Customer Reviews

No Angel

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

The addictive properties of this book are such that as soon as I put it down, I jumped up to order the two other books in the Lytton trilogy from the UK. Penny Vincenzi is a huge seller in Europe and it is easy to see why. "No Angel" has the full cast of vivid characters, urgent situations, and confident writing that make the family saga one of the most venerable and satisfying of fiction genres.

Despite the stylish 1950s fashion cover, "No Angel" is set between 1904 and 1928. Aristocratic Lady Celia has gotten herself pregnant so she can marry Oliver Lytton. The Lyttons may own a publishing house, but they are not of Celia's class. The match is a success, and easy-going Oliver and sparky Celia are a happy couple. But it seems inevitable that Celia should become restless and look for more to do than peek in on the children occasionally. She dabbles in social activism, which awkwardly ends with her fostering Barty, the little daughter of the slum family she's supposed to be observing. She carefully begins to take small part in the business of Lyttons, which is now run by Oliver and his sister LM. When the Great War breaks out, Oliver enlists, and it is up to LM and Celia to keep the publishing house that supports them all afloat.

With her brains, looks, and business sense, Celia would seem to be a slam-dunk for a charmed life. But no one's life is, least of all the Lyttons, who are as full of flaws, bad judgment, humor, and hope as anybody else. There is excellent period detail, with a fascinating look at the publishing industry in the early part of the century, social activism, family dynamics, World War I, fashion, and popular culture. One of the most pleasing aspects of the book is that Vincenzi has created strong female characters without having to resort to assigning them anachronistic behavior. They are women of their time and behave as such.

"No Angel" has an exciting ending and you will be kept on the edge of your seat to the last page. Considering the way the characters have developed, any number of possible endings would be believable. Whew! This is an adept and satisfying novel that will bring hours of pleasure. My question is: What took so long for this enjoyable writer's books to reach these shores?

Last year the Overlook Press, previously best known for publishing literary fiction and reissuing the Freddy the Pig children's books, took a gamble and published a big, popular book, THE COMPANY by Robert Littell. Its success prompted the publisher to tackle an equally ambitious project this year. This time, though, the novel is so-called women's fiction, and the subject matter is not the history of the CIA but the equally turbulent history of a single British family. The good news is that NO ANGEL, with its superb plotting and wide cast of characters, is just as compulsively readable as any spy thriller.

The heroine of NO ANGEL is Lady Celia, a lovely debutante at the start of the novel, who sets her sights on Oliver Lytton, heir to an up-and-coming publishing firm. The year is 1904, and Celia's very proper society family is appalled by her desire to marry into "new money." Even more shocking, though, is Celia's desire to work in publishing herself. Despite her husband's misgivings, Celia joins the firm as a junior editor and surprises everyone by being absolutely brilliant at her work, soon rising through the ranks to work alongside Oliver and his sister, the imposing but secretly vulnerable LM. In the meantime, Celia is also having babies, and the challenges she faces in balancing the work she loves with her growing family will ring true for many modern working mothers.

Celia and Oliver work hard to build a life for themselves in London and soon find themselves at the center of a fabulous social circle that includes prominent writers, artists and politicians. Then World War I begins, and everything changes. Oliver spends four years at the front lines and comes back a shadow of his former self. Celia and LM, who have worked hard to keep the publishing house going in his absence, must cope with relinquishing power to the men when they return from the war. Soon, Celia, accustomed to making hard decisions in her professional life, finds herself torn by an incredibly difficult personal choice between passion and responsibility.

Although Lady Celia Lytton is the "no angel" of the book's title, and most of the novel's plots revolve around her intense personality, one of the book's riches is its immense cast of supporting players, most of whom are finely drawn, interesting characters in their own right. From Jack, Oliver's dashing but inept bachelor brother, to Barty, the young girl Celia plucks from poverty in a misguided charitable impulse, to Celia's mother, who harbors some pretty racy secrets of her own, the cast of characters spans generations, class boundaries and continents, and the plot touches all of them in turn. NO ANGEL is not great literature, but it does provide a certain level of emotional insight into all of these characters that is lacking in much popular fiction.

