Great Reads brings you book reviews on teen books that parents will love from such great young adult authors as Garth Nix, Clare Dunkle, DJ Machale, Stephanie Meyer and many more.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

"Green Angel" by Alice Hoffman

Alice Hoffman's "Green Angel" is a haunting book that will stay with you long after you finish it. The story is short, yet far from simple. Green, a 15 year old with an uncanny talent for gardening, stays home while her family goes to sell their produce in the city. In a flash of fire and confusion (a chilling 9/11 parable)Green loses her entire family. She retreats into grief and begins tatooing her body, the only way she can express it. As she lives in her family's home, she is joined by a young man who doesn't speak (she calls him Diamond) and a ghost dog. Green's story is one of grief and redemption and finding the will to live again after experiencing horrific tragedy.

This book is short, and a quick read...but again it is by no means a simple book. Hoffman's prose is beautiful and real and "Green Angel" will stay with you.

2 comments:

Susan said...

Alice Hoffman is one of my all-time favorite authors.

Unknown said...

She's a GREAT writer...Practical Magic was really good too! If you haven't read "Green Angel"...it should be a must read (and it's really short...a couple of hours is all you'll probably need).