- Hardcover: 400 pages
- Publisher: Macmillan UK - Trade
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0333644859
- ISBN-13: 978-0333644850
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 16 x 4.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 921 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #910,964 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Merrily Watkins, what a gal...,
By
This review is from: The Wine of Angels (Paperback)
First, let me say that I have not read a novel in over 8 years, although I have started to read many and just put them down half way through because the plot was too flimsy or the writing was over the top. When I picked up The Wine of Angels, I read about 5 pages and thought 'I can't read this, there is something about the way he writes...' but went on for another 5 pages...I couldn't put it down! He writes very descriptively, and I was not used to it! I ended up reading this and another novel of his in three days!In order to read Mr. Rickman's work, you have to be prepared to 'read a movie' in the sense that he writes a very good picture and he puts his characters in situations that put you on edge emotionally- so well that you share the emotion of the moment. He gives Merrily for one some very realistic obstacles and exploits them well. The main obstacle for her in this book is the fact that she is a female priest; she faces discrimination by the men AND the women of her parish. You can feel the weight of the situation on her shoulders and struggle with her as she responds to the challenges. She is very clear and calculated, always honest with herself. Lol (not laugh out loud) has a past that haunts him in the present. His very timid manner is both the cause and result of the events that lead him to where we get to know him and make his obstacles all the more daunting and real to the reader. Jane. Merrily's daughter at the tender age of fifteen, rebellious of her mother's ordination yet supportive of her mother as a woman, she gives Merrily another obstacle in the story as although she is not 'out of control' she does get herself in some situations. Jane is also introduced to another spirituality that becomes a point of argument and point of understanding between her and her mother. All in all, this whole series is a very good read- I am still going strong!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Phil Rickman - It doesn't get ANY better!,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Wine of Angels (Paperback)
Phil Rickman is the Stephen King of the UK (and certainly no misogynist!).With his unusual blend of horror and mystery, Rickman easily draws his readers into the, at first, seemingly improbable world of the Reverend Merrily Watkins, the newly appointed priest-in-charge of the Welsh parish of Ledwardine. He draws his characters well, and weaves contemporary influences (music is a favourite) into his storylines, heavy with folklore and dark with menace. If you can't find him on the crime shelves, look under `h' for horror, but don't be deterred by the mis-filing of these great books in the wrong category. These are books that must be read!
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Perfect Blend of Mystery, Thrills, and Character!,
By
This review is from: The Wine of Angels (Paperback)
I have just discovered the Merrily Watkins series of novels, and I couldn't be more thrilled. Phil Rickman manages to create the perfect blend: interesting characters with a lot of depth, mystery with a tinge of the supernatural, and charming recreation of English village life. In this particular book, Merrily (a priest in the Anglican church) scouts out the village that will be her next post, and participates in a seemingly harmless ritual in an ancient apple orchard. Although the ritual is meant to embue the orchard with new life and increase the apple harvest, it is enacted by a yuppie couple who only intend to promote commercialism in the village and increase tourism. Something goes very wrong, and an old man dies in a particularly horrible and bloody way. Throughout the rest of the book, we see this dynamic tension between the modern world and the darker, "old" ways of the English countryside. While all this is going on, we get to know Merrily and her feisty daughter who both have their own problems adjusting to small village life. Rickman does a great job of keeping us on the edge of our seat, as we wonder how Merrily will resolve her position in the church with the undeniably powerful dark forces that confront her. I must say that I never saw the ending coming, and was pleased by the clever resolution.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