The plot itself rockets through all 600+ pages and the text, especially near the book's end, is broken up into small chunks of a paragraph or two, shifting the story rapidly from one character to another. If there's one flaw with the book, it's the numerous typographical errors and punctuation problems that riddle the text to the point of being distracting. The story also relies a little too heavily on coincidence and close calls, but that's OK --- that's what will keep readers turning the pages, waiting for a resolution.

Not all of the subplots are resolved, however. The author had to save something for the book's two sequels, which have already been published in the United Kingdom, where Penny Vincenzi has long been a bestselling author, and will be published in the United States by Overlook Press as well. For readers who devour NO ANGEL, these next installments in the Lytton family saga can't be published quickly enough.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

This is the first volume of a series.

Set in the publishing house of the Lyttons. named after the Lytton family, Ms. Vincenzi's new classic takes us into the lives of the Lytton, the Beckenham and the Miller families just before World War II. Celia Lytton is the main character who takes over the helm of the family business as the country goes to war. A strong-willed woman, Celia displays her good business acumen and makes Lyttons a successful and competitive establishment. As the family men leave England to fight in the war, there are butterflies in the womens' stomachs each time as they worry if and whether they would ever see their loved ones again. There are powerful women in this book who take their responsibility, virtually heading their households, dispersing their children from London up to country homes away from the bombs, and establishing temporary shelters for the the wounded men who return from the war in despair, and some total incapacitated.

As the novel weaves it's intoxicating magic, you will meet Oliver Lytton, Celia's kind husband who becomes a tiresome and tempermental soul much to Celia's agitation, causing her to look elsewhere for love. You'll also meet Margaret Lytton, Oliver's sister who helps Celia manage the publishing house. Then of course there are Celia's twin daughters, Adele and Venetia; two playfully wicked girls; silent Giles and her adopted daughter Barty Miller. With exciting authors at the publishing house, especially one particular one who makes a marked impact on Celia Lytton's life, this plot twists and turns with the reader never knowing what will take place on the following page. A remarkable classic read which has me now waiting in limbo for the follow-up...as this story has by no means finished....just merely paused...awaiting the second volume.

It makes one wonderfuly anxious to see what will happen to these charming characters who the reader begins to care so much about. One has to be patient for the answers lie in SOMETHING DANGEROUS which should be out this month. Readers who have loved Penny Vincenzi's wonderful novels should order this compelling book soon. It's not to be missed. Check for yourself.

Heather Marshall

This is an entertaining novel in many ways -- which is probably its greatest flaw. I realize that's an odd statement, so let me see if I can open it up a little.

The author has a bright, light writing style; the dialog is crisp and the pace of the novel is very quick. She's also researched the setting of the novel, and that shows. But I thought character development was kept at a minimum. The people who populate NO ANGEL are all stereotypes you've probably met before, stereotypes that can be amusing (Lord and Lady Beckenham), touching (Barty; Sylvia), annoying (Jack Lytton and his eventual wife Lily; Sebastian Brooke), or just boring (Robert Lytton).

Celia Lytton is the main focus of this novel. In Celia's character, the author HAS created someone refreshing to read about. She's very determined about everything she does from the instant we're introduced to her; she's almost a whirlwind of activity and decision. And Celia's experiences within the ins-and-outs of British publishing from 1904-1920's make for an unusually compelling setting.

But somehow the plot isn't fresh. These characters and the story seem empty to me. Yes, the setting is interesting, and the variety of the family members, and the times they live through, give it a saga-like sweep. I couldn't have gotten through its 800-some odd pages if it wasn't readable. But the biggest flaw, aside from flat characterizations, is the melodrama that invades the last third of the story. Celia, having enjoyed a happy marriage, is now dealing with a husband severely wounded and depressed by his experiences in WWI. She commences an affair with an extremely shallow lover, Sebastian Brooke -- and though the author tries her hardest to invest him with charisma, I found him unbelieveable, and unlikeable, from his beautiful good looks down to his wretched speeches. Celia's long drawn-out torment over whether to leave her husband for this man was painful. (I had to wonder if the author was punishing her for being TOO happy, resourceful and capable before she met him.)

