On a scale of 1-5 stars, 5 being the best, how do you rate A Quiet Belief In Angels?
***** (Loved it)
22%
[ 4 ]
****
22%
[ 4 ]
***
22%
[ 4 ]
**
11%
[ 2 ]
* (Loathed it)
0%
[ 0 ]
Didn't finish the book, gave up on it
5%
[ 1 ]
Didn't read this one
16%
[ 3 ]
Total Votes : 18
Author
Message
lisa2062 Administrator
Joined: 05 Jul 2007 Posts: 919 Birthday: 23rd December
Location: Dorset, UK
Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:02 pm Post subject: March's Book: A Quiet Belief In Angels by R.J Ellory
Discuss your thoughts on the book here as soon as you have finished reading it. Did you (not) enjoy it? Anything that struck you or maybe someone else can answer if you have a question? We're not really looking for in depth discussions...just tell us what you think of it!
For those who have finished it, please choose a star rating for the book based on how much you liked it. What did you think of it? Do you have any questions based on the book?
If you do have something to post that reveals plot details which could ruin others' enjoyment of the book, please use the spoiler function (details: http://onlinebookclub.myfreeforum.org/about12.html)
_________________ Currently Reading - Want to Play? By P.J Tracy (again)
Joined: 21 Feb 2008 Posts: 6 Birthday: 07 September 1944
Location: Carnoustie, Scotland
Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 3:00 pm Post subject: A Quiet Belief in Angels
I found this a very unusual story of how murder can effect everyone around not just the victims and their families. I thought it was a very clever book and was particularly interesting because I had just finished "The Book Thief" set about the same period. My particular copy had reading group notes at the back with some questions which were thought provoking. I would recommend this book to others. It is being passed around my reading group. _________________ Though it sounds absurd, it is true to say I felt younger at sixty than I felt at twenty.
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 8:38 am Post subject: Re: A Quiet Belief in Angels
Indiagirl wrote:
I found this a very unusual story of how murder can effect everyone around not just the victims and their families. I thought it was a very clever book and was particularly interesting because I had just finished "The Book Thief" set about the same period. My particular copy had reading group notes at the back with some questions which were thought provoking. I would recommend this book to others. It is being passed around my reading group.
Thanks for that Indiagirl ~ I was struggling with the beginning of the book but your recommendation has encouraged me! _________________ Reading: The Devil and Miss Prym by Paulo Coelho
2009 '1001 Challenge':
charlottestar Busy babbling when should be reading
Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 404 Birthday: 27th February
Location: Oxfordshire
Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 9:12 pm Post subject:
I'm still umming and ahhing about reading this book. I thought I might be able to get a copy in Sainsbury's today but they didn't have it. I'm sort of interested in it but at the same time sort of not....
Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 955 Birthday: 12th December
Location: Paisley, Scotland
Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:26 am Post subject:
charlottestar wrote:
I'm still umming and ahhing about reading this book. I thought I might be able to get a copy in Sainsbury's today but they didn't have it. I'm sort of interested in it but at the same time sort of not....
I am the same ! I bought it, but I don't know if I am that bothered now! Probably because my tbr is so huge, and I have hardly read any 1001 books yet this year! If you want I will post you out my copy for a loan, because I am def not going to read it right away! _________________ Currently reading: The Human Stain by Philip Roth
'Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.'
charlottestar Busy babbling when should be reading
Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 404 Birthday: 27th February
Location: Oxfordshire
Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:46 am Post subject:
miranda wrote:
charlottestar wrote:
I'm still umming and ahhing about reading this book. I thought I might be able to get a copy in Sainsbury's today but they didn't have it. I'm sort of interested in it but at the same time sort of not....
I am the same ! I bought it, but I don't know if I am that bothered now! Probably because my tbr is so huge, and I have hardly read any 1001 books yet this year! If you want I will post you out my copy for a loan, because I am def not going to read it right away!
Thanks Miranda!....however....I might give this book a miss. I keep thinking about it and I don't think I want to read it but thank you for the offer!
I really enjoyed this - maybe because I didn't have very high expectations when I picked it up as thrillers are not my favourite genre, particularly the more gory, grotesque ones. However, this is very unlike a thriller and if I describe it as a "slow-moving" thriller, everyone will automatically think it's boring and it's not!! It's very lyrical in parts, more about people and places rather than the actual crime and it isn't really that important to find out "whodunnit" although of course we do find out at the end.
I enjoy quite quirky stories that don't really fit into a category and I guess that's what this book is - unfortunately, I think it's probably being targetted at a more thriller-orientated readership which I think is far off the mark.
It didn't blow me away but I really enjoyed reading this - not going to be a keeper but very few are granted that accolade these days! _________________ Currently reading - The Italian Boy - Murder and Grave Robbery in 1830s London - Sarah Wise
I enjoyed this one. I thought the beginning was brilliant - I found it really absorbing. The middle dragged for me though (I am a big fan of fast paced thrillers, so this may be why) and I enjoyed the last part of the book. Overall three stars from me.
I quite liked this one and was pleased that initially I got into the story and was enjoying it. I don't usually read thrillers at all and liked the fact with it being slow moving it didn't concentrate on the murder 100%. Like the previous comment I thought there was a bit of a lull in the middle and picked up towards the end. Four stars.
