Falling Angels #2021

Gaslit England during the turn of the century The story starts during the funeral of Queen Victoria 1837 1901 and ends during the funeral of King Edward VII 1901 1910 On their visit to the cemetery to pay respect to their beloved queen, two families meet the Colemans and the Waterhouses and their relationships are started by the friendship between their two 5 y o daughters, Maude Coleman and Lavinia Waterhouse They meet when they are 5 years old and the story ends when they are in the brink of a [...]

This book grabbed me from the very first page Set at the turn of the century, the story takes place amidst the women s suffrage movement Gender issues are also noted, whereas the man was the head of the household and handled the wife.Each character speaks individually, allowing the reader to listen and decide for themselves where to put the importance of each character The voice of the youngest children is included, as is the maid, cook, grave digger to the gubner Issues of class are also raised [...]

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Once again Tracy Chevalier weaves a tale of everyday life in a different time takes us gently through the customs and s that define a particular point in hostory She also allows her characters to unfold, not from one single point of view or from an omnipotent observer, but each from their own perspective Through her words, they each grow and evolve even the most shallow of characters shows surprising depth The descriptive quality, simple prose, multiple perspectives, all help the story unfold.Th [...]

Chevalier s second novel shifts from 17th century Delft to London between the deaths of Queen Victoria and Edward VII A lot of the action takes place in a cemetery, much like Highgate, populated by some 30 angel monuments, one of which eventually topples The title presumably also refers to some of the female characters, who are in the process of abandoning the Victorian pedestals that have kept them somewhat set in stone The narrative unfolds in a stream of brief, first person accounts, less lik [...]

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When I picked the book I was intrigued by the time period and the vehicle of using several characters and their point of view to narrate the story I read Girl with the Pearl Earring which I liked very much and thought the author did a marvelous job researching the period and bringing the time period and the characters were well developed Based on my past experience with this author I thought I d give it a try Unfortunately I was deeply disappointed with this book Various characters in the story [...]

Victorians were obsessed with death and sex This book opens with the death of Queen Victoria, and ends with the death of King Edward, placing it squarely in Edwardian times, but the Victorian obsessions of death and sex are the two themes of this novel, pushing and pulling each other forward to modern times or back towards the Victorian age.The book follows two rival families sharing adjacent cemetery plots and who eventually become next door neighbors The two little girls become friends, the fa [...]

I found this book to be initially better than the infuriating Girl with a Pearl Earring , maybe because it tried to present the story from different points of view, but then I got angry because the promise was totally unfulfilled The characters were unbelievable and flat, as if written with some sort of manual in hand There were two girls who became friends despite the differences between their families and personalities, but nothing came out of it, because simply labeling one girl as shallow pr [...]

This takes place in Edwardian London, beginning the day after Victoria s death in 1901 and ending with the death of Edward VII in 1910 It concerns how the turn of the 20th Century affects two neighboring families, one of which hearkens back to the Victorian Era and one of which looks ahead to a new time It especially concerns the incredibly stifling lives of women at the time The mother in the forward family becomes a suffragette, pushing them forward perhaps a bit faster than they would wish to [...]

Hmpf.Hmpf,hmpf.This book was a bad try at writing dark.Well all the books from this author are that,but still I had a real problem whit the destiny of the main character and her mother.At least she was the main character to me.All the others were so horrible you wanted to beat them whit a stick So,the mother dies.And the girl does not get the boy she wants because of her winy bratty friend that indirectly messed up her and her mothers life.Go figure.I just have enough of injustice to look at in [...]

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I love everything Chevalier has written but this unique story set in Edwardian London has been a particular, long time favorite The story focuses on the friendship of two young girls from different backgrounds and includes several perspectives, including that of a gravedigger s son and an ardent suffragette A well researched piece of historical fiction and a gripping story.

I enjoyed this book from the first to the last page When Maude Coleman and Lavinia Waterhouse, both five years of age, meet at their families adjoining cemetery plots on the day after Queen Victoria s death, the friendship that results between sensitive, serious minded Maude and narcissistic, melodramatic Livy is not unlikely, despite the difference in social classes But the continuing presence in their lives of a young gravedigger, Simon Field, is Far too cheeky for a boy of his age and class, [...]

