Maria Savva's Blog - Posts Tagged "changing-angels"

Changing Angels by Julie Elizabeth Powell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I’ve always enjoyed Julie Elizabeth Powell’s books; they’re always imaginative and original. “Changing Angels” is no exception. It starts off following the lives of two children, Faith and Jake. They do not know each other, but are connected somehow, in an unexplained way. The novel's chapters alternate between Jake’s story and Faith’s story.

As the main characters are both children at the start of the novel, I was wondering for a while whether this was a story written for children. However, the author was only setting out the background to what becomes a crime thriller, with some disturbing scenes.

Jake and Faith's first encounter is when Faith is still a child, on a bus, and Jake sees her from the street. They both treasure that memory as something significant, although they do not know why.

The two meet a few years later, and both instantly recognise each other as if they’d met before. They talk to each other as if they are old friends. At this point I wondered whether the tale would be a fantasy tale.

Jake and Faith feel a connection as if they have known each other all their lives, although they both come from quite different backgrounds.

The story takes a dramatic turn when the couple plan to meet for a romantic day out but Faith doesn’t turn up. What ensues is both unexpected and tragic. This leads to the second half of the novel, which is much more fast-paced.

"Changing Angels" is probably the author’s best work to date. It’s complex and contains many characters, who all seem like real people, all having very distinct personalities. One thing this author does very well is that she writes novels and stories that contain multiple characters and every character is always memorable in some way.

“Changing Angels” explores the idea of a sixth sense, guardian angels, soulmates, and other such matters. These concepts lay the foundation for the fantasy side of the novel. This lighter more romantic side is balanced by the story of a criminal gang and how that darker side of life becomes part of Faith and Jake's reality.

The book is engaging and thought-provoking. It will make you question what is real and what is imagined. It makes you think about whether certain things are predestined, and how everything is connected. It’s an imaginative tale with a deeper meaning.

To sum up, “Changing Angels” is an entertaining thriller with believable characters and a fantasy theme. Well worth reading.





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