Frances Pastan is a mess. Though a celebrated author of children's books, she's arrived at middle age depressed and alcoholic, alienated from her daughter and lost in regret for events of long ago. To conquer her demons Frances must undertake a journey both physical and emotional-a journey into her deepest past, to the small town of her childhood where she discovered her first real friend, Lucy Sparrow. To remember their happy, crazy times together. And to find Lucy's killer. A Matrix of Angels is a harrowing, beautifully written novel of love, loss, and the fierce power of memory.
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4.8 out of 5 stars
4 reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful, dread-filled wonder
Aug 8 2011
By Benjamin K. Ethridge
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Don't miss this novel. It's the most compelling book I've read in a while. A wonderful horror-mystery novel. The only thing I take exception with is the ending. However, fault there lies on this reader; the deficiency is due to my own emotional requirements for the ending, not Conlon's mastery of the material.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A terrifying, sad and moving book.
Jun 18 2011
By Miles D. Moore
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Christopher Conlon has followed up his fine first novel, "Midnight on Mourn Street," with another excellent story of damaged souls and the horror that lurks behind everyday life. "A Matrix of Angels" is the story of Frances Pastan, a bestselling children's book author who is also a deeply unhappy alcoholic, divorced and estranged from her young daughter. When a book tour brings her to Santa Barbara, on impulse Frances rents a car and drives up the coast to the little town of Quiet. She hasn't thought of Quiet in many years, but she lived there for a couple of months as a girl of twelve. It was there she met Lucy Sparrow, the best friend she would ever have, who fell prey to a serial killer.
If you're looking for a murder mystery, "A Matrix of Angels" really isn't one; we know the murderer's identity before the book is half-over. Instead, "A Matrix of Angels" is the touching story of a friendship between two lonely, unhappy little girls, a friendship doomed by circumstances beyond their control, and also the story of how Frances finally faces the inner demons that have tortured her for thirty years. Throughout the book, Conlon demonstrates his impressive abilities of tight plotting, sharp dialogue and empathetic insight into the minds of his characters. As a bonus, Conlon includes the original short story that eventually grew into the novel. The story is fine, but the novel is better, and demonstrates what a few of us already know--that Conlon deserves to be far better known than he is.
If you're looking for a murder mystery, "A Matrix of Angels" really isn't one; we know the murderer's identity before the book is half-over. Instead, "A Matrix of Angels" is the touching story of a friendship between two lonely, unhappy little girls, a friendship doomed by circumstances beyond their control, and also the story of how Frances finally faces the inner demons that have tortured her for thirty years. Throughout the book, Conlon demonstrates his impressive abilities of tight plotting, sharp dialogue and empathetic insight into the minds of his characters. As a bonus, Conlon includes the original short story that eventually grew into the novel. The story is fine, but the novel is better, and demonstrates what a few of us already know--that Conlon deserves to be far better known than he is.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Matrix of Angels
Aug 23 2011
By BigAl
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition
"A Matrix of Angels" is one of those hard to pin down books. It has a murder with some mystery surrounding it, at least where the protagonist, Frances Pastan, is concerned. But the mysteries are more concerned with understanding events surrounding the murder and coming to terms with them than they are about finding the killer, who is identified mid-book. It isn't a murder mystery. It has some traumatic childhood experiences that need to be understood and worked through, yet it isn't a coming of age story. Despite not being either of these, it is also a book with plenty of appeal for fans of those genres. However, if I were forced to categorize, it has to go in one of the catchall categories, either literary or contemporary fiction.
While superficially a success, Frances' life is in shambles. In revisiting a life-changing and traumatic time that she has long repressed , she is able to understand the events that led to her current situation. Going through this, Frances is almost practicing self-psycho-therapy, which will possibly set her on the road to a better place. Going through this exercise with Frances, the reader may glean some insights into human nature; the novel gives us a better understanding about how past events can both inspire us in positive ways and drag us down if we let them.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
While superficially a success, Frances' life is in shambles. In revisiting a life-changing and traumatic time that she has long repressed , she is able to understand the events that led to her current situation. Going through this, Frances is almost practicing self-psycho-therapy, which will possibly set her on the road to a better place. Going through this exercise with Frances, the reader may glean some insights into human nature; the novel gives us a better understanding about how past events can both inspire us in positive ways and drag us down if we let them.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
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4.8 out of 5 stars
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