Author: Patricia Schonstein Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 224
Retail Price: $7.99 Buy on Amazon.com
Written in that vague, fuzzy-headed prose of magical realism, but clumsily failing, A Time Of Angels attempts to be the Italian food version of Chocolat. The narrative, set in South Africa, is the basic theme of love triangles and betrayal, but confusing flashbacks and flimsy characters bog down and convolute the reading experience. Simply, it's a mess.
The author seems to enjoy herself most when she weaves in Italian cuisine, but the self-conscious hedonism doesn't translate well into the sensuality she's hoping for. This is more the Joy of Cooking than the Joy of Sex. In any case, there's not much joy in reading this.
