Blue Angel
-
-
3.0 • 1 Rating
-
-
- $25.99
Publisher Description
The National Book Award Finalist from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Francine Prose—now the major motion picture Submission
“Screamingly funny … Blue Angel culminates in a sexual harassment hearing that rivals the Salem witch trials.” —USA Today
It's been years since Swenson, a professor in a New England creative writing program, has published a novel. It's been even longer since any of his students have shown promise. Enter Angela Argo, a pierced, tattooed student with a rare talent for writing. Angela is just the thing Swenson needs. And, better yet, she wants his help. But, as we all know, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Deliciously risque, Blue Angel is a withering take on today's academic mores and a scathing tale that vividly shows what can happen when academic politics collides with political correctness.
Customer Reviews
A WEAK READING OF A STRONG NOVEL
"Blue Angel" is not really "screamingly funny", as the blurb suggests; it is not really a campus satire; it's more a campus tragedy with some amusing, cringeworthy moments familiar to any university grad, particularly those who either studied or taught -or study and teach - creative writing. Most importantly, it's a reasoned and resonant exploration of a midlife crisis within the maelstrom of contemporary campus politics. (It is also a womderful depiction of a particular male quandary by a gifted female writer.)
Unfortunately, the quallity of the reading in this audiobook is the reason behind my mediocre rating. Alongside a few glaring mispronunciations ("decoriously"?), the reader's attempts at adult female voices are samey and highly bothersome, and his varying tone and often inappropriate emphasis during descriptive passages suggest he was not sufficiently familiar with the text before he set to his task. His handling of the younger voices is better, certainly, but, since the novel's focus and voice is adult, the overall effect is disappointing. This is a very good, almost great novel poorly served by slapdash reading and inadequate direction and editing.