Review: Green Angel by Alice Hoffman

Scholastic Canada, 2003

Left on her own when her family is lost in a terrible disaster, fifteen-year-old Green is haunted by loss and by the past. Struggling to survive physicallyand emotionally in a ravaged landscape where nothing seems to grow and ashes are everywhere, Green retreats into the ruined realm of her garden. But in destroying her feelings, she also begins to destroy herself, erasing the girl she’s once been. It is only through mysterious encounters that Green relearns the lessons of love and begins to heal as she tells her own story.

From Scholastic Canada website

It’s weird. This book was heavy on imagery and had lots of life lessons sprinkled throughout, which normally would have completely turned me off. But in Green Angel both of these elements worked, creating a wonderful and touching book.

I came across this book on a list of the best YA dystopia novels. Having just finished The Forest of Hands and Teeth and loving The Uglies series, I’ve been all about this genre lately. So I picked Green Angel up. And I quickly learned that even within this sub-genre there are sub-genres. This is different from any of the other dystopic YA books that I’ve read.

I loved the use of animals and nature to symbolize not only nature slowly healing after the disaster, but also to mark Green’s own personal healing. She slowly works through her pain, learning that she can go on with her life while still holding on to her past, who she was and the people that she loved and lost.

This was a different read for me, and one that I am not sure will be everybody’s cup of tea. It was a quiet book, but I really enjoyed it.