Confessions of a Fallen Angel

by Ronan O'Brien

Following a near-death experience as a child, the narrator becomes cursed with the ability to foresee the deaths of the people closest to him. These visions come to him in his dreams and, following a disastrous attempt to save a childhood friend from drowning, a set of terrifying events begins to unfold. As a young man, he finds redemption in the arms of Ashling, his beautiful wife. But then the visions return...

This is a story about one man`s struggle to live an ordinary life in extraordinary circumstances; about love lost and found and the vast range of emotions that can be weathered by the human heart. This is a story where dreams come true but can turn into nightmares; a place where true love will prevail and where death is only the beginning. \

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Set in the fictional Dublin suburb of Rathgorman, CONFESSIONS OF A FALLEN ANGEL is a truly remarkable debut novel that will grip you from the first line and surprise you to the last.

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Book Club, Contemporary, Drama, Paranormal

336 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2008

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Experience has taught me that what you love, you should love all the harder because someday it will be gone.”
Ronan O'Brien, Confessions of a Fallen Angel

Set in a fictional Dublin, the narrator, after a near-death experience gains the ability to foresee the deaths of those close to him. O'Brien takes this well-used premise and creates a nice piece of work that somehow mixes some genuinely near-perfect comedy moments and some terrible tragedies to surprise and delight the reader! 6 out of 12

[Suad Shamma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suffice it to say, one of my favourite books of the year. What's funny about this is that I've had this book on my shelf for years. YEARS. I am not exaggerating. I bought this book back in 2007 when I was still in university because I loved the cover and the premise of the story. I thought it sounded interesting, and although I've never even heard of the author before, I was in the mood to take a chance. However, I also bought about 10 or so other books, and of course I had many more books at home to get through, and I only continued to buy more books, that somehow it got lost in the pile of TBR that only kept growing as the years went by.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to start going through all these books that I bought years ago that I've yet to read and picked this one up. All I can ask myself now is...WHAT THE HELL WAS I WAITING FOR?!

Oh my God, this book is so good that I can't even talk about it without ruining the whole thing for everyone! I couldn't stop reading, as I was immersed in this crazy, sad, violent world that Charlie - the protagonist - lived in. It makes you experience a range of emotions, that you go from laughing to wanting to sob into your pillow, to getting furious, to being absolutely terrified in a matter of seconds! I found myself several times clutching the book begging the character to do things or not do things as if he could actually hear me.

The thing is though, you know what's going to happen from the very beginning. A boy at 10 years of age dies for the first time from some sort of asthma attack while playing football just for a moment before he is brought back to life to find that he can now foresee when those he loves most are going to die...and how.

When he fails at saving his best friend Owen from his inevitable death at twelve, something inside of him changes. He detaches himself and refuses to get close to anyone ever again. But that's not how life works...and time and again, someone he loves ends up dead, and he feels absolutely helpless.

The worst was when we got to the part that told the story of him and his wife. The minute I started reading that section of the book, I felt my heart in my throat the whole time in anticipation of what was going to happen. Ronan O'Brien makes it worse by building up to it in a way where he gives you a complete background of their story that you almost feel like you're reading a separate book about two completely different characters. He gets you attached, and hopeful, and invested...and then he pulls the rug from under your feet so fast that we are as shocked as Charlie - if not more so.

The whole story is narrated by Charlie, which makes it even more heartfelt and gut wrenching. The ending was fantastic, and it felt like it suddenly turned into this Action movie with all the violence and desperation and heroism involved. Some people may have not liked that, but I thought it was brilliant. Things wrapped up just the way they were supposed to, and although it left me breathless and sad, I loved it.

It was one of those books that I enjoyed so much that I couldn't stop talking about it during my reading process. My husband had to endure my ravings about the book and a play by play of what was going on, and later my sister had to endure the same ramblings as I gushed about how good this book is.

I might have ruined it for her irrevocably that she won't be able to read it herself, but I tried not to do that with this review.

Very happy that my much younger self bought this book on a whim.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first novel from Ronan O Brien, a criminal lawyer based in Dublin. His experiences within the law most probably helped him to write one of the most violent characters I have ever come across - Norman, who figures so much towards the end of the novel.

