River Angel

Not sure how I found out about this lady, but her writing style is so smooth. She makes you care about characters so quickly even if they aren't in the book for long. This book is about several families who live near a river, that's as much as I can say. I finished the book in a day, it was so quick to get through because the writing is so... seamless. I didn't agree with everyone, but her writing makes it easy to sympathize with the many people she introduces. I recommend this, and the other one I read, Vinegar Hill. I'm gonna buy another book from her because I'm sure it will be sad and beautiful like these.

A. Manette Ansay has written another beautiful book ~~ this time about an angel that has been sighted over a river in Wisconsin. It is also a story about a small town where everyone knows one another and where everyone knows of its neighbor's struggles. The story is centered around a little boy named Gabriel. Gabriel was dumped in this town, Ambient, by his father who deserted him. Fat and unlovable, Gabriel is a devout Christian and is always found to be praying. Picked on and abused, Gabriel continues to slug along ~~ till one day, he is discovered in a neighbor's barn, dead. The story focuses on Gabriel, his aunt who was raising him, several members of a prayer circle, and one of the daughters of the town who was part of the fateful events of the evening that Gabriel is later found dead. The stories entwined with one another in small ways ~~ it's written more like short stories combined to make one novel about a town. Ansay writes with her usual lyrical style about different lives of people and their secret joys and disappointments and how it all meshed together with the legend of the River Angel that people have taken to be their local lore. It is a very interesting book ~~ dark and depressing in places though but beautifully written and with a grace that is evident in each of the characters written. Ansay is not an easy author to read sometimes but her stories are always compelling and brings the reader further into the book. This is an excellent read ~~ perfect for a bookclub discussion. 8-24-04

I have read every book written by A. Manette Ansay, and while this isn't my favorite one, it is by no means a bad book - in fact, it's great! I think Ansay is one of the better writers I've had the pleasure to read, and each of her books lends a wonderful reading experience. River Angel is just one more beautiful book to add to my collection.Set in the small town of Ambient, Wisconsin, River Angel tells the story of a community in need of miracles. There is a local legend in town about an angel who resides near the river. No one is really sure whether to believe it or not, but a little boy named Gabriel, in need of some change in his life, goes in search for the angel anyway. Gabriel, who is a loveable, sweet character, is not a favorite of many of the town's citizens. He is chubby and bothersome and easy to tease. However, Gabriel becomes the catalyst for an amazing transformation - both for him and for many of Ambient's occupants.A. Manette Ansay writes about several of the citizens of Ambient and their troubles in their lives. I loved hearing their stories, all their dreams and disappointments. But most importantly, I loved the writing. A. Manette Ansay is a genius in my eyes. She writes poetry without being poetic. I will forever be in her debt for the joy she has brought into my reading experiences. Can't wait for the next one!

A testament to man?s desire to believe in something. ?River Angel? is the story of how legend, belief and reality fuse in the fictional town of Ambient, Wisconsin. The circumstances surrounding the death of a child (Gabriel) lead some to believe that the child?s death was accompanied by a miraculous intervention from God. The death of Gabriel provides the opportunity for the town residents to affirm or denounce their belief in prayer, miracles and the will of an all-powerful God. The novel asks the reader to consider what he/she believes in, what you know to be true. There is no right or wrong answer, but the question and the pursuit of its answer is sure to be a remarkable journey - hopefully on the wings of an angel. Ansay?s writing is near flawless, her use of symbolism significant but not overbearing. An excellent, quick read.

This is a novel about the various ways in which a town comes to grip with the aftermath of a tragedy, something that might have been easily prevented. The River Angel story springs out of the desire to correct what has gone wrong, to give meaning to what would otherwise have been a meaningless event. From the start, I was drawn into these people's lives, their individual stories and what they come to believe, as a result, about the angel that may or may not have appeared. If you are looking for an "angel story" you won't like this book. If you're looking for an in depth portrait of a town and its changing ideas about faith, you'll love this as much as I did. I thought the mother and daughter story was particularly effective. Also recommended: Midnight Champagne, Ansay's newest, and White Oleander by Janet Fitch.

In this masterful novel, every word is measured, each character is acutely drawn. The author captures the essence of an individual with a phrase, or a gesture. The "coda" at the end of the novel beautifully transforms this tale of residents of a small Wisconsin town into a sort of fable for all of us. Ansay is gifted at recognizing the small, simple details that vividly define the citizens of Ambient, so that the reader feels she intimately knows each one personally after only a paragraph or two. This book reads (too) quickly, but stays with the reader long after.