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Tin Angel

by Shannon Cowan

$&Shannon Cowan has two adult books to her credit, but Tin Angel marks her debut as a young adult writer. And what a debut. From its short prologue through to the final paragraph, readers will be riveted by this novel.$&
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 “I was fourteen years old when they arrested me for the murder of Louis Moss, a man I knew briefly as the man who wrecked my family,” begins the story of Ronnie Page. Five years after her acquittal, Ronnie acknowledges the uncertainty that still exists: “Whether or not I killed him has always been the question.” She invites readers to hear her tale and make up their own minds.$&
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Ronnie grew up at a lodge in an isolated region of the Coast Mountains, where she spent her time in solitude, outdoors or reading. An expert on alpine flora, she knows how to survive in the wilderness, but her social skills are lacking. When her father’s death forces her mother to sell the lodge and move the family to a nearby town, Ronnie slides into despair as her once-idyllic life accelerates into a hopeless downhill spiral. She blames her family’s troubles on Louis Moss — the man who bought the lodge and who was also her mother’s girlhood boyfriend. When Louis is killed in a suspicious fire, Ronnie quickly becomes the prime suspect.$&
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Cowan reveals Ronnie’s story gradually, as if the details were being dragged from her. What appear to be meaningless events build and blur to form damning evidence that culminates in Ronnie’s arrest.$&
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The tone of the story is sombre, and there is no happy ending, but that is part of what makes Tin Angel so compelling. Rich with imagery and raw with emotion, this novel reads realistically. It shows that bad things can happen to good people. This is a must-read.$&

 

Reviewer: Kristin Butcher

Publisher: Lobster Press

DETAILS

Price: $14.95

Page Count: 336 pp

Format: Paper

ISBN: 978-1-897073-68-1

Released: Oct.

Issue Date: 2007-11

Categories:

Age Range: 13+