Monday, August 9, 2010

My Review of Angel Song by Sheila Walsh & Kathryn Cushman

My Rating: Spring/Summer

My Review:
With characters so real they almost fly off the pages and with such a moving storyline, Angel Song really drew me in and captured my attention. Ann Fletcher suffers through a horrible tragedy right at the very beginning of the novel, and from then on Ann’s life changes forever. She shares a special bond with Keith, a boy with Down Syndrome, and it’s what they can both hear that follows Ann throughout the whole book.

Walsh and Cushman do such a wonderful job of bringing Ann to life. From her job and all the dilemmas it created, to her uncertain feelings about her hometown, Ann is someone the reader can sympathize with. Her questions and fears are authentic, and I truly appreciate that. I also appreciate the various secondary characters who add another layer to the story, including a romantic element that I quite enjoyed.

The book was well-written, but I wished that the focus would have been more on God rather than His angels. Based off of the title alone, it’s obvious that angels play a big role in the story, which isn’t bad at all. I just would have liked it to be a bit clearer on where the power and the comfort really comes from—the Lord. Overall, though, this book did a great job of affecting my emotions (especially at the end) and warming my heart.

*With thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing for sending me a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

~ Also, I must say that I found it interesting that the back cover spells the protagonist’s name as “Anne,” but throughout the book her name is either “Ann” or “Annie”—not “Anne.” Just an observation! ~

4 comments:

Carole said...

I always appreciate an honest review, Amber, and have to agree with your thoughts. I believe Angel Song is a book that I will enjoy, though.

Amber Holcomb said...

Carole,

Thank you. :) I hope my review isn't deceiving, because it's not that the story didn't mention God. In fact, I think the book was clear on who was in control. I guess I just felt that the focus seemed to be more on angels and what their role is, and I would have liked it to be even clearer on the strength and love of God, that's all.

But I do think you would enjoy this book! :) It can be rather emotionally intense, but it's quite sweet and moving overall.

~Amber

Kav said...

Another one to add to my TBR pile...and I think I need to invest in a truckload of kleenex -- there's just too many emotional reads out there!!! thanks for the review.

kav

Amber Holcomb said...

Kav,

This is a good book to have on your TBR pile, but I definitely agree that tissues would be handy! The end of this book pretty much made me cry. Glad you enjoyed the review!

~Amber