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chwaters's review against another edition
5.0
Oh. Wow.
Angel was a normal girl who lived in a "pretty house, with pretty parents". But she liked to steal shoes. Not pairs, just the single ones from displays. She'd been busted a few times, but the last was by Call. Call took Angel under his wing and introduced her to "candy". He asks her is she loves him. Because if she really loved him, she'd help him earn money. So she does. She works the streets now. Then Serena went missing. Angel knows she's dead because her "going-away money" is still where Serena left it. Angel wants out and begins to quit the candy. Then Call brings Melli home. Melli is eleven. Just a little girl. Angel is determined to keep Melli from the fate that has befallen her. Angel has to earn "enough for two" or train Melli to earn. Angel just wants to get Melli back home, but Call tells her that he'll hurt Angel's little brother, Jeremy, if she does anything other than what she is told. Bit by bit, Angel kicks the candy and attempts to save both herself and Melli.
A brutal story told in some of the most beautiful language I've seen in a long time. The poetry format adds to the hallucinogenic quality of Angel's narrative and makes it all the more human. Angel is a character that will haunt you. She may be fictional, but her story is not. This is a deeply affecting novel. Recommended for fans of Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott, Ellen Hopkins, and Sold by Patricia McCormick.
Angel was a normal girl who lived in a "pretty house, with pretty parents". But she liked to steal shoes. Not pairs, just the single ones from displays. She'd been busted a few times, but the last was by Call. Call took Angel under his wing and introduced her to "candy". He asks her is she loves him. Because if she really loved him, she'd help him earn money. So she does. She works the streets now. Then Serena went missing. Angel knows she's dead because her "going-away money" is still where Serena left it. Angel wants out and begins to quit the candy. Then Call brings Melli home. Melli is eleven. Just a little girl. Angel is determined to keep Melli from the fate that has befallen her. Angel has to earn "enough for two" or train Melli to earn. Angel just wants to get Melli back home, but Call tells her that he'll hurt Angel's little brother, Jeremy, if she does anything other than what she is told. Bit by bit, Angel kicks the candy and attempts to save both herself and Melli.
A brutal story told in some of the most beautiful language I've seen in a long time. The poetry format adds to the hallucinogenic quality of Angel's narrative and makes it all the more human. Angel is a character that will haunt you. She may be fictional, but her story is not. This is a deeply affecting novel. Recommended for fans of Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott, Ellen Hopkins, and Sold by Patricia McCormick.
aprilbooksandwine's review against another edition
4.0
Some contemporary books let you drift into complacence before hammering you with the theme and message, if there is one. Others take you right by the throat in a chokehold from the very beginning, not letting go until you turn the very last acknowledgements page. My Book Of Life By Angel by Martine Leavitt is one of the later, a gritty chokehold sort of book set among the urban grime of an unnamed city. My Book Of Life By Angel does a bang up job raising awareness of the plight and the exploitation of teenage sex workers.
Read the rest of my review here link goes live 10/8/12
Read the rest of my review here link goes live 10/8/12
csprfamily's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the story told in verse. I had been following the story of the missing prostitutes in real life, and I found her portrayal of Angel realistic and sensitive. If you like the Ellen Hopkins style of writing, this may be right up your alley.
angelas_library's review against another edition
4.0
Normally, I tend to shy away from novels like My Book of Life by Angel. Stories that feature a narrator who is the victim of abuse or exploitation are tough for me to read, partly because of how painful the subject matter can be and partly because, after a while, all of these books start to sound alike. So many YA stories about prostitution, drugs, and abuse seem to be concocted using the same recipe: two cups of melodramatic language and a heaping tablespoon of lost teens who find themselves trapped on the wrong side of the tracks with no idea how they got there.
Because of this, I was wary when I picked up My Book of Life By Angel. I was afraid it would be the same old tired tale, but I soon learned that was far from the case.
The brilliant thing about this particular novel is that the author is the master of the “show, don’t tell” approach. You understand that Angel’s life as a 16-year-old prostitute is horrific without her ever having to come out and say, “I wish I didn’t have to live like this,” or “Life on the street is hard.” In fact, all of Angel’s observations about her lifestyle are matter-of-fact. She mentions throwing up chunks of internal organs as casually as if she is remarking on the weather, and she dispassionately discusses the creepy fetishes of her “dates” without judgment. No language is wasted on rants about unhappiness or regrets. Angel’s life is what it is, and though she wishes it were different, she accepts that no amount of self-pity will do her any good.
Just because Angel is nonchalant about her lifestyle doesn’t mean she is jaded or hardened, though. If anything, the opposite is true. Despite her situation she retains hope, humanity, and even innocence. She has a tendency to find small beauties amidst an ugly reality and works on making herself a better person in small but important ways. The amazing thing about this is that it isn’t a conscious effort on her part, but rather an inherent part of who she is. Angel is a likable and utterly believable character, sweet yet strong, and her personality is what makes this novel such a treasure.
Another thing I really liked about My Book of Life By Angel is the theme of the power of words to change your life. Words are the only things Angel has that can’t be taken away from her, and throughout the course of the book she realizes that by using these words she can define who she is and who she wants to be. She can write her own story instead of allowing someone else to write it for her. Her discovery of this is a beautiful one, and it makes Leavitt’s novel stand out even more than it otherwise would.
This review can also be found on my blog, Angela's Library.
Because of this, I was wary when I picked up My Book of Life By Angel. I was afraid it would be the same old tired tale, but I soon learned that was far from the case.
