Customer Reviews

The Absence of Angels

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
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2 star:		(1)
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This is a wonderful story. Calling all film makers -- especially native ones -- this would make a hell of a screenplay. But readers and writers will love the book. The tone of the story is superb, the author writes of painful things without selfconsciousness and explores the experience of growing up a mixed blood Indian in ways that make it real for any audience. The characters are memorable, the story of the love between Alley and Sara will touch your heart and the descriptions are poetic. Wise Grandfather will make you laugh. Get to know that special place known as "The Absence of Angels" -- you won't regret it. Penn is an award winning author also, whose other novel (Killing Time With Strangers) won the American Book Award and is also a must-read.

This book was recommended by a friend who teaches Native American literature. But I found it to be very boring. I do understand its concept of magical realism and the cyclic nature of Native American writers; however, the writing style is weak, and the author is metaphor happy. The metaphors get in the way of a clear reading dragging the reader down. The story is not well told, even allowing for the style of Native American writers. The reader is left saying "so what?"

As the pages fly by, your pulse begins to quicken, your heart starts to race, you wish you could be inside these wonderful pages.