I didn't close this novel with an "AH -- what a great story!" feeling. Maybe the many sequels improve on the flaws I found here, but unfortunately I don't feel the need to seek them out.

I just finished No Angel, and I must say I loved it! It is a grand, sweeping saga of a family in the early 20th century. The characters are lovely. The main character, Celia Lytton, is both endearing and infuriating all at once. The book made me laugh and cry. I think any woman could relate to Celia and what she goes through.

I read one reviewer who found the book to be unbelievable (citing that an un-wed, pregnant woman would not have been accepted in those days). But I thought the book was very credible, using actual events (such as the sinking of the Titanic, World War I, and the flapper scene of the 1920's). And by the way, the woman was sent to the country to give birth, and afterwards pretended to have been married to the child's father who was killed in the war. It wasn't exactly like she had it in the open.

My only critique would be the editing, or lack thereof. The book had many spelling, grammar, and other mistakes. Such as 'she' when the author meant to put 'he,' their instead of there, etc. Things you would think would be obvious. I hope the author got a new editor after this book.

In a modern way, it reminded me somewhat of Gone With the Wind. Can't wait to start the next book!

I picked this up at my library based on several reviews, and I am happy to report that the reviews are 100% correct. I absolutley love it. The plot is engrossing. The characters are believable. The pace is just right. I hate it when authors skip ahead ten years just to keep things moving. Vencenzi is too accomplished to need to fall back on that method. I highly recommend it to anyone who liked The Crimson Petal and The White which was one of the best of last year's fiction.

After reading Sheer Abandon as my first introduction to Vincenzi, I must say this book is miles above. But, now I am hooked! It is impossible to put this book down. It is full of drama, romance and a clever storyline which keeps you hooked and wanting to find out what happens next. This is the first in a trilogy, 2 further books in this series continue the story. The 3 books follow the lives of a family over 40 years and cover both world wars so there are interesting facts thrown in along the way, although this is hardly a historical work. What was interesting to me was seeing the first World War from a woman's perspective.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to get involved in a book and lose themselves for a while. I am going to lend this to my friends and recommend this for reading at book club. And I am now going to start on the second book in this series.

Penny Vincenzi's "No Angel" drops you into the early 1900s and makes you sympathize with the characters to such an extent that you feel you are there with them. This is historical fiction at its best -- when the reader can live alongside characters of the times. It makes the history come alive.

But "No Angel" is more than just a history lesson. It's a great tale, well-told. It reminded me of both The Forsyte Saga and Elizabeth Jane Howard's wonderful series about the Cazelet family before, during, and after World War II.

My only complaint is not with the author or the story, but with the proofreader. My copy of the book seems to have numerous typos in it. However, it is a measure of how engrossing this story is that I brushed past those.
I highly recommend this book to readers.

This book was entertaining, though hardly genius or so engrossing that I have to rush out and read the sequels.

The problems I have with it are: In the first half of the book Celia's actions do nothing to suggest the title of "no angel," and then she does an about face in the second half of the book becoming incredibly selfish and destructive. She seems like two completely different people, something I didn't care for too much. (It feels to me that the Celia in the second half of the book wouldn't have cared enough to take Barty in.) Also, she and her husband never settle their problems with each other. That left me feeling unsatisfied. From two people who were so in love with each other in the beginning of their marriage I find it hard to believe that something wouldn't have been said between them. That some emotions would have been shown to each other. There is barely any important dialogue between her and her husband in the second half of the book. I just found that extremely annoying considering how in love the author portrayed them before he went off to war. (It's unbelievable that they didn't once say to each other how they feel or how they have been hurt by one another!! I can't stress enough how irritating this was.)

Edit: I never went back to read the sequel. I think the fact that the whole second half of the book is building up to a climax where you think Celia and her husband will talk to each other or duke it out and when this doesn't actually happen just turned me off of this book and author completely.

If you like family sagas, this book is for you! I started reading it last week and can't put it down. I'm probably going to purchase the 2 sequels. It's not often that you can get into a book and really feel the characters come alive! I love this book!