Ella [Paperback]

Uri Geller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1999

Ella Wallis, a typical unhappy teenager (misunderstood by her family, bullied at school, wants to be left alone), has one thing most teenagers don't: telekinetic powers. She doesn't know how she moves things without touching them, but she's soon going to discover that this is only the beginning.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Well-known psychic Geller turns from nonfiction (Uri Geller's Mindpower Kit) to fiction in his latest book, and though his original motive may have been to advocate his beliefs, the result is a most respectable piece of storytelling. Fourteen-year-old Ella Wallis, the daughter of an unhappy working-class family (with a domineering, adulterous father and an insensitive, alcoholic mother) in Bristol, England, suddenly finds herself developing uncontrollable paranormal powersAbooks fly around her, a forceful whining sound surrounds her whenever she's frightened. As her destructive powers increase, she is ostracized by schoolmates and soon becomes the center of a media circus. The publicity provokes a three-cornered power struggle between psychic researcher Peter Guntarson, public relations mogul Jos? Miguel D?la and Ella's avaricious family. As Ella becomes more adept, capable of levitation, teleportation and worldwide healing, her intense friendship with Guntarson appears to give him the victory. But Ella's capabilities are wearing away at her health and sanity, and she may not survive Guntarson's final challenge. Geller's novel recalls the themes of both The Exorcist and Carrie, but it does so with intelligence, wit and an abundance of well-chosen detail, fleshing out even such unsympathetic characters as Ella's father, Ken. Geller's acerbic portrait of the sensationalist media adds a new twist to this predictable but engaging tale. (June) FYI: Geller next book, Mind Medicine, will be published by Element in October.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

AT Headline, Bill Massey has bought the fictional debut of Israeli-born psychic, spoon-bender and clock-stopper Uri Geller. Ella is a paranormal thriller which explores the dilemmas of a 14-year-old girl who discovers she has psychic powers and is thus drawn into a terrifying world of paranormal phenomena which she cannot comprehend. Much of it is clearly based on Geller's own life and Massey describes the novel as "a heartstopping read that should persuade a few Sceptics". In the Geller tradition, Massey is not sure how the project came to land on his desk, but arrive it did, in a Jiffy Bag marked simply URI GELLER NOVEL. "As I was opening it, the phone rang and it was Uri Geller," recalls Massey. "I said 'Uri, what a coincidence!' He said: 'NO, Bill, not coincidence - Synchronicity'." -- Nathan Morley from Wilts October 12, 1998

Exhilarating and Brilliant. Uri Geller was the last person I expected to turn into a first-rate novelist. Yet that is exactly what he has done. Ella has a sharpness of observation and insight into character that reveal the true novelist. It is also humorous, well written, and a tremendously dramatic - so much so that I read it straight through in two long sittings. Of course, we would expect a book by Geller to be about someone with psychic powers; but in Ella he has created a person totally unlike himself - a girl who begins as a psychic and ends as a religious visionary. Yet in spite of its 'spiritual' theme, the book has tremendous raw vitality, and a high spirited physical - and sexual realism. It also has wit: one parody of a female journalist who writes for weekend supplements reaches a level of brilliance. It is the most exhilarating novel I have read in years. -- A reader from Goran Haven, UK March 7, 1999

Superb characterisation and tantalising. Electrified by high-voltage suspense, breathless with risk...it all works perfectly. -- A reader from Reading , 17 March, 1999

Product Details

• Paperback: 438 pages
• Publisher: Headline Book Publishing (February 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747259208
• ISBN-13: 978-0747259206
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,188,514 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive, brought me to tears.., October 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ella (Paperback)

I was incredibly impresed and I was moved to tears. Ella was brilliant, a personal-feeling, and high quality. It was an extraordinary experience. Uri goes deeper where he describes Ella; she has one thing most teenagers don't: paranormal powers. Ella doesn't know how she moves things without touching them, or even that she's doing it, but she's about to discover that this is only the beginning of her extraordinary gifts-gifts that can be used for good or evil. Wow, this is remarkable novel.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating read!, June 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ella (Paperback)

Well-known psychic Geller turns from nonfiction (Uri Geller's Mindpower Kit) to fiction in his latest book, and though his original motive may have been to advocate his beliefs, the result is a most respectable piece of storytelling. Fourteen-year-old Ella Wallis, the daughter of an unhappy working-class family (with a domineering, adulterous father and an insensitive, alcoholic mother) in Bristol, England, suddenly finds herself developing uncontrollable paranormal powers - books fly around her, a forceful whining sound surrounds her whenever she's frightened. As her destructive powers increase, she is ostracized by schoolmates and soon becomes the center of a media circus. The publicity provokes a three-cornered power struggle between psychic researcher Peter Guntarson, public relations mogul José Miguel Dóla and Ella's avaricious family. As Ella becomes more adept, capable of levitation, teleportation and worldwide healing, her intense friendship with Guntarson appears to give him the victory. But Ella's capabilities are wearing away at her health and sanity, and she may not survive Guntarson's final challenge. Geller's novel recalls the themes of both The Exorcist and Carrie, but it does so with intelligence, wit and an abundance of well-chosen detail, fleshing out even such unsympathetic characters as Ella's father, Ken. Geller's acerbic portrait of the sensationalist media adds a new twist to this predictable but engaging tale. (June)

FYI: Geller next book, Mind Medicine, will be published by Element in October.Publishers Weekly

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Totally Amazing., September 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ella (Paperback)

Geller's tale of a 14-year-old Bristol girl with God-like paranormal power is more than the normal psychic thriller. It not only covers familiar territory with miracle power cures and erie, unexplained happenins, but goes a step beyond to pose questions such as to whether the world would ever accept another Christ-like figure. But her poltergeist activities are only the starting point for an extraordinary array of abilities wich threaten to turn her life upside down. I am convinced that Geller is a fine writer. This is an excellent first novel, gripping and compulsive with finely crafted characters and a twisting, unpredictable plot.