Angel on the Square

Rating:
Summary: If you liked Homeless Bird, you will love this!!
Review: 12 year old Katya lives in St.Petersburg in 1914. She is an aristocrat and doesn't know about the world outside of her.She is pampered, and in her cousin Misha's opinion a "spoiled child." Misha doesn't like the aristocratic lifestyle, and particularly hates the ruling of royals. He sides with the peasants, and tries to be as simple as possible. Katya does not believe Misha's words about how peasants live in awful conditions, and that the Tsar does nothing to help. All she has heard is good things about the Tsar, her mother respects and would never say a bad word about him or his family. Katya and her mother soon leave off to live in the Tsar's palace as Katya's mother is invited as a lady-in-waiting. At first Katya's life is tea-parties and gossip galore with all the Romanov daughters. Soon, however, Katya sees behind the palace walls, and begins to agree with Misha on his opinions of peasants. Throughout the book you see Katya's emotions and opinions on the real condition of everyone other then the nobles in Russia. Katya takes a big journey form noble to a farming peasant, and learns so much on the way. I liked this book very much because it actually told what happened in the rest of St. Petersburg and not just in the Romanov's castle. If you liked this book you will definitely love Homeless Bird.

Rating:
Summary: Dull
Review: Angel on the Square is a good piece of literature, but not particularly outstanding. I enjoyed reading it, but I am also emotionally attached to almost everything I read in 2003-2004 so my own phsychological wierdness accounts for most of my approval of Gloria Whelan's book.

The main problem, I felt, with Angel on the Square was how much of a dry read it was. I've read many historical fiction books concerning the Romanov family, and sadly nearly all of them relay the exact same events in almost the exact same way. This book was more eloquent and more entertaining to read than a lot of the rest, but it isn't daring or imaginative and it didn't tell me anything I didn't know. I also find it interesting that the author made a character up instead of defining a less familiar Romanov, such as Olga or Tatiana or even one of the family's friends. But they must all write about Anastasia - even if it's indirect - because Anastasia was the Last Grand Duchess. What exactly is wrong with being the third-to-last Grand Duchess?

The writing style was very impersonal. Gloria Whelan obviously tried very hard to make the Romanovs or Rasputin or the peasants at the Oaks, which was Katya's family's summer retreat, as though they had their own minds in their heads by their actions, but I never felt like any of those actions had any weight. They all seemed to act in one way, too. Stepan, one of the peasants, was always spiteful and grouchy unless he was being whipped by the overseer of the Oaks, Vitya, who was always lying and embezzling unless he was choking rabbits to death. All of the characterization for the Romanov family seemed to come directly out of history books instead of out of an understanding of human nature. All things considered, it was very much like a soap opera.

As far as historical content goes, there was no problem. As far as I could see, Gloria Whelan didn't take any liberties with the events that happened in those years, nor did she exaggerate or belittle the state of Russia just before WWI.

The book itself just seemed to be lacking. Angel on the Square wasn't very visual or even very interesting, and the story has been told many times. The beginning wasn't very promising, as the quality of the story telling dropped suddenly after the first chapter was up, as though Gloria Whelan didn't really have the conviction for finishing the book anymore. I would, however, recommend reading this book, especially over the summer. It doesn't require much thinking or emotional involvement on the part of the reader and is therefore a perfect read when one wants to be mindless. Even if I do not care for what Gloria Whelan told in Angel on the Square, I do like the way she told it.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent story set during the Russian Revolution.
Review: Carole Seneker





Angel On The Square

Author: Gloria Whelan

Angel On The Square is a wonderful story that can transport the reader to another time and place. A student of history will be able to separate fact from fiction. The average reader will be so absorbed in the story that it might be difficult to think about anything but the protagonist, Katya. This fictional story uses facts of history to weave an interesting tale of a Lady-in-waiting, her daughter, and the son of friends.
There is no afterward or author's note to help the reader understand the historical facts this book is based on. The reader should not have to enter into research to understand the history this fictional story is intertwined with. Historical fiction authors should provide information in the appendix regarding the factual history the novel is based on.
Angel On The Square is an accurate portrayal of the values and norms of the early 20th century in Russia. The author does not stray from the known events of history. The descriptions of the characters and different areas of Russia reflect careful research and attention to detail. The paradigm shift Katya and her mother must make, as they move from the position of aristocrats to peasants, is artfully and convincingly portrayed in this novel. The two different points-of-view held by the aristocrats and the peasants are easily understood through the characters; Katya (aristocratic view-point) and Misha (peasant view-point), who, in the beginning of the novel, are as different as night and day. The author uses words from the Russian language in the dialogue. The Russian culture is easier to understand with occasional Russian words in use. There is a glossary of these words at the end of the book.
The aristocrat/peasant theme of Angel On The Square is present today. This perennial struggle permeates many countries of the world. A small fraction of it was visible during the recent Presidential campaign leading up to the election. Angel On The Square is historical fiction with a fictional story using actual events and people of Russia in 1914-1918. The story touches on Russia's part in World War I and the Russian Revolution.
The values children learn from historical fiction help them to understand that all people in any time period have the same needs and wants that people of the present time do. The oppressed will always seek change to obtain freedom and equality. The lesson here plainly reveals how much better a democracy is than an aristocracy. The children of today learn that Communism does not work because it takes away the incentive to be the best at whatever one sets out to do. The peasants in Angel On The Square saw the desperate inequality in the Russian government and revolted for change. This has happened throughout history in one form or another. If the world understood history and its' propensity to repeat itself, much warfare and aggravation could be spared its' people.
This story takes place in various locations in Russia. The settings are part of the story and help carry out the theme of the culture struggle known as the Russian Revolution. The characters are visibly changed from the time they lived in St. Petersburg to The Oaks. In the process of learning how to become peasants, Katya made a home for herself and her mother out of the shed that had been the smithy at The Oaks. The universal implications of this story indicate that people are resilient and able to change and adapt to radically different settings and lifestyles for survival.


