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| A Quiet Belief in Angels | 
 enlarge | Author: R.j. Ellory
Publisher: Orion
Category: Book
List Price: £7.99
Buy Used: £0.01
You Save: £7.98 (100%)
New (42) from £1.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  266 reviews
Sales Rank: 2902
Media: Paperback
Edition: New Ed
Pages: 396
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5 x 1.3
ISBN: 0752882635
EAN: 9780752882635
ASIN: 0752882635
Publication Date: January 2, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 I gave up after 90 pages November 15, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
I enjoy a literary thriller,but I felt this had pretensions way beyond it's abilities.Like another reviewer,I found the endless similes and metaphors overwhelming.I strongly believe that if you're going to write a first person narrative you have to stay absolutely true to the character and I don't think Ellory manages this at all, but falls prey to the temptation to write beautiful sentences at the expense of veracity. I absolutely did not believe the short story supposedly written by the narrator at the age of twelve.I don't think Tennesee Williams or Truman Capote were capable of such elegant prose at the age of 12, let alone some farm boy from the backwoods of Georgia.I tried to get past that, but the writing style left me cold and in the end I could not be bothered to continue,because this was neither good enough as a literary novel or as a whodunnit.
Having said that, I've no doubt I'll be lambasted by fans of the author for not liking this, as I was when I gave a bad review to Carlos Ruiz Zafon's Shadow of the Wind.But to those fans already sharpening their quills I'd just like to say that the way to show how sensitive and caring you are is not to call someone heartless because they don't share your taste.I don't care if you loved this book or think this author is brilliant - I don't,so please feel free to keep your comments to yourself.
you had me... then you lost me... November 13, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
I really enjoyed the first half of this book, but then it wound down to a disappointing end. It seemed as if the 2nd half was rushed and undetailed, years skipping by in an instant. Also the amount of tragedy in one man's life is impossible to comprehend and the villain seemed obvious.
 A Life Spent Unwisely? November 6, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
A thriller like no other - I loved this novel - everything about it! One morning, at the age of 11, Joseph Vaughan opens the front door of his home and a white feather blows into the house. He believes a white feather indicates the visitation of an angel and later that day his 37-year-old father dies. The story, as told by Joseph, unfolds from that day and his difficult life is all too infrequently punctuated by sheer joy. As he matures his happiness is continually compromised by his obsession - he's haunted by his wish to find the serial killer who has brutally murdered so many little girls and who he believes may have some connection with his own mother. Later, he moves from his home in Georgia to New York to start a new life as a writer, but the past stays with him and evil is never far away. Joseph has to wait for 50 years after the first murder until, at last, he is able to confront his nightmare! Although I was pretty sure of the killer's identity, Ellory's build-up to the end still made me hold my breath and read like a train! There's a lot of sadness in this novel, but the author's descriptive style is quite wonderful as he allows us into Joseph's innermost thoughts. I just wish he could have had a second chance at life!
 A Quiet Belief In Angels November 6, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I Read 3-4 novels a week and I've bought new books rather than pick this book up again. I can't put my finger on what is wrong with it but whatever it is it is not holding my attention.
Stunningly beautiful !!! November 3, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is by far one of the best books this year. Ellory gets you hooked from the first page and his narrative allows you to close your eyes and conjure up every last sight, sound and smell. His original writing style means that you really care for the characters and can't help but get embroiled in their lives. If you read any book this year make it this one - I guarantee you will not be disappointed !!!! The only disappointment I had was in reaching the last page but I'll read it all again very soon :)
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