Falling Angels

By: Tracy Chevalier

Narrated by: Anne Twomey

Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

An elegant, daring, original, and compelling novel, set against a gaslit backdrop of social and political turbulence in early 20th-century London, Falling Angels draws a picture of family life that exposes the prejudices and flaws of a changing time.

In January 1901, two families become inextricably linked when their daughters meet in a fashionable London cemetery. Separated by social class as well as taste, the Waterhouses cling to traditions while the Colemans look ahead to a more modern society. As the girls grow up and the nation emerges from the shadows of oppressive Victorian values, one woman's bid for greater personal freedom has disastrous consequences, changing the lives of both families forever.

Don't miss Chevalier's surprise best seller and book club favorite Girl with a Pearl Earring.

©2001 Tracy Chevalier (P)2001 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"Chevalier again proves herself an astute observer of a social era...[she] shows imaginative skill in two neatly accomplished surprises, and the denouement packs an emotional wallop." (Publishers Weekly)

"[Twomey's narration is] a quiet tour de force that makes this intriguing tale enthralling." (AudioFile)

Falling Angels

Sad, sad, weird story but I enjoyed it.
Interesting mix of characters with the background of a cemetery, fight for women votes, death and little girls.

Solid Angels

An intruiguing and unusual view of a turn-of-the-century English household and neighborhood. The characters are surprising and convincing.

Good but not my favorite

I have tried to read all of Chevalier's books because she is a truly remarkable writer, but this story was a bit too depressing for me. It definitely has literary merit and would be worth a good discussion, but it's spiritually dark with what I felt was a sad, kind of meaningle ending. I don't think it was meant to be happy, but I think Chevalier felt it was a more hopeful ending than the way I perceived it. Anyway, I liked other books of hers better. The reader, however, was good. That said, I agree with other reviewers that she was miscast. The part called for a British reader who could do multiple accents and voices. This reader did some voice changes but with a standard American accent, and she didn't sound right in the several children’s voices that the part called for. Her voice sounds just too old. However, since she WAS cast, I give her four stars for an overall good performance. Good inflection, good pacing, good clarity.

Perception is everything.

The view of life from the numerous and varied percpectives was done brilliantly. The author gives personal and accurate glimpses of humanity through the eyes of different classes, generations, and values, holding the listener's attention at every turn. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

Haunting Historical

I love historical fiction! This story is definately worth the listen/read. I had a real sense of how life differed in the previous century's turn. The characters are very believable. If you took a time machine back, you'd meet one of them. A Victorian era author could not have told the tale better.

An absorbing read

Falling Angels is the story of two young girls who meet in a London cemetery where their families' graves are next to each other. The story follows them as they change, their friendship changes, their families change and history is made. The women's suffrage movement takes one of the girls' mothers from an education-but-bored mother to a leader in the movement, and the girls are carried along by her discontent with her life, and the comparison to the other girl's mother. It's a story of contrasts, of growth and of the power of change. I enjoyed it very much, a pleasant surprise.

Perfectly Titled

This is historical fiction that book ends the burials of (hot mama) Queen Victoria, and (the ultimate adulterer) King Edward VII. A 10 year interval.

It was a time of veiled human desires, and the beginning of progressive 20th century change.

The book is written in an oral history format. Each of the characters give their versions of events to create a story that is riveting. One you cannot wait to continue.

The title says it all.

Life in Victorian Times

The author provides a vivid description of life for women during victorian times from the lowly servants to the upper class. An interesting "listen" and I couldn't wait to get back to it.

Family times

Excellent story of two families around the turn of the century 1900s in England. Two girls grow together while life experiences mold them.

Sad but hopeful

Certainly sad things happened in this book, but it also ended on a high note. Very positive and gratifying.