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The Angel Makers


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Latest reviews:

Harriet Devine reviews The Angel Makers

Harriet Devine reviews The Angel Makers I was sent this book recently by the very kindly dovegrey reader and just finished reading it. I'm very glad I did. It is a fascinating but in some ways quite disturbing read. Based,...


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The Angel Makers
by Jessica Gregson

The bleak Hungarian plain, 1914, an isolated village shrouded in superstition and rumours of witchcraft . . .

“I have made mistakes. As surely as those eight women are twisting in the wind now, in my own way, I've been twisting in the wind my whole life. At least that’s what I tell myself when I cannot face up to what I am and what I've done…”

Outcast from village life, Sari is tormented by a loneliness like no other. The daughter of a Taltos, Sari has the second sight and a reputation as a witch.

At the outbreak of war, the men of the village are called away to fight and a powerful bond develops between the women left behind. Sari, for the first time, finds herself with friends. However, these friendships come at a price as the women struggle to hold on to the freedom that war has brought them.

Things take a sinister turn and suspicions are alerted, as one by one the villagers begin to uncover Sari’s dark secret . . .

Publication Details

Hardback/ 352pp
ISBN: 0-9551094-6-9
ISBN: 978-0-9551094-6-1
Publisher: PaperBooks Ltd
Pub. Date: 06-02-07
Paperback / 304pp
ISBN: 0-9551094-5-0
ISBN: 978-0-9551094-5-4
Publisher: PaperBooks Ltd
Pub. Date: 05-06-07

Reviews

'A gripping tale of superstition and prejudice, desperation and love, the bitter aftershocks of which linger throughout your mind like the ghostly visions of Sari's dreams.'

 

The Gloss Magazine – March

Jessica Gregson's stunning debut novel tells the story of the women in a small Hungarian village at the time of the First World War who spontaneously started murdering their menfolk. It may sound far-fetched, The Angel Makers is actually based on a well-documented true story. Although Gregson's characters are fictional, they're complex and ultimately unforgettable, especially Sari, the former outcast who becomes a central part of village life. Lyrical, moving and disturbing, this is a gripping read.

 

Harriet Devine reviews The Angel Makers

Harriet Devine reviews The Angel Makers I was sent this book recently by the very kindly dovegrey reader and just finished reading it. I'm very glad I did. It is a fascinating but in some ways quite disturbing read. Based..

 

The Book Pedler reviews The Angel Makers

The Book Pedler reviews The Angel Makers “I have made mistakes. As surely as those eight women are twisting in the wind right now, in my own way, I've been twisting in the wind my whole life…” The year is...

 

Dovegreyreader reviews The Angelmakers

Dovegreyreader reviews The Angelmakers The Angel Makers by Jessica Gregson arrived via Scott Pack's free give-away and I was just going to slot it into its place on Mount TBR (To Be Read, if anyone's in any doubt) and thought...

 

This is not the usual genre that I read, but I could not put it down. The story moves at a fast pace and you just have to find out what will happen next to Sari, the central character, and everyone else. This is a book I will keep to read again. It was a great escape.

Amazon

 

I honestly can't remember the last time I wrote a book review although I suspect it may be as much as twenty years, nor can I remember the last time I was inspired to write one.

The Angels Makers is one of the best books I have read in years. The characters are engaging and you really get involved in their journey. Although this is Jessica Gregson's first novel it reads like a masterpiece from a seasoned pro. I'm not going to go into a synopsis of the story because you can do that at the top of the page, but this is so much more than a story and so far removed from your usual train journey trash fiction.

Basically, I simply can't recommend this moving book enough.

Amazon

 

Don't start reading this book unless you have a day with no other commitments. I well and truly lost an afternoon to it - and have no regrets whatsoever.

This is a gripping, well-paced story with utterly addictive, human characters whom you quickly grow to really care about. The setting is vividly evoked, the human relationships believable and perceptively described. I cried twice - I'm not going to say which bits, but I challenge anyone to remain unmoved by this book.

Jessica Gregson is a talented writer and first-rate storyteller; it's hard to believe this is a first novel, but we can only look forward to the next :)

Amazon

 

Thanks to this book I had no feeling in my bottom for several hours and my eyes may be permanently focussed a few inches away from my nose. This is because this book is a cliche which in this case is true: it's un-put-downable. My poor boyfriend didn't get a look in for the fews hours it took me to read the story of Sari and the village the book is based on.

I was suspicious at first - I seriously dislike fantasy novels and when I first heard about the book with the words "witch" and "magic" I was dubious. But inside I found a finely tuned historical novel focussing, for once, on the women of World War One Hungary. Strongly written and perfectly balanced, I personally can't wait for the next novel from this wonderful author.

Amazon

 

 



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