Reviewed by Holly for TeensReadToo.com

Can a killer love?

Is Angel's murder strike just what Paolo needs to gain his strength?

When Angel snatches the lives of Paolo's parents, Angel takes Paolo into his world. When an intelligent traveler discovers their house on the very edge of Chile, he teaches Angel how to love.

The first trip Paolo ever takes turns out to be a suicidal nightmare.

What kind of trip does this turn out to be?

THE KILLER'S TEARS tells a wonderful story of the love between a young child and a murderer. It has a wonderful word choice and is very well put together. A great read!!! ( )

This is a story of transformation and the power of love. Paolo is an unloved child on a desolate farm in southern Chile, whose life unexpectedly takes a turn for the better when Angel Allegria, a ruthless murderer, kills Paolo's parents merely to steal their home. Angel is unwilling to kill a child, and Paolo's grave silences touch something within and leads to an unlikely friendship that develops between the two, Angel is determined to win Paolo's love. Through Paolo's intervention another enters the picture, this additional father figure is a traveler who teaches Paolo to read. Though Angel is redeemed and reborn through his relationship with Paolo, he can't outrun his past crimes. the consequences are the final note of Angel's redemption. This is a spare but emotionally charged story. Paolo, the child protagonist acts primarily as an innocent catalyst for Angel's redemption. Once he enters his own adulthood, Paolo develops as a fully formed character, who embodies the good of both of the men he met in his youth. This is a complex and haunting book, well worth the read. ( )

a young adult novel by a fine french writer that can be enjoyed by adults. ( )

This deceptively simple tale, a prizewinner in France, is in fact a haunting exploration of guilt and innocence, and of the redemptive power of a loving relationship. With a map to guide us, readers are transported to the southern tip of Chile, a place of desolation, where the story begins with a killer taking refuge at an isolated farm. Paolo, a young boy of indeterminate age, perhaps five, perhaps ten, lives there with his parents. Angel, the killer, murders the parents and allows Paolo to live because he sees him as useful. Some time later, another wanderer named Luis takes shelter with them, and a strange dynamic starts to occur--Angel worries that Paolo might like the other person better. He claims to be Paolo's father, and so begins an emotional attachment such as Paolo has never before experienced in his miserable life. Time passes, Paolo learns to read and write from Luis, and it becomes necessary for the three of them to journey to a town to purchase more farm animals so that they can survive. At the town, Angel is identified as a wanted fugitive, Luis finds love with a young artist and escapes with her, and Paolo wants to die. Literally. It takes Angel to rescue him and help him to be attached to life: it is Angel's tears, a killer's tears, which change everything for both Angel and Paolo. It seems necessary to describe the story in some detail to explain just how different this is from the YA fiction genre we know. I am reminded of The Giver, in that simplicity is employed to look deeply at the great themes of life--an allegorical device. The writing is excellent, and the translation from the French works well. I can imagine this book being used in classrooms, either in the original French, or in translation, to illustrate the power of language and story to engage the imagination and encourage thinking and discussion. Category: Hardcover Fiction. KLIATT Codes: JSA*--Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2003, Random House, Delacorte, 163p. map., $15.95. Ages 12 to adult. (Claire Rosser, KLIATT Review, January 2006, Vol. 40, No. 1)

Angel, a wanted murderer escaping authorities, happens upon a poor family in a remote area in Chile. After killing the parents, Angel forges a bond with their young son, Paolo. This relationship is challenged with the arrival of Luis, a wealthy and educated man who is trying to sort out his life, and Luis and Angel compete for the affections of Paolo. After several years, when the three travel to the city to purchase supplies, Luis meets a young woman and takes off with her, and a series of events are set in motion that culminate with the arrest of Angel and the placement of Paolo in a foster home. Angel's search for redemption by associating and caring for Paolo after he kills the young child's parents is what drives this story. The author uses characterization and dialogue to skillfully contrast the violent and conflicted Angel with the innocent and unworldly Paolo and to portray the desolation and loneliness of the setting. This powerful novel is a beautifully written moral tale that is sure to challenge readers to examine their views on forgiveness and rehabilitation, on whether violence is ever necessary, on how environment can influence human actions, and on the very nature of love. Winner of the Prix Sorcieres and translated from the French, this book's brevity and simplicity make it a good choice for a read aloud, while the depth of the story line is sure to ignite classroom discussions on a myriad of moral issues, including the death penalty. 2006, Delacorte, 224p., $15.95 and PLB $17.99. Ages 12 to 18.Chris Carlson (VOYA, April 2006 (Vol. 29, No. 1))

Awards:
Batchelder Award Honor Book 2007