mother, Aurora is suddenly drawn to the idea of meeting her father, a famous novelist but also who, she is told left her mother for a more attractive life in London.
When a new neighbour moves in next door, she is wary and unwilling to befriend him. Even so, Phil slowly gains her trust and friendship. It’s Phil that encourages ‘Rosie’ to step past the confining walls she has carefully constructed around herself. He helps her take more than, “baby steps” and encourages her to step out of the shadow her mother left behind.
The chapters-titles switch between Apartment 15A and Apartment 15B (occasionally 15C). This helps keep the reader’s eye on the narrator and setting without too much confusion.
The Author had me quickly invested in the characters and though I expected to feel impatience with Aurora’s intense fears and anxieties of the very smallest thing, (where the simplest act of buying a roll of painter’s tape becomes a cause for celebration,) Angela Hunt draws you inside the head of the character, helping you understand and empathize with her.
I particularly enjoyed Rosie and Phil’s relationship. It never blossomed into a full romance until the end of the book, but I loved how comfortable they felt around each other, switching easily between silly bantering, (Phil’s AWful jokes), and more serious conversations arguing and confiding in each other.
This was my first of (hopefully) many Angela Hunt books and though there were moments in which I felt slightly disoriented, they quickly passed and I thoroughly enjoyed the little apartment world she created for us.
June 13, 2017
I loved this book. I knew nothing about what I was about to read. It was exactly what I needed to read when I needed to read it. It has been sitting gathering dust on my "to read" pile and for some reason I can't explain I picked it up out of the middle of the pile and started reading it. Finished it in two days. Just like the story, God does speak to us. Would recommend.
November 27, 2025
I confess I couldn't finish it. The author takes us into the rarified world of the one percent. The protagonist lives in a fabulous building in Manhattan that has massive windows overlooking Central Park. A young woman, she's spent the last ten years ministering to her mother who dies at 70, with dementia. We learn about the mother's former lavish parties, including who attended. (The Mayor and various CEOs)
The story opens in the magnificent apartment, at the mother's wake. We learn about the tremendously expensive decor. The mother's best friend and neighbor is on hand to hire the best caterer, of course, as well as all the arrangements. Meanwhile the protagonist is too shy to speak to a single guest.
The story is billed as a coming out story for an agoraphobic, which struck me as interesting. But I was so bored with unnecessary details that I couldn't stick with it. The fawning over the one percent is feeling ironic these days. The stilted writing caused me to Google this book to see if it's best returned early to the library. Apparently this is "Christian fiction" and many of them gave it four stars.
The story opens in the magnificent apartment, at the mother's wake. We learn about the tremendously expensive decor. The mother's best friend and neighbor is on hand to hire the best caterer, of course, as well as all the arrangements. Meanwhile the protagonist is too shy to speak to a single guest.
The story is billed as a coming out story for an agoraphobic, which struck me as interesting. But I was so bored with unnecessary details that I couldn't stick with it. The fawning over the one percent is feeling ironic these days. The stilted writing caused me to Google this book to see if it's best returned early to the library. Apparently this is "Christian fiction" and many of them gave it four stars.
July 26, 2025
I honestly think this may be my favorite Angela Hunt book - and I've read a lot of them! I loved the way the story developed, and that there wasn't anything overly "Christian" until closer to the end. I am definitely not opposed to anything overly Christian, however, this has the advantage of being easier to lend to a non-Christian friend - allowing them to be drawn in before they are "witnessed" to. This was a very unique plot and it had me guessing until the end. Thank you Angela Hunt - well done!
April 27, 2019
This book wraps its emotionally charged tentacles around you...
and doesn't let go until the end. Will Aurora Rose ever escape her mother's web of deceit that has been wove through every fiber of her life. Will her eyes and heart ever be opened to the real Truth. I didn't want this story to end. Don't forget the tissues.
and doesn't let go until the end. Will Aurora Rose ever escape her mother's web of deceit that has been wove through every fiber of her life. Will her eyes and heart ever be opened to the real Truth. I didn't want this story to end. Don't forget the tissues.
April 7, 2020
my rating was very close to 3 stars but this book was a bit disappointing in that it was very predictable. Aurora, age 35 , has looked after her ailing mother in her New York apartment and has developed agoraphobia. Her mother has just died but Aurora can't bring herself to leave the building. She begins a search for her estranged father.