The main character, Charlie had a near-death experience when he was aged ten which left him able to foresee the deaths of people he loves. Charlie tries so hard to prevent these deaths from happening but every time, he fails. Ronan O Brien describes the heartbreak of bereavement so well, you can almost feel Charlie's pain, especially when he loses Ashling, his wife

There are some wonderfully written characters in the story which is narrated by Charlie - and is full of wit and some great dialogue. It is set in a fictious suburb of Dublin which seems to be populated by out and out losers, dossers and drunks. There is is pretty gruesome violent scenes and the language is pretty harsh at times - but this just adds to the authenticity of the story.

I thought this was a brilliant brilliant first novel - I was engrossed from the opening lines and it is definitely one the best books I have read this year.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This could so easily be a depressing book, but there is something about the way it is written that keeps you going. Despite the main character's premonitions, it seems a very 'real' book. Loved it.

[Layla Rohan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot rate this book highly enough! You can't help but think the author is speaking from experience...? Interesting take on near death experiences. Brilliant!

[Lara Vehar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this random gem in a thrift store and i am so glad that I picked it up. This is such a great short novel and it made me tear up.

The story is broken up into several parts and our protagonist goes through each part differently. The book starts off with his introduction. He has an asthma attack which results in him falling unconscious and nearly dying. After he comes back to life he gains the ability to see the future and those he loves die.

First part is about his best friend's death, he accidentally contributes by pushing a trolley into the river, Owen gets stuck in it and he drowns - and it's one of the worst deaths imaginable. It gave me goosebumps.

The second death is an old librarian he befriends, he skips school and hangs around in the library and instead of kicking him out she befriends him. After he gets into a confrontation with the new librarian he scares her by screaming that he killed him and she has a heart attack and dies before he gets her medicine.

Third death was his wife- this one was brutal and hard to get through. He is in love, you feel so happy for him - then he ends up hitting his own wife with a car killing her instantly - unexpected but also really brutal. As soon as I saw that chapter title I knew that I would have my heart pulled out of my chest.

Fourth death ... was prevented! It was his own death and I was so glad that he died instead of an innocent young girl. This part was especially brutal to get through because it contains alcoholism and domestic violence. But the ending was also satisfying because he managed to save an innocent kid's life and he finally dies and gets reunited with his wife. That was beautiful.

This story was unexpectedly sad and it's one of the rare books that made me tear up. It's a hard read but it's also super fast and fast paced so you never get bored. A great debut novel and a great underrated novel in general.

[Milly Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a super little novel and one that I didn't expect to be so full of different emotions. Dark at times, emotional at times and funny at times. As he tells on the first page - our narrator died for the first time when he was ten. That was his first near death experience. What it left him with were visions - dreams that foretell the deaths of those he loves. Each section has a name - so you pretty much know what the outcome of each section is going to be. However, this is not a novel that is full of foreboding and misery - there is hope, there is love. There is death and violence, there is grief and loss, but hope and love are the stars, For all his flaws, I really liked our narrator and at times felt like shouting at him for some of his wrong decisions. At the same time, you feel really sorry for him when life goes wrong and he is the victim of misjustice. He tries so hard to do the right thing he is someone you can laugh and cry with. I enjoyed it.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

With its gripping narrative and compelling characters, this book is sure to captivate readers from beginning to end. Whether you're drawn to tales of the supernatural or stories of love and redemption, this novel offers something for everyone. Prepare to be enthralled and maybe a little heartbroken from the very first line to the stunning conclusion. As the story unfolds, unexpected twists and turns keep readers on the edge of their seats, while the emotional depth of the characters ensures that their journey resonates long after the final page is turned. The narrative delves into themes of redemption, love, and the resilience of the human spirit as the protagonist navigates the complexities of his extraordinary circumstances.

[Malcolm Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book seemed both straight forward and confusing from the first chapter onward. Whichever it was most at any given moment, it was a compulsive read. It would be ideal reading for anyone who has a relative who drinks/drank a lot and denied that they were in any way 'an alcoholic', since the way the story unwinds makes it very much the narrative of somebody who denies being an alcoholic or in any way 'unable to stop' but drinks a lot because they want to.

to be continued

[Emi Dokubo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is captivating
Although the story is twisted and dark, there's a bit of humour in it that you'd love.
I was satisfied with the ending although I wish the author could have explored other ways the main character's gift could have been useful to him.