I love how this book exposes so many different aspects of the Victorian lifestyle from people with high society statuses, to servants and even a gravedigger s son The fact that the story is told through the eyes of thirteen very different characters makes it even interesting to read, since I never seemed to get bored with the whole concept of the story.Through this book I can delve into the past and examine the London lifestyle in the Victorian era that I didn t have much clue about before I di [...]

This is the first Tracy Chevalier s book I read I really enjoyed the style of writing and the different perspectives The main theme of the book is rather sombre and poignant as it mostly revolves around death and mourning but despite all this, I liked it a lot as it also includes the Victorians way of thinking when faced with a death of a loved one A favourite topic of mine the suffragettes, is also mentioned quite frequently during the latter half of the novel Although, it does not form part of [...]

I totally enjoyed this book even though I didn t give it a 5 star But it was a period book that gave a glimpse of the historical importance of cemetaries for preambling and for showing the wealth and position that each person held But, even than that, what it was like for ladies of the time to live in the parameters of the lives they were destined for And the children who also fell into that society and what is expected of them Fascinating stuff to me Well written book and would recommend to an [...]

This is the third Tracey Chevalier book I ve read and my least favourite I quite liked the early stages of the book when the girls first met and their times playing in the cemetery but for me the book then went down hill and got depressing and very sad, and I realise it was probably a very miserable time for a lot of people at that time but it dragged me down with it I m afraid.So that won t be going on to my bookshelf with the other two.I hope it can find it s way to someone else s.

No me ha gustado mucho Personajes planos, previsibles y con poca fuerza Tramas vistas una y mil veces En fin, me quedo con el contexto, que al menos se nota que la autora se document para realizar el libro

This was one of those stories that brought tears to my eyes at the end It s an Edwardian tale of friendship, tragedy, loss, and recovery.Some people say this book isn t plausible because friendships between a richer yet well grounded girl, a less rich but melodramatic girl, and a lowly grave digger their age is highly unlikely I would say, things happen when kids are involved You never know who your friends will be.I was little jarred when the story line, which is told by the point of view of al [...]

I abandoned the last book I was reading because after reading halfway through the book, I felt no interest in any of the characters The opposite was true of the people in this novel I was immediately caught up in all of their lives from the beginning And I must say, the beginning was rather shocking considering the novel started in 1901.A cemetery and the suffragette movement provided dramatic backdrops for each character to narrate his her story I was amazed at how much one can learn about life [...]

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I love this author, and the subject matter of this book was so macabre, yet intriguing On my last trip to London we visited Highgate cemetery which the fictional cemetery in this book is based on Chevalier describes everything is such detail Highgate was a Victorian cemetery and can only be toured on the Victorian side with a guide I was as enchanted with this book as I was with the cemetery Both gave me chills.

I love this women

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Straordinariamente brava la Chevalier anche in questo romanzo storico sociale molto introspettivo e non solo per ci che riguarda la scelta della struttura narrativa, una sorta di diario a POV alternati che coinvolge tutti i protagonisti, anche quelli minori Una storia che presenta un plot tutto sommato sobrio ma che fa emergere, attraverso la voce e i comportamenti dei vari protagonisti i contrasti, le diversit , gli scontri, i pensieri, le interiorit , i disagi di ognuno di loro Tutto si svolge [...]

I ve read and enjoyed a couple of Tracy Chevalier novels, Falling Angels was published in 2002 and it is another great historical read quirky, informative, at times very funny and some great characters.It starts at the beginning of the twentieth century and is set in London, narrated by different characters including members of two families and a grave digger s son who lives and works in the neighbouring cemetery.The two main characters are the two females of the families Kitty and Gertrude Kitt [...]

bookcrossing journal 6This is the third novel by Tracy Chevalier that I have read and I have found them all utterly compelling and so different I loved the choice of title which I felt was a clever use of symbolism, with angels falling throughout the book The opening chapter may well surprise you about those staid Victorians.Falling Angels is about the friendship of two little girls Lavinia Waterhouse and Maude Coleman.Covering the time from when they first met in the local graveyard, where thei [...]