The Third Angel

Reason read: on the tbr since 2022. I like Alice Hoffman's stories and this one did not disappoint though it did take awhile before it hooked me. This one is set in London at the fictional Lion Park Hotel in Knightbridge. This particular hotel seems to be haunted. The structure is triptych which means that there are 3 interconnected stories in the haunted hotel across several decades. Part 1 is 1991 and the marriage planning for a Helle sister who is marrying a man named Paul diagnosed with cancer and soon to die. Part II is set in 1966 and is the story of Frieda Lewis (she is the mother of Paul) who worked at Lion Park Hotel before she married. The third section is 1952 and features Lucy Green, the mother of the sisters in part I.
Of show more course the Third Angel. on pg 95 we are told that "you can't even tell if he's an angel or not. You think you're doing him a kindness. You think you're the one taking care of him, while all the while, he's the one who's saving your life." There is also the angel of life and the angel of death. Themes are the complexities of family, darkness of love, loss, interconnectedness of strangers. There is a bit of rough language, sex, and drugs especially in the middle section (1966). I rated this one 4.5 stars. show less

A beautiful novel that easily stands up to Hoffman's earlier work, this is one of those novels that not only entertains, but proves to be a slow-boiling puzzle that gives readers room to consider their own lives as they move through the book. From each of the characters to each of the subplots, Hoffman's moves in this book are masterful, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Regardless of the story, her ability to build so many different unique lives, and to believably portray both men and women of different ages, is something to behold, and the layering of the stories here was just an added treat--and, not overdone, as it seems so often is the case. Simply, an absolutely lovely and worthwhile read.

Alice Hoffman's writing never disappoints me. She wrote many books and I've read most of them. Spanning three generations, the story begins with two sisters. One who is about to get married in England, the other will be the bride's maid. Sadly, the groom has cancer and his life is short. The groom is the only child of Frieda who these years later has grown from a wayward young adult searching for something illusionary and is employed as a maid at the Lion Park Hotel. The Lion Park Hotel plays a major part throughout the book.

Now a conventional woman with a husband and son, Frieda's prayers are that her son will live. There are a host of characters and their lives weave in and out of each other. Alice Hoffman is a great writer who is show more quite capable of switching characters and paving the way for the reader to follow easily.

When young, Frieda rode in the car with her doctor father who told her he never knew if the first angel of life would ride with them, or the second angel death would follow. The Third Angel is the one who watches over. As the book description mentions, the story focuses on the girls and women who make choices that have a high cost, and thus the consequences are steep.

Highly recommended. show less

I love Alice Hoffman's writing. I find her truly unique and I become completely...emotionally awake when I'm in her stories. However, I struggled with a rating for this book. It is made up of intertwining stories of people who mostly don't even know they are part of each other's stories and it jumps through time. I found myself having to go back and untangle who was which, an unpleasant task (albeit easier in the Kindle version.) Things are explained but it takes a bit to realize what you've learned and unknot the path that led you there. I gave it 3 stars because I just can't discourage people from reading this author and you do get questions answered, just not in a linear fashion.

Hoffman carefully develops three distinct segments to this book, yet links the characters in creative ways. The Lion Park Hotel serves as one of the unifying features of the three parts to the book that all deal with love and heartbreak. It’s where dissatisfied Maddy stays in 1999 when she comes to London for the wedding of her sister Allie to the intriguing Paul. In the second part of the story, which jumps back in time to 1966, it’s where Frieda, Paul’s mother, works and meets her own alluring soul-mate whom she, coincidentally, also cannot have. And, in the third part, it’s where young Lucy, the mother of Maddy and Allie, stays in 1952 for another wedding, that of her stepmother’s sister, Bryn. In the Lion Park Lucy obtains show more a glimpse of the wonder and hurt of true love. Hoffman luxuriates in the careful development of these characters and the men they desire. We come to understand their doubts and desires as they navigate the confusion of love. Along the way we learn about the third angel – not the angel of life, nor the angel of death, but the angel who wanders the earth waiting to touch a life in need. Yes, there are some incredible coincidences, but one can’t read Alice Hoffman and not expect some magical realism and some heartrending moments. The yearning of the characters and their very human attempts to find their way redeems any shortcomings.
The reader, Nancy Travis, has just the right tone, creates some distinction between voices, but doesn’t get overly dramatic. show less

Alice Hoffman is one of my favorites. So it shouldn't have surprised me how beautiful, how eloquent this book is. Three story arcs- separate, and yet completely interwoven. It's a wonderful look at love, and how it changes and also how completely intertwined we all are. We will never know all the people our lives may have touched.

Hoffman's characters are exquistitely human.You feel for them even when you don't want to, and find yourself sympathizing with even the worst behavior. (My favorite kind of book)

I love Alice Hoffman's writing. I find her truly unique and I become completely...emotionally awake when I'm in her stories. However, I struggled with a rating for this book. It is made up of intertwining stories of people who mostly don't even know they are part of each otehr's stories - and it jumps through time. I found myself having to go back and untangle who was which, an unpleasant task (albeit easier in the Kindle version.) Things are explained but it takes a bit to realize what you've learned and unknot the path that led you there. I gave it 3 stars because I just can't discourage people from reading this author and you do get questions answered, just not in a linear fashion.