Angel [Paperback]

Merle Collins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1988

A dramatic coming-of-age tale that parallels the life of a young woman with the political fortunes of her Caribbean island nation, "Angel" "vividly portrays the harshness of life in the Third World. . . . An enthralling look at women's lives in a developing country" ("Library Journal").

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This first novel by a Caribbean poet relates a familiar story: thanks to her mother's determination and sacrifices, the daughter of an impoverished provincial family receives a college education and returns to her family alienated by her inevitable politicization, her own growth mirroring the struggles of her country (in this case, Grenada) to gain political autonomy. What distinguishes this work is its lyrical rendering. Collins's characters think and speak in patois: " 'People like you an me so, the harder we work in people kitchen and in people lan, the more we kill weself out and bring riches, is the poorer we get while we sweat goin in other people pocket.' " The initial strain imposed by the singular language quickly abates, and the technique enables the reader to share the perspectives of the protagonists and implicitly challenges the hegemony of "standard" English. In spite of the feminist and political themes, the characters are never reduced to mere mouthpieces; their dignity lies in their remaining conflicted even as they struggle with oppression. When America invades Grenada, the title character says, " 'We wrong. But that don make dem right.' " The combination of artistry and objectivity will commend this book to many readers.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Set on the Caribbean island of Grenada, this first novel vividly portrays the harshness of life in the Third World. It is centered on two women, Doodsie and her daughter Angel, whose lives are played out against the rise of a dictatorship and its overthrow by a socialist government, which led to the American invasion of the island. Angel escapes poverty through education but returns home to teach, entering the struggle against the dictatorship and eventually the American invaders. Although the West Indian dialect makes this book slow reading (a short glossary of terminology helps), perseverance is rewarded. An enthralling look at women's lives in a developing country; highly recommended. Christine King, SUNY at Stony Brook Lib.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 294 pages
• Publisher: Seal Pr; 1st edition (September 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0931188644
• ISBN-13: 978-0931188640
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,802,349 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Caribbean Literature, December 24, 2009

By 

Vanessa "V." (Caribbean) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Angel: A Novel (Paperback)

I had to purchase this book for a literature class and would encourage others to read it. It was a very educational and historic story of the Grenadian revolution as well as the story of women in that era.

4 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Remember the U.S. Invasion of Grenada?, January 22, 2001

By 

IsolaBlue (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Angel: A Novel (Paperback)

If it wasn't for the fact that the U.S. invasion of Grenada has been horribly neglected in fiction, this review of ANGEL might not appear here at all. But it is important that the invasion be remembered - especially by a Grenadian. But that is not totally what ANGEL is about. It is the story of a family in Grenada, but is is also the story of the community surrounding the family and the country surrounding the community. It is about life, love, and the pursuit of politics. The book spans at least a quarter of a century, but would be more effective if an entire century had been used, or perhaps even the opposite extreme: a one-month period. Twenty-five years in under three-hundred pages is difficult at best, and there is a sense that Collins has failed with what she really wanted to do. Description in general seems to be the downfall of Collins' writing. The main problem with the book is the extent to which conversation is used to control and direct the plot, almost to the point where the reader is crying out for a paragraph or two of descriptive writing. Dialogue is in Grenadian dialect which seems inconsistent in the way it is rendered and dense to the point where even those familiar with Grenada may find themselves turning to the glossary. A very difficult read, but perhaps worth the attempt for those interested in hearing a bit of the Grenadian side of the U.S. invasion.