The brilliant thing about this particular novel is that the author is the master of the “show, don’t tell” approach. You understand that Angel’s life as a 16-year-old prostitute is horrific without her ever having to come out and say, “I wish I didn’t have to live like this,” or “Life on the street is hard.” In fact, all of Angel’s observations about her lifestyle are matter-of-fact. She mentions throwing up chunks of internal organs as casually as if she is remarking on the weather, and she dispassionately discusses the creepy fetishes of her “dates” without judgment. No language is wasted on rants about unhappiness or regrets. Angel’s life is what it is, and though she wishes it were different, she accepts that no amount of self-pity will do her any good.
Just because Angel is nonchalant about her lifestyle doesn’t mean she is jaded or hardened, though. If anything, the opposite is true. Despite her situation she retains hope, humanity, and even innocence. She has a tendency to find small beauties amidst an ugly reality and works on making herself a better person in small but important ways. The amazing thing about this is that it isn’t a conscious effort on her part, but rather an inherent part of who she is. Angel is a likable and utterly believable character, sweet yet strong, and her personality is what makes this novel such a treasure.
Another thing I really liked about My Book of Life By Angel is the theme of the power of words to change your life. Words are the only things Angel has that can’t be taken away from her, and throughout the course of the book she realizes that by using these words she can define who she is and who she wants to be. She can write her own story instead of allowing someone else to write it for her. Her discovery of this is a beautiful one, and it makes Leavitt’s novel stand out even more than it otherwise would.
This review can also be found on my blog, Angela's Library.
atschakfoert's review against another edition
4.0
Very quick read (I read it in about an hour), very heavy material.
descentainesdelivres's review against another edition
3.0
Âgée de 16 ans, Angel fait la rencontre de Call, lorsqu’il la surprend à voler des souliers au centre d’achats et l’invite à dîner. Rapidement, Angel emménage avec Call, qui la fournit en « bonbons » jusqu’au jour où il l’oblige à aller travailler dans la rue. Lorsque sa meilleure amie Serena disparaît de la rue et que Call ramène une jeune fille de 11 ans pour travailler avec elle, Angel commence à ouvrir les yeux sur les autres filles disparues et souhaite se sauver de Call avec la jeune fille.
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Inspiré de la sordide histoire de Robert Pickton, l’autrice a créé un excellent et très sombre roman. Elle nous plonge dans les pensées et la réalité d’une jeune fille, qui est prise dans les filets de la consommation et la prostitution. L’écriture de Leavitt rend la vulnérabilté d’Angel palpable et réelle. La présentation de l’histoire en vers crée un certain rythme également. J’étais curieuse de découvrir ce roman jeunesse et j’ai été étonnée d’autant l’apprécier!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Inspiré de la sordide histoire de Robert Pickton, l’autrice a créé un excellent et très sombre roman. Elle nous plonge dans les pensées et la réalité d’une jeune fille, qui est prise dans les filets de la consommation et la prostitution. L’écriture de Leavitt rend la vulnérabilté d’Angel palpable et réelle. La présentation de l’histoire en vers crée un certain rythme également. J’étais curieuse de découvrir ce roman jeunesse et j’ai été étonnée d’autant l’apprécier!
forest_reader's review against another edition
3.0
I am completely captivated with Martine Leavitt’s My Book of Life by Angel. After reading the book description about a sixteen-year-old girl named Angel being cajoled into a life of prostitution and drugs, I knew it would be an interesting and heart-wrenching book.
One thing that captivated me in this book was the form it was written in. Martine Leavitt wrote in verse, which included lovely metaphors, realistic dialogue, and cold descriptions. It gave new meaning to the heart-wrenching story about prostitution, and made the conflicts seem more realistic, more personal, and more intriguing.
Another thing that captivated me in this book was the characters. The story was written in Angel’s perspective. She was an original teenager caught in the awful reality of prostitution and drugs. Her thoughts through the story were sad and hopeful. She was an easy character to root for. Other characters were just as unique and real, and I found myself trusting them and watching them intently.
The subject matter of this book also captivated me. In the author’s note, Martine Leavitt explained how she based her book on the true account of 49 missing women (most employed as prostitutes) from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, and the lack of action by government officials. This piece of history was woven respectfully into an original plot that opens the eyes of readers to this problem from history. Martine Leavitt did an incredible job with capturing inside scenes from this history, and it is a powerful story I would recommend.
One thing that captivated me in this book was the form it was written in. Martine Leavitt wrote in verse, which included lovely metaphors, realistic dialogue, and cold descriptions. It gave new meaning to the heart-wrenching story about prostitution, and made the conflicts seem more realistic, more personal, and more intriguing.
Another thing that captivated me in this book was the characters. The story was written in Angel’s perspective. She was an original teenager caught in the awful reality of prostitution and drugs. Her thoughts through the story were sad and hopeful. She was an easy character to root for. Other characters were just as unique and real, and I found myself trusting them and watching them intently.
The subject matter of this book also captivated me. In the author’s note, Martine Leavitt explained how she based her book on the true account of 49 missing women (most employed as prostitutes) from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, and the lack of action by government officials. This piece of history was woven respectfully into an original plot that opens the eyes of readers to this problem from history. Martine Leavitt did an incredible job with capturing inside scenes from this history, and it is a powerful story I would recommend.
moeckles's review against another edition
2.0
This is a super quick read and deals with an extremely important topic, so I'm glad to see a book written about it. This book is told in verse, which is why it's such a quick read, but also at times left me a little confused with what was happening. My biggest problem is that the main character is supposed to be 16, but she honestly sounds like she's in grad school. I could not believe her age at all. I do think it was well written, but a lot of the phrases used and word choices just did not add up with her age. I would recommend this if you think it sounds interesting and you want a quick read.