Rating: Summary: A Peek Into Ireland Review: I read Angela's Ashes while on vacation in Italy. I probably would have finished it in 2 days had it not been for all the sites we wanted to see. I did carry the book everywhere with me so I could read it during any lulls. This book is wonderful - you find yourself not only empathizing with the characters, but feeling like you are one of the charaters. You'll laugh when Frank laughs and cry when he cries. This is a MUST READ for everyone!
Rating: Summary: Such a great book! Review: I started out reading Angela's Ashes this summer for my Senior Advanced Placement english class next year. At first, I only had the intent of reading this book because it was assigned, but I ended up wanting to read it and I absolutely loved this book! Frank McCourt tells the story of his "miserable Irish Catholic childhood" with humor, love, and forgiveness. It is a story that won't be forgotten. I loved this book and I strongly recommend it to anybody!
Rating: Summary: Bad Review: I don't know why everyone likes this book so much, I find it very boring, dull, never goes anywhere. It's about as much fun as molasses. In fact I would rather rip out my colon and skip rope with it then read another word. :-)
Rating: Summary: A Spectacular Book Review: Angela's Ashes teaches its readers so much about life and being human. This book is so down to earth and real. I love it because there are so many messages woven throughout the book and it makes you want to laugh and cry and be angry and so many other things all at once. You become a part of McCourt's life, or so it seems, and his extraordinary telling of it took me on a journey of amusement and sorrow and wonder. Everyone would enjoy this book.
Rating: Summary: This book is great! Review: I really enjoyed reading Angela's Ashes from cover to cover. It truly captures the way the lower-class Irish were forced to live. When there are troubles in the family, you feel as though it is your own family and react as such, as well as with the happy times. It gives you an account from an innocent child's point of view who has to deal with grown-up situations because the money is tight. If you come from and Irish-Catholic background, or even if you don't, I think you would really like this story. Read it!
Rating: Summary: Frank is Frank Review: I actually couldn't put it down! Such a heart-breaking memoir, we can feel the sadness and frustrations. The language was uniquely simple although can be confusing until we understand his style. Frank and funny, I couldn't help wondering how he could be so matter-of-factly about the sorry state of the childhood. But that's life.A very good book for the simple pleasure of reading and getting your heart captured. I haven't seen the movie said to be so-so. But as they say.. don't judge the book by its movie.
Rating: Summary: Angela's Ashes Review: Angela's Ashes is an excellent memoir about Irish poverty told from the viewpoint of a little boy. Frank McCourty's writing style is addictive and poignant; through Frankie's eyes, readers can understand and sympathize on a whole other level than the little boy who accepts the poverty and everything along with it but dreams of something better. My only complaint about Angela's Ashes is that it goes on a little too long. And pretty soon there is a big jump from the years that were developed and slow to all of a sudden Frankie being grown, and the writing style is still the same. When he's eighteen, he still looks through the eyes of a ten-year old.
Rating: Summary: Compelling: Very Sad, Very Funny Review: McCourt shows that there is humor in just about anything in this novel, and he does so by inviting you into the mind of a child. The humor of exceedingly sad passages is accomplished by bringing about an understanding of the young Frank McCourt's analysis of the situation, often innocent, often insightful, often both. One of the sad parts of this book, at least to me, is the gradual losing of innocence as the book progresses, particularly in the final third or so. We want the main character to remain the lovable child he was at the beginning of the story, but he does not. That's because we're dealing with real life, not a fairy tale. Life just doesn't always work out that way, and that's something we either accept or we wind up in a dream-world. How many of our own life stories would fit in with the sensibilities of all of their readers? Over all, a very compelling read, especially the unabridged audio edition read by the author.
Rating: Summary: Decent, but not magnificent Review: Maybe I was expecting to much, because the reviews I read kept proclaiming this book to be a masterpiece. However, as one reviewer has already said, it got slightly repetitive after the second half. Also, while I didn't mind the depressing nature of the book (that actually added to its allure), I am not a big fan of McCourt's writing style. At times it was slightly confusing, at others it was annoying. The book is a good, decent read, and I would still recommend it, but I can't gvie it a glowing review or more than 3 stars, especially when I have much better books on my shelf. Try Bulgakov or Maguire for better reading.
Rating: Summary: Angela's ashes by Frank McCourt Review: I found this amazing book totally refreshing - Frank McCourt has such a unique style of writing. Although the actual content of the book is very emotional and depressing, the personality of the writer and his descriptions of the other characters (I love his description of the girl he met in the city hospital)makes the book very uplifting. I've also read the sequel ''tis' which tells the story of his time in the states. I loved this book too. Frank McCourt is my favourite writer - can't wait until he brings out another book!
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