A better title would have been ‘Confessions of an Angel of Death’ 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Angela Oatham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second time reading this and it was as good as I remembered. Told in Dublin dialect but completely accessible to non-Irish readers it poses the question, if you can see the death of loved ones; can you do anything to help?

[Hue Le · Rating 4 out of 5]

The things that happened to the protagonist in this story was so sad and depressing I dont know whether I should laugh or cry. Overall it was a good read and I found it very engaging even with all the unfortunate events that enfolds

[Helen Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot was an interesting concept but unfortunately I don't feel the author explored it enough.

[Stacey Mckeogh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book faintly feels like something Mitch Albom would write but with blood, murder, domestic violence and alcoholism!!
A really good book with an Aesop’s fable-esque moral at the end!

[Katie Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devastatingly brilliant.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled across this book in the library...What I found within the covers of this novel was a little gem which I loved from the very start.

For my full review please visit my blog at:https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...

[Nicol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please, sir, write more. And I'll just write what I wrote for my English class in high school (it was more than a year ago... I can't believe what I wrote, huh).

"Dying was the easy bit. It was during my life after death that things started to go wrong." Charlie, the narrator in Confessions of a Fallen Angel, begins his life-changing journey as a 10-year-old young boy, whose will to live brough him back from the verge of death, only to acquire an ability of premonition. Irish writer Ronan O'Brien in his first novel, published in 2008, captured the life of the main character from the rebellious years of his youth, through his rise, subsequent fall and his never-ending struggle with destiny.

Confessions of a Fallen Angel begins its story on the car park of fictional Dublin suburb, Rathgorman, where Charlie, 10-year-old boy, dies by accident during a football game, following by an out of body experience. However, he is eventually saved by the unknown passer-by, bringing back not only his life, but also the gift, which author rather refers to as a "curse", of foreseeing imminent deaths of people close to him. While Charlie struggles to fight the fate and save his best friend from dying, he unintentionally starts the series of terrifying happenings. When he meets his future wife and love of his life, Ashling, the events of his childhood are long forgotten. But then, the visions return...

Ronan O'Brien's captivating way of storytelling catches the reader's attention from the first paragraph. Told in an Irish dialect, it creates an appealing atmosphere, strengthened not only by excessive use of swear words (which, strangely, do not spoil the book whatsoever) or caps lock, but by his fierce humor, observational talent and contemplative sections as well. O'Brien sought inspiration for the book in Brothers Grimm's fairy tales he'd been reading as a child and a Greek mythology, clearly defining the line between the good and evil and wanting to link realistic fiction with a supernatural element. His characters are fully believable, you have no other choice but sympathise with the main character, despite his self-destructive nature and occasional illogical actions.

Confessions of a Fallen Angel is a book I would recommend to anyone who wants to experience a spectrum of emotions, from laughter, happines and wonder to sadness, pain and heartache, with a gentle touch of supernatural. The fact alone that this is O'Brien's debut is terrific, because the book takes on an appearance of experience, although tiny corrections are needed. I can assure you that the book leaves a footprint in your heart, like it did in mine.

“Everyone who walks upon this earth leaves behind a footprint that will always be there. There is a goodness inside all of us and that is what prevails when everything else has turned to dust. And if we nurture that goodness while we are still alive, then we leave a bigger footprint and an even stronger sense of us lingers after we have moved on. If you remember nothing else after reading my story, remember that."

[JennyB · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a shortlist nominee for the Irish Book Awards in 2008, and I am sorry over that, because the Irish are a good people and they deserve far better books than this. You cannot successfully combine the light-hearted wiseassery of Adrian Mole with gruesomely detailed descriptions of violence and syrupy epics of sentimentality, and you probably shouldn't even attempt it. Ronan O'Brien does, and predictably, he fails. It gets one star because the dialogue is snappy and often funny, and the concept of foreseeing someone's death and (spoiler now) becoming the agent of it in the attempt to prevent it is an interesting one. Overall though, this is amateurish and disappointing, and I hope the Book Awards have a better crop of choices in 2009.

