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The Angel's Gameby Carlos Ruiz Zalfon |
Gail Reid: Judy and Dale enjoyed "The Angel's Game" so that was a strong enough endorsement for me. Early 20th century Barcelona is portrayed in eerie, gothic tones which is the perfect ambience for this macabre story. Author David Martin embarks on a journey to create and write about a new religion but at what price? Has he sold his soul for the princely sum of a $100,000?
There are numerous sub-plots; and major themes of love, friendship, and betrayal permeate
the story, all within the context of a world of books. An old-world bookstore and its
generous owner are integral to David Martin's development as a person and writer. While
"The Angel's Game" is a good read, the many sub-plots often create confusion. One mystery
is solved but others remain vague. I honestly enjoyed Zalfon's "Shadow of the Wind" much
more because it was easier to follow. It still had the same dark overtones of a
Barcelona period piece but it was more gripping as a story. By comparison,
"The Angel's Game" seems derivative and is not as compelling a read.
Rating: ****
Judy Stanton: Bibliophiles should love books about
books, and The Angel's Game does not disappoint. The action packed adventure consistently
called me back to chapter after chapter. The story was a bit dark for me, about an author
moving into a "haunted" house, which seemed to infiltrate his dreams, his writing, his life.
So much so that sometimes it was difficult to differentiate truth from reality; to determine
who was mad, and who was sane. I love Zafon's wit, which comes through even in
translation -- "You don't look well." he pronounced. "Indigestion," I replied.
"From what?" "Reality." "Join the queue." His take on religious writings was so
interesting...."Everything is a tale...what we believe, what we know, what we remember, even
what we dream. Everything is a story, a narrative, a sequence of events with characters
communicating an emotional content. We only accept as true what can be narrated." Angel's
Game is not an easy read, it can get complex, trying to sort through the characters, real
and imagined. Set in the 1920s in Barcelona, the book gives off a gothic aura, often
feeling dark and dismal. But it has all the mystery and intrigue of life and death -- love,
history, relationships, seeking fulfillment in work, making choices. A good read indeed!
Rating: ****
Dale Israel: The Angel's Game was written by the same author
who wrote "The Shadow of the Wind" which I really, really enjoyed.
If you haven't read it, you should. "The Angel's Game" probably isn't as good
as his first book, but a good read just the same. It's difficult to
summarize the book because it is so action packed...I really don't know where
to begin. The setting is Barcelona and the main character is a
novelist by the name of David Martin. He's been asked to start a new
religion and to write a book about it. Some of the philosophy described
was so deep that I had to take notes, highlight interesting concepts, etc.
While many people on Amazon did not like the final 1/3 of the book because
it was similar to an Alfred Hitchcock movie, I enjoyed it for that very
reason. This was an enjoyable read and I understand there are other
books in this series yet to be released and I'll be anxiously
awaiting them.
Rating: ****
