Bibliographic
Information
Angel Burn by
L.A. Weatherly. Candlewick. (2010).
Price: $17.99 in hardback; $8.99 in paperback
Pages: 449 in hardcover
Note: This book is entitled Angel in the United Kingdom
Plot Summary
Sixteen-year-old Willow Fields knows she is viewed by her
fellow students as Queen Weird. Instead of trying to imitate the popular
cheerleaders she enjoys fixing cars and giving psychic readings. While Willow
is not completely happy with her social situation she is even unhappier about
her home life. Willow dearly loves her mentally disabled mother but because she
is a teenager cannot provide for them financially forcing them to move in with
Willow’s grumpy Aunt Jo. Willow’s
life takes a turn for the worse when she agrees to give a psychic reading to
popular girl Beth Hartley. During the reading Willow learns that some creature
that looks like an angel has been feeding off Beth’s energy. This one reading
triggers a series of events in which the alien creatures that look like angels
discover that Willow is a threat to their race and decide to send Alex who is
the best angel killer in the country to snuff her out of existence.
Alex,
who unknowingly works for the very angels he hates, stakes out Willow’s house
only to discover that Willow is a half-angel something that is unheard of as
angels and humans are not supposed to be able to procreate. Alex slowly begins
to realize that he has been accidentally working for angels and that if the
angels want Willow dead it must be because they feel threatened by her. As a
result, Alex decides to rescue Willow when she gets into trouble while
attending a church service at the local Church of the Angels and the two of
them go on the run. Together Willow and Alex must find a way to destroy the
angels who have invaded earth in order to feed off humans’ energy causing
sickness and death.
Critical
Evaluation
Angel Burn is
the ultimate paranormal road trip novel as Alex and Willow travel half of the
United States looking for a way to preserve their lives while fighting the
angels that are hunting them. The scenery is not the only element that makes
this book a pleasurable read as both Alex and Willow grow as individuals
throughout the novel. Willow must come to terms with the newfound knowledge
that she is part-angel complete with a set of previously unknown abilities
while Alex must make peace with his past in order to allow himself to be happy
in the present. Readers will not only enjoy the novel’s characterization but
its action packed plot as well. Willow and Alex are constantly on the run from
the evil angels and their devout followers. While the novel can be slow in
parts events move quickly towards the end of the novel when Willow must stop
the angels and possibly destroy herself in the process.
While this book will be no doubt enjoyable to fans of
angel fiction there are a few problems with the novel. Firstly, as mentioned
above the plot drags in places especially as Alex and Willow visit motel after
motel in their search for a safe haven. Secondly, the romance between the two
characters is also somewhat unbelievable. True, they have both experienced
great loss and isolation and are depending on each other for their lives but
the romance between them is fairytalesque. Instead of acknowledging that their
perilous situation may be causing them to develop feelings for one another they
both simply assume that they are each other’s true love. While not a bad thing
per se it does show a certain level of immaturity on the part of the
characters. Overall, fans of angel fiction will enjoy Angel Burn but those seeking an intelligent love story will not.
Reader’s
Annotation
Sixteen-year-old half-angel Willow and angel killer Alex
must join forces to destroy alien angels intent on harming humans.
About the
Author
L.A. Weatherly was born in Alabama and now lives with her
husband in the United Kingdom. Although the Angel books are her best known novels
she has also penned the Glitterwings Academy books under the pen name Titania
Woods as well as Watcher and three other
novels under her official name Lee Weatherly.
Genre
Paranormal fiction, Paranormal romance, Road trip novel, Romance
Readalikes
Unearthly by
Cynthia Hand
·
Also about angels and a girl with paranormal
abilities
City of Bones by
Cassandra Clare
·
Also contains an angelic character and is
suspenseful
Daughter of Smoke
and Bone by Laini Taylor
·
Also about part-angels and a contains a mystery
Tags
16 yr. old, 18 yr. old, angels, auto repair, card games,
Colorado, cliques, High school, Mustang, New Mexico, psychic, road trip,
Tennessee, Twitter
Awards
Won/Lists On
This book is featured in They Suck, They Bite, They Eat, They
Kill by Joni Richards Bodart.
It is also included in numerous Goodreads.com lists such
as YA Angels, Quality YA Paranormal
Romance Novels, and Series Worth
Continuing.
Professional
Reviews
Daily Mail
Kirkus
Lancashire Evening Post
Publishers Weekly
Booktalk Ideas
Told from the perspective of Alex
·
First kill (25)
·
CIA taking over Project Angel (86-87)
·
Rescuing Willow (108-122)
Told from the perspective of Willow
·
Beth’s reading (chap. 2)
·
Mom (50-51, 55-56)
·
Church of Angels (97, 108-122)
Bibliotherapeutic
Usefulness
This book could be used with teens that have had to take
on additional responsibilities due to absent, sick, or neglectful parents.
Reading
Level/Interest Level
Reading Level: 5th grade
Interest Level: 9th-12th grades
Levels are according to AR Bookfinder
Challenge
Issues
This book includes the following potentially
controversial elements:
·
Chakras & Auras
·
Cohabitation
·
Drunkenness
·
Evil angels
·
Irreligious teens
·
Many uses of taking the Lord’s name in vain
·
Psychic visions & palm readings
·
Sexual relationships with followers
·
Slight profanity
·
Strip clubs
·
Subtle poking fun at Evangelical Christians
·
Underage drinking
Librarians can point out that while this book can be
controversial it can also spark discussions about how to properly grow in one’s
faith as well as discussions on what angels are really like, do they exist,
etc.
Why Was This
Included?
I decided to include Angel
Burn because it was assigned to me for my book challenge presentation. I
also thought it would be beneficial for me to read YA books with angels in them
because this is a topic that makes me feel very uncomfortable.
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