Rating:
Summary: Angel On Square-a book for the whole family
Review: Ekaterina Ivanova, better known as Katya, is the daughter of Irina Petrovna, who is a very close friend to the empress of Russia. Since she was little, she has never faced poverty, and never understands the feelings of the poor, unlike her mother's close friends' son, Misha, who lives in the same place as Katya. Misha is a boy who opposes to the Tsar, the King of Russia. He tells Katya that the Tsar is useless, keeping his eyes close to all kind of problems. And yet, the Empress, not knowing what Misha had said, requests for Katya's mother to be her lady-in-waiting. That meant that Katya and her mother had to go and live in the palace with the Imperial family. It all turned out well at first, until war took over. Katya, her mother, and the Grand Duchesses, Olga, Tatiana, Marie and Katya's best friend Anastasia, faces fears and problems. What more, Misha was sent to war, and Katya feared for the day that only his dead body was returned to them. What will happen to Katya and Russia, will there be a revolution? Enjoy reading this book, as every flip will garantee to sastify you.

Rating:
Summary: Angel on the Square
Review: Gloria Whelan is absolutely extraordinary in this book. I am a Romanov history buff, so that's probably one reason I loved it so much. The book is beautifully written however, and I sincerly believe anyone--child or adult--would adore this book. I am a children's librarian, and I recommended it to anyone in need of a good book. That's it: Angel on the Square is a just a plain good book.

Rating:
Summary: A historical fiction masterpiece.
Review: In pre-War Russia, a revolution rages. Katya and her mother, however, live in luxury -- their home is with the Tsar and the Empress, and their four daughters -- Olga, Tatiana, Marie, and Anastasia -- and the ailing Alexei. Katya has never known what it's like to be poor before, because she has always lived with royalties and luxuries. But she does know Misha, a young soldier who knows about the revolution and fights strongly with the army for salvation, and Katya fears he will die in the war. As the years pass by, the luxurious Russia is thrust into the inevitable war that would mark itself in history. Katya knows she is no longer safe, even behind palace walls with her best friend, Anastasia --and finds that she must do something to try to stop the war. Angel On The Square is powerful historical fiction that deals with the wins and losses of revolution, what it means to care, and what maturity is all about.I felt strongly for Katya and for Russia as I read this book, and reading about the Grand Duchesses and their family, mostly Anastasia, through young Katya's eyes, is touching and the descriptive is beautiful. Until its last astounding page, this book was excellent.

Rating:
Summary: An emotional new novel by Gloria Whelan
Review: Twelve-year-old Katya Ivanova has everything anyone would want. She lives in St.Petersburg, Russia with her mother who is a close friend to the Empress Alexandra. Katya knows nothing of the turmoil in Russia and of the troubles of the poor. When her mother is asked to be a lady-in-waiting for Empress Alexandra and the Tsar Katya moves in with them and their four daughters---Olga, Tiatiana, Marie, and Anastasia, who Katya quickly befriends and is better known as Stana. To Katya everyday life is great. She is naive to the outside world of the palace. Little does she know of the pheasants who want to overthrow the Tsar. The only worry in her life is Misha, her cousin, who is one who feels strongly about the revolution. As the years pass Russia enters World War I and the turmoil starts. For young Katya it is very hard to bear seeing how mistreated the Tsar is by his own people, who he thought was loyal.

This was another great historical novel by Gloria Whelan. It was very emotional and meant a lot to me. I have always been one interested in Anastasia so I really liked this book.

Rating:
Summary: I highly reccomend this wonderful historical novel.
Review: Wealthy, twelve-year-old Katya Ivanova and her mother have always lived a luxurious life in their mansion in the city of St. Petersburg, Russia. They spend their summers on their country estate, The Oaks, and Katya's mother is a close friend of Empress Alexandra. When the Empress invites Katya's mother to come live in the palace as a lady-in-waiting and to bring Katya along to be a companion to her youngest daughter, Anastasia, Katya is thrilled. She and Anastasia, or Stana as she is called, become close friends. Katya even gets to accompany the royal family on their elegant yacht. But as the years go by, the world is engulfed by a terrible war. Defeat after defeat lowers the morale of the Russian soldiers, and soon the people are rebelling. Even though she has seen firsthand the poverty that many people live in, the royal family has become a second family to Katya. As revolution changes her once predictable life, Katya must change, too, if she is to survive what is to come. This was a beautifully written historical novel. Over the course of the story, Katya changes from a spoiled little girl to a mature young woman with a greater awareness of the world around her. I highly reccomend this novel to readers who enjoy historical fiction.