October 21, 2016
I never had any interest in horror (as a genre) prior to reading this story. It opened my eyes to the potential of these tropes (probably because it's not nearly as gory as a lot of horror is). I'd also recommend it to anyone who enjoys retold fairy tales, as some readers have noted the resemblance to Sleeping Beauty).
July 20, 2018
This book started out slow for me but all of a sudden it grabbed me into the spiritual parallels. I thoroughly enjoy everything from this author who is a great story teller with subject matters that leave you pondering long after the book is completed.
March 30, 2019
a recluse in Manhatten discovers how to live again and conquer her agoraphobia after her mom dies (she's been her caretaker for 10 years) and a new neighbor moves onto her floor. The lies of the past are uncovered as she blazes toward independence and reuniting with an estranged father.
May 27, 2020
Although slow moving to begin with, I was intrigued enough to keep going. I found myself rooting for Aurora Rose as much as I wanted to scream her to action. An engaging read with themes of redemption and reconciliation. Two of my favorites.
May 30, 2022
Darkness never wants us to believe in the Father’s love for us, but love never stops reaching out. That’s the message of this beautiful book. Angela Hunt delivers another impactive and engrossing read!
August 30, 2017
Such a great read!
April 7, 2018
Not my normal read. Not a bad read for a Christian Fiction.
August 16, 2018
And I thought Uncharted made the hair stand up on the back of my neck!
March 14, 2019
I enjoyed the book overall. However, I often found myself frustrated by the main character's naivete and her believing everything she was told, without question.
May 18, 2020
One of the best books I've ever read. I'm an Angela Hunt fan now.
September 3, 2022
This book was a nice change of pace. Even though I had the book mostly figured out half way through, I still enjoyed it
July 20, 2025
Excellent writing as usual!! So easy to get lost in her writing. Wonderful heartwarming story.
September 10, 2010
SPOILER ALERT:
Another winner by Angela Hunt. I have had this book for sometime now and didnt pick it up till yesterday. I have to say that the blip of the book didnt really interest me, it sounded depressing. But after actually getting into it I enjoyed it.
I didnt understand why Aurora wouldnt think about the fact that there are always 2 sides to every story and she didnt know her fathers side of it. She just trusted what her mom and Clara had told her. After realizing that Clara had been funded the last 20 yrs by M.E. it was no wonder she was on M.E.'s side! You never really find out for sure, but I wonder if Clara knew the "real" story behind Ted and M.E.s divorce, or if she just took M.E.'s side as gold. Which is weird, cause you know that Claras husband Charley and M.E had an affair and Clara seemed ok with that. Or was she just ok to be receiving a compensation of $350,000 a year from M.E.? And was Clara's stroke really cause Aurora had finally found out the wrong side of the story about her Dad?
I knew that Andrew Noble had to be her dad, it was just too coincidental that the story he wrote mirrored Auroras life. I love how she finally got the truth out of the lawyer and the doorman, they knew her dad and knew he wasnt the jerk her mom made him out to be, thankfully someone told her the truth, besides Phil. But Phil was also the only one that professed to be a real Christian. Not that all Christians are perfect, as no one other than Jesus has walked this earth and has been.
I loved the ending as it didnt tie everything into a complete bow, but it did wrap things up to the point that I was content. And I really loved Hunt's explaination of things at the end of the book.
Another winner by Angela Hunt. I have had this book for sometime now and didnt pick it up till yesterday. I have to say that the blip of the book didnt really interest me, it sounded depressing. But after actually getting into it I enjoyed it.
I didnt understand why Aurora wouldnt think about the fact that there are always 2 sides to every story and she didnt know her fathers side of it. She just trusted what her mom and Clara had told her. After realizing that Clara had been funded the last 20 yrs by M.E. it was no wonder she was on M.E.'s side! You never really find out for sure, but I wonder if Clara knew the "real" story behind Ted and M.E.s divorce, or if she just took M.E.'s side as gold. Which is weird, cause you know that Claras husband Charley and M.E had an affair and Clara seemed ok with that. Or was she just ok to be receiving a compensation of $350,000 a year from M.E.? And was Clara's stroke really cause Aurora had finally found out the wrong side of the story about her Dad?
I knew that Andrew Noble had to be her dad, it was just too coincidental that the story he wrote mirrored Auroras life. I love how she finally got the truth out of the lawyer and the doorman, they knew her dad and knew he wasnt the jerk her mom made him out to be, thankfully someone told her the truth, besides Phil. But Phil was also the only one that professed to be a real Christian. Not that all Christians are perfect, as no one other than Jesus has walked this earth and has been.