Four stars for me. As Treez said, an enjoyable quirky read, but just missed out on the 5 stars because I'm still troubled by the question of motive... _________________ Currently reading: American Wife - Curtis Sittenfeld
I wasn't too impressed. I liked the beginning, but thought the middle was a bit pointless, it didn't really add anything to the story. Then the end was a bit obvious.
Spoiler:
although at one point I started to think that Joseph was the murderer, that he was having blackouts or something. Then it said the murders had carried on when he was in jail. I thought it was pretty obvious that it had been the sheriff, especially after Joseph came out of jail. Although him going to jail was a bit stupid, who on earth would convict with no evidence? I didn't find the mention later on that the sheriff had engineered it at all convincing, it didn't change the fact that there was absolutely no evidence whatsoever.
Although I think that having just read In Cold Blood didn't help, since this was just a pale imitation, quite ironic really given that this mentioned it. _________________ Kill the tbr - currently 124
Currently reading:
War and Peace - Leo Tolsty
Wild Swans by Jung Chan
The Golden Notebook - Doris Lessing
I've given this one 5 Stars. I didnt have great expectations of it really but was just blown away by it. I agree that there were some things that didnt quite tie up, but it was more the writing of the book than the story that made me give it top points.
I dont think it fits into the 'thriller' genre at all, despite the fact that it is about murders. To me it was a 'coming of age' novel - the murders and the associated happening were what moulded Joseph into the adult he became.
However, I did find the style of writing quite thrilling - I loved the way that each character was so well formed - I felt as though I knew each and every one of them so very well.
A totally unexpected fantastic read - I have another of his on TBR and hope it is as good. _________________ Currently reading: The Tent The Bucket and Me by Emma Kennedy and Granny The Pag by Nina Bawden
1001 Challenge Books read in 2009 - 3
1001 Challenge Books read in 2008 - 8
1001 Challenge Books read in 2007 - 13
Joined: 21 Jul 2007 Posts: 676 Birthday: 2nd November
Location: Watford, Herts
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:20 am Post subject:
I found this to be fairly average and gave it 3/5 stars. The beginning was ok, the middle was slow slow slow and then the last 100 pages or so really picked up to be quite interesting.
I enjoyed the lyrical style of writing and I agree that we got to know each of the primary characters very well. There was lovely use of imagery throughout, particularly in the descriptions of people. I should have had a notebook handy when reading this one as there were some lovely sentences to quote. (can't remember them now though....)
Spoiler:
I had guessed it was the sheriff commiting the murders early on in the book. I did think he'd been going to see Joseph's mother in the hospital to confess his guilt and use her as an outlet, knowing that no-one would believe her if she said anything. I was expecting Mary to say to Joseph that it was the Sheriff murdering the girls before he went to New York, so I was off on a tangent on that point!
I also was left wondering about motive, but then again this book didn't solely concentrate on the murders and so perhaps the Sheriff's point of view isn't necessary. This book is Josephs perspective.
I did have a lump in my throat when Alex and the baby died.
This is an interesting book but overall the pace was too slow for me. _________________ Currently Reading:
Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 7637 Birthday: 7th July
Location: Shropshire
Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 11:43 pm Post subject:
I loved this book and savoured it. I like classic American novels and thought it reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Catcher in the Rye. I didn't find any of it slow. The pace of the writing was fitting, reflecting the pace of life in Augusta Falls. The writing was excellent. Ellory could write a load of waffle and still have me spellbound as he writes so well.
Spoiler:
I would have liked more about the sheriff at the end, not so much why he killed all those girls though, and I'd like to know if he killed his wife or did she know what he was up to and then committed suicide? I didn't guess it was the sheriff. I wondered if it was Joseph and then the older Kruger boy.
_________________ Reading: Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg
Reading Challenge 2009: 8
2008: 4
2007: 10
Last edited by Tigerlily on Thu May 01, 2008 8:15 am; edited 1 time in total
I just finished it and gave it 5 stars.
I loved the atmosphere, the slow pace, the characters, everything.
A good surprise as I had read a few mixed reviews about it. _________________ sarita
Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 7637 Birthday: 7th July
Location: Shropshire
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 6:38 pm Post subject:
sarita wrote:
I just finished it and gave it 5 stars.
I loved the atmosphere, the slow pace, the characters, everything.
A good surprise as I had read a few mixed reviews about it.
It's one of my favourites. I find myself thinking of the characters. _________________ Reading: Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Hoeg
Reading Challenge 2009: 8
2008: 4
2007: 10
Joined: 24 Jul 2006 Posts: 180 Birthday: 20th April
Location: Middlesex
Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 7:35 pm Post subject:
I thought it a fairly good book & gave it 3 stars.
Spoiler:
like others the beginning was good & for me towards the end drifted off. I really couldn't get into Joseph's character & as to why he was so affected by the murders, that he obsessed about them all his life. I did guess it wasn't Krueger who did the murders & at times was suspicious of Joseph. I was convinced it was Krueger's son & thought the ending with Sheriff Dearing as the murderer a let down! I suppose it was because we never knew the motive & I'm a fan of thrillers where everything is explained & where even the psychology is gone into, so for me it was a disappointing end. Don't think I'll be rushing out to buy any of his other books soon, but I'm looking forward to the author chat & what he says.
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hope to get started on it soon.
