Wednesday 13 February 2008

Confessions of a fallen angel - Ronan O'Brien


This is a book I couldn't put down, right from page one. I was told it read a bit like Roddy Doyle. But with Roddy Doyle he shares only the use of the Irish accent and the fact that the story is set in the north side of Dublin, typically the poorer, working class, bronx-like part of the town. This is not an account of a daily normal life as in many of Roddy Doyle's novels. It's the very tragic story of a man with a curse, which make him see the imminent deaths of the people close to him, through recurring nightmares.

The story begins when the character is 10 years old. He likes to play football and to swim in the canal with his best friends, but a close encounter with death during a football game changes his life forever. He doesn't die that time, but his foretelling "gift" that is given to him during that experience, is going to haunt him for the rest of his days.
Though sad and heart-breaking, this book is also incredibly funny, thanks to the Irish humour sprinkled throughout its pages. One of my favourite lines is when the guy has his second nearly deadly experience, and his dead friend tells him that "Time doesn't mean nothin up here. It's like a Dublin Bus timetable". So true.

And although you know that the tragedy is only waiting to happen, you still want to keep reading, hoping and praying that something will change, that the man won't meet his fate, not this time.
You'll have to fight your tears back if you don't like crying. And you will keep reading just because it's a damn good story.
I usually don't go for sappy, melodramatic books, and actually this one isn't. But I do love good romantic stories. And this is one has the most moving and sweetest romance I've read in a long time. It's about one soul that reunites in two bodies, the perfect couple, the true love, the one that would really last forever. If only fate didn't play with it.

other blog reviews:
Ulat Buku in the city

11 comments:

Mo said...

well...I have not heard of book OR author, but your review here just really makes me wanna read this! Adding it to my wishlist, now.

Thanks.

Mo said...

OH...found you at semicolon's reviews, BTW...

valentina said...

great!that's one of the reason why I write reviews:) let me know what u think if u ever read it!

Anonymous said...

I NEVER read books. If I ever give it a shot, I read through the first 50 pages over a period of a week and I get bored. I couldn't put this down either, read it in less than 24 hours, and closed the last page whispering "wow". Good review!

Anonymous said...

i have just finished reading this book and it was very good! just slight pity about the ending of it but all and all definately worth a read!

valentina said...

true, it is worth it and it also a quick read, very gripping. I could see the ending coming, it was sad but still good!

Anonymous said...

Omg!! Most amazing book ever!!
I read it a while ago and its the best book I've read since The Lovely Bones!

Jessica said...

I found this just before leaving a library this week by chance.
I've had a real hard time lately and closing this book put hope back in my heart.
the ending is incredible and I don't actually find it that tragic.
The best romance in a book ever for definite!

Unknown said...

I just bought a copy of this today, i only read the first chapter but i have to say that i already can't put it down. good review. :D

Unknown said...

i just stumbled on the book at my local bookstore and was contemplating to buy it. Thanks for your review, will probably get the book now that I know its thats good.

Unknown said...

Hey! Just to let you know that I've read Confessions of a Fallen Angel already. Thanks for sharing your review. My review can be found at:
http://ulatbukuinthecity.blogspot.com/2009/01/confessions-of-fallen-angel.html