Green Angel by Alice Hoffman

Green Angel was one of those books that after I read it I had to go out and buy it. I am not entirely sure the time or place in which it is set, it is the air of a Utopic fantasy novel but it could also potentially be linked to real life events, such as the bombing of Dresden as discussed in Slaughterhouse Five. The bottom line of the story is that a young girl named Green is left behind when her family goes into the town/city/more-populated-area to sell their fruits and vegetables while Green is trusted to tend the garden, which is her gift. When the town (or whatever it is) goes up in flames and her family doesn't return, Green is left by herself in a ruined version of a life she had loved so much. Green passes through the stages of grief with beauty and grace, and her evolution from a slightly awkward girl into a self-assured and strong woman is like watching a beautiful portrait being painted.

The book not only deals with different ways to deal with grief, but it also has many pointed examples of symbolism. Although some of the symbolism, like the stones that Green selects to represent members of her lost family, are more obvious some other examples like her own physical transformation are more subtle and harder to unpack.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, although it's short length and poetic nature would make it ideal for reluctant readers. I feel that this book is pretty strongly female, as it focuses on the main character being an outcast and feeling out of place in her world and age. I do not know if I would teach this book in class unless we did a unit on grief and dying... I simply do not feel that the book would have mass appeal for a whole classroom. Despite this, absolutely one of my new favorite books. :)