I loved the ending as it didnt tie everything into a complete bow, but it did wrap things up to the point that I was content. And I really loved Hunt's explaination of things at the end of the book.
December 9, 2021
The Awakening by Angela Hunt is an allegory loosely based on Sleeping Beauty. The heroine, appropriately named Aurora, is a thirty-something woman living in Manhatten. She has been a live-in caregiver for her mother with dementia for the past ten years and the book opens right after the mother’s death. The novel chronicles Aurora’s life after and reaction to her mother’s passing. The subtitle is “A Novel of Discovery” and it is, but it is also one of hope. Hope that change is possible and fears can be overcome.
This is my favorite book of all time (a friend, really) mainly due to the fact that it personally resonates with me. I have re-read it multiple times. However, I always feel that I am in capable hands when I read an Angela Hunt novel; her world building and plot, characterizations and dialogue are solid. The people populating this story are realistic and relateable. Their motivations are understandable and their foibles and flaws human. Told in alternate first person by Aurora and her new neighbor named (you guessed it!) Phillip, we get both an insider and outsider view of Aurora’s choices and struggles.
I would recommend this book to everyone! But more realistically, those who enjoy fiction about self-discovery and Christian fiction, and for heaven’s sake, if you’re an Angela Hunt fan and haven’t read this one, get thee to a bookstore!
This is my favorite book of all time (a friend, really) mainly due to the fact that it personally resonates with me. I have re-read it multiple times. However, I always feel that I am in capable hands when I read an Angela Hunt novel; her world building and plot, characterizations and dialogue are solid. The people populating this story are realistic and relateable. Their motivations are understandable and their foibles and flaws human. Told in alternate first person by Aurora and her new neighbor named (you guessed it!) Phillip, we get both an insider and outsider view of Aurora’s choices and struggles.
I would recommend this book to everyone! But more realistically, those who enjoy fiction about self-discovery and Christian fiction, and for heaven’s sake, if you’re an Angela Hunt fan and haven’t read this one, get thee to a bookstore!
October 30, 2011
In The Awakening Angela Hunt weaves a tale of love, betrayal, achievements, disappointments, and mysterious unknowns all on one floor of the Westbury Arms building. Aurora, the main character, is presented with a host of frightening yet freeing encounters that allow the reader to see into Aurora’s heart and experience the ebb and flow of her emotions. One cannot help but relate to her losses and triumphs when Ms. Hunt uses great descriptive phrases such as, “without warning, anxiety crests inside me like a wave, breaks, and sends streamers of terror in every direction.”
I chose to give this book only two stars because the entire book took place on one floor of an apartment building that had only three apartments. Also, she chose to have three main characters with a few very peripheral ones thrown in periodically. I lost interest very quickly and had to force myself to finish the book. I kept thinking it would get better so I kept reading; it didn't.
I chose to give this book only two stars because the entire book took place on one floor of an apartment building that had only three apartments. Also, she chose to have three main characters with a few very peripheral ones thrown in periodically. I lost interest very quickly and had to force myself to finish the book. I kept thinking it would get better so I kept reading; it didn't.
August 30, 2015
The story is told in first person by two different characters, separated only by apartment number. This is confusing, especially in the beginning of the book, but gets easier once you establish who lives where.
If I had to describe the story in one word I would say "strange". Not strange in a bad way, just very odd. As the tale progressed I was drawn into the lives of Aurora and Phil. The author does a good job of bringing them to life so you can clearly see their personalities and quarks. Clara seemed like someone that she's not, and I would have liked to have known why she kept her secrets.
Phil was my favorite character because of his sincerity and desire to help Aurora overcome her agoraphobia.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and learned some things about how God speaks differently to each of us. The only reason I didn't give this five stars is because of the confusing way the story is written.
If I had to describe the story in one word I would say "strange". Not strange in a bad way, just very odd. As the tale progressed I was drawn into the lives of Aurora and Phil. The author does a good job of bringing them to life so you can clearly see their personalities and quarks. Clara seemed like someone that she's not, and I would have liked to have known why she kept her secrets.
Phil was my favorite character because of his sincerity and desire to help Aurora overcome her agoraphobia.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and learned some things about how God speaks differently to each of us. The only reason I didn't give this five stars is because of the confusing way the story is written.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews