Customer Reviews

The Angel of Galilea

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2 star:		(1)
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The Angel of Galilea se llama, en español, Dulce Compañía. Es una novela irreverente, juguetona, esperanzadora. El amor de la reportera por el ángel, más terrestre que otra cosa, más colombiano que étereo, es una delicada metáfora de la forma cómo la gente de Colombia se relaciona con su cruda realidad. Vale la pena leerlo!

This book is a fascinating study in the different perceptions of people when confronted with the same phenomena - and with the way individuals cope with unpleasant or painful situations.

Is the young man seen as an "angel" a saint or insane? If the later, is it in his best interest to get mental health help? Is the hope he imparts to the poor bario good or bad for the community? If you want easy, pat answers, this book is not for you. However, if you want insight into the messiness of life, of the fragility of hope, this book is well worth you time.

In keeping with a long established tradition of mine where, when traveling to a country for the first time, I find and read a novel by an author from that country that highlights the people and atmosphere of the country. My recent trip to Columbia sent me on a search for a novel by someone other than Garcia-Marquez and I found this oddly interesting story of "The Angel of Galilea". The novel recasts the story of a fallen archangel who appears in a small mountain village outside of Bogotá. While I'm not very familiar with the religious aspects of archangels and the Celestial Hierarchy, quick research indicates that the author used that framework to craft this tale. The novel is told in first person narrative by a reporter who was sent to Galilea to investigate the angle sighting. Upon arrival in the village, the reporter meets a host of people who all claimed to have experienced the angel. It is through these villagers that Restrepo portrays the blind faith and rational skepticism of us mortals.

"The Angels of Galilea" was a fair read for me. Visiting Bogotá while reading the book did provide some small moments of familiarity; however, I didn't get the shock of recognition that sometimes happens when my life experiences cross with my literary ones. The novel did aptly portray the pervasiveness of the catholic religion throughout Columbia. With a population that is 95% catholic I barely encountered public spaces that didn't have some Christian signification by way of emblems, statues, or the likes thereof. While visiting the church at Monserrate in Bogotá I immediately recognized the image of the bloody Christ as similar to the bloody Christ mentioned in the novel. I found the writing (translation) well paced with faint elements of the mythical, mystical realism that pervades the critically acclaimed literature of South America in general, Garcia-Marquez and Allende in particular. Those with greater knowledge of the angelology may extract more from this novel than I. I never wanted to chunk the book but I wasn't racing to the next page either.

I must say that this is an excellent book, when you start it you almost can stop until the end of it. It's really a good view for the latin american society, and I hope that you enjoy the book as much as I Did.

Dulce Compañía seems to work around the theme of whether or not the angel is really an angel, and yet it is not ultimately important to define precisely his identity. You can be dead set against "angel culture" and still get a lot out of this book. There are many strong Biblical references tied in with non-Biblical references in a manner that makes the read very interesting. Bluring the lines between reality and truth is a typical method used by Latin American writers that will make you question your need to find scientific explanations to what life brings. It puts the mystery and intrigue back into daily city life, a refreshing change to the reader who learns to take what comes with an open mind, let themselves go, and abandon themselves to "foolish" beliefs.

Fun, not very light, enjoyable reading, if you don't mind messing up with God messangers. Describes exactly the behaviour and extremes of a latin American Culture.

I really wanted to enjoy this novel more than I did. But the truth is. It wasnt very good. Skip this one and keep looking.

i read this book for an english project, thinking it would be exciting....yet it is interesting, it is also very confusing..the characters confused me, as did the journal exerpts...unless you are forced to read this book, or have a lot of time on your hand, then i suggest that you go and find another book....