[Jacob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite the awesome title and subject matter, I didn't like this book as much as I wanted to. Don't get me wrong, there are some genuinely funny bits (he refers to a patron at a local pub as an honorary member of Densa), devastating moments of heartbreak (sliding to the floor after finding the love note written in magnetic letters on the fridge by his wife before she dies), and a hefty dose of violence. But I lost my emotional attachment to the characters in the last 50 pages, and in the end it felt like it was trying to be Dublin's "American Beauty". Or the Time Traveler's Wife for double Jameson and Guinness guys who can't get their shit together but still want to save the girl.

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following a near-death experience as a child the narrator finds himself seeing visions of the deaths of people close to him, deaths he can't do anything about. Set in a fictional suburb of Dublin this is a story about his life and his quest to do the right thing always. The end was a shocker but works.

Interesting and there are moments of pure humour that shine out (the sequence in the library is wonderful) there are places where it seems a little forced. Still a good read, he's an author I'll keep an eye out for.

[sisterimapoet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a quick and easy read. I enjoyed it, but once I'd worked out the formula, it was pretty easy to see where it was heading.

However, it's hard not to feel for a character who knows that those he loves will be ripped away from him. And the little everyday details of his losses made it for me.


At times it felt a little rushed. It was too quick to close a chapter and move onto the next one. There were places where I would have liked to linger longer. And some of the characters felt a little stereotyped.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tale of a boy who has a near death experience and consequently has visions of the death of loved ones was absolutely excellent!
The cringe worthy realisations that his attempts to meddle with fate and prevent those deaths are the causes of them had me shouting out for him to stop!! My heart broke as the narrator took you on his journey of grief and guilt after his wife's death, and luckily I was reading it at home at the time and not on the bus to work, as tears were streaming down my cheeks!
An interesting fable about fate! Fantastic reading!

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first novel by Ronan O'Brien. Beautiful, sad and at the same time uplifting. The hero had a number of near-death experiences and acquired the 6th sense. When he applied it in life, he destroyed people he loved the most. The idea that we hurt people we loved the most while try to safe them is nothing new. The only way for the hero to protect the loved ones is to die himself. It may sound very morbid, but the book has a kind of a happy ending. Interesting, different and very kind book.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover threw me off a bit, thinking that it may be a bit juvenile for me. You know that old saying though, so I didn't. The characters streak of bad luck I could relate to as well as his depression. It's not all negative. The writers narrative is refreshing and had me drop all of the other things that I had reading at the time. I hope he's writing another novel as I am anxious to read it. Kept me guessing.

[Rebecca Haslam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The back page of this book is what convinced me to pick it up and to be fair, I read it in a pretty short space of time. It intrigued me to think that someone could have flashes, as such, of their futures, to see moments that they are involved with somehow, and also to see how such events impact them and those closest to them. I found some of the chapters in this book somewhat predictable but at the same time could identify with the reactions of the young boy this book is based around.

[Joanne Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an easy 24 hour read and is hardly challenging. It is however compulsive. The protagonist's life is filled with tragedy that most people should never experience and it provides a deep understanding as to how grief can destroy. The protagonist's voice is equally arrogant in parts. There are some beautiful moments, where a reader is filled with hope for the protagonist. Overall, an engaging quick read.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, such a captivating story and definitely one I couldn't put down. For me it rang through on so many levels, seeing things before they happen and having absolutely no power to stop the inevitable from happening no matter what you do. This is definitely a book you will be hooked on from the first page to the last.

First time reading Ronan O Brien but I will be watching for his new books in the future

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, such a captivating story and definitely one I couldn't put down. For me it rang through on so many levels, seeing things before they happen and having absolutely no power to stop the inevitable from happening no matter what you do. This is definitely a book you will be hooked on from the first page to the last.

First time reading Ronan O Brien but I will be watching for his new books in the future

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the debut novel from Ronan O'Brien and it was fantastic. His main character has a near death experience but after he is brought back to life he has the ability to see his friends' deaths. This leads him to try and change their destiny and utimately his own. The only bad thing I can say about this book is that it is not available in the US. You can find it on amazon.co.uk.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

In comparison to the last book i read i cannot say this is worth anymore than 3 stars. This isnt to say this isnt a well written and enjoyable read; however this didnt have the same effect on me as my previous read so i really cannot rate it any higher.

The storyline is very believable and the addition of humour makes it seem very human so its easy to sympathise with the main character.