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Angels Crest
It only takes a moment for a life to change forever. Ethan Denton is a lucky man. Lately things have gone his way–like being granted custody of Nate, his three-year-old son. But when he takes the child up to Angels Crest early one morning to show him the mountains, Ethan’s luck changes instantaneously. In an impulsive decision any parent might make, he leaves his son asleep in the back seat while he follows a pair of magnificent buck, just for a minute–but when he returns the truck’s door is open, the child is gone, and snow is falling . . .As townspeople gather to aid in the search, the boy’s disappearance resurrects old wounds and regrets for each of them. But it also provides the chance for love and redemption, as they struggle to make sense of the inexplicable.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
About the author
Leslie Schwartz
17 books11 followersLibrarian Note: there is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 12, 2015
"Been around the world and found that only stupid people are breeding" - Harvey Danger, Flagpole Sitta
If you have no clue what that was, then Youtube that right now because it's a freaking awesome song. And the one-liner really summarizes this book quite well.
In a miserable but picturesque northern California village, a precious 3 year old boy gets lost in a snowstorm with only blue moon pajamas and a deflated balloon to protect him from the elements.
We follow the search for little Nate through the third-person eyes of his father, the father's ex-wife, the father's ex-best friend, a diner owner/waitress, said diner owner/waitress's sister, the sister's girlfriend, and a judge who just happens to be passing through the town.
The story is not exactly riveting nor are any of the characters save Glick even remotely likeable. None of these people have any business whatsoever bringing children into the world and the reader gets to experience multiple generations of f*ck-ups screwing up the young ones. It's sad that the birth of a child in this story doesn't elicit joy or hope, but dread. However, the author does a good job of conveying the various emotions the search for Nate brings upon the community.
What doesn't work is the repeated events from multiple perspectives. For example, you read about a character making a sandwich for another character. In the next chapter, the second character describes watching the first making the sandwich. So for a while, I thought there were a lot of sandwiches. Nope, it's just really poorly handled transitions.
If you have no clue what that was, then Youtube that right now because it's a freaking awesome song. And the one-liner really summarizes this book quite well.
In a miserable but picturesque northern California village, a precious 3 year old boy gets lost in a snowstorm with only blue moon pajamas and a deflated balloon to protect him from the elements.
We follow the search for little Nate through the third-person eyes of his father, the father's ex-wife, the father's ex-best friend, a diner owner/waitress, said diner owner/waitress's sister, the sister's girlfriend, and a judge who just happens to be passing through the town.
The story is not exactly riveting nor are any of the characters save Glick even remotely likeable. None of these people have any business whatsoever bringing children into the world and the reader gets to experience multiple generations of f*ck-ups screwing up the young ones. It's sad that the birth of a child in this story doesn't elicit joy or hope, but dread. However, the author does a good job of conveying the various emotions the search for Nate brings upon the community.
What doesn't work is the repeated events from multiple perspectives. For example, you read about a character making a sandwich for another character. In the next chapter, the second character describes watching the first making the sandwich. So for a while, I thought there were a lot of sandwiches. Nope, it's just really poorly handled transitions.
December 19, 2013
This book bothered me, but it bothered me in both good and bad ways. When I started reading this book, I was immediately annoyed.
1.) Angels Crest... where's the apostrophe?
2.) Rocksan... just spell it how it's supposed to be spelled.
3.) The fact that the story was told from the viewpoint of around six different characters.
4.) There were so many themes running through the book, and this bothers me a lot of the time. Fortunately for this book, it all worked out in the end.
Despite all of this, I grew to really love the book. One mans tragedy makes everyone else realize how precious their own lives are and how trivial their problems. It is one that will bother you long after you read it. It is as heartbreaking as it is hopeful.
1.) Angels Crest... where's the apostrophe?
2.) Rocksan... just spell it how it's supposed to be spelled.
3.) The fact that the story was told from the viewpoint of around six different characters.
4.) There were so many themes running through the book, and this bothers me a lot of the time. Fortunately for this book, it all worked out in the end.
Despite all of this, I grew to really love the book. One mans tragedy makes everyone else realize how precious their own lives are and how trivial their problems. It is one that will bother you long after you read it. It is as heartbreaking as it is hopeful.
June 20, 2011
I absolutely adored this book. Its one of my alltime favourites. Its very heartbreaking in parts. All i have to say is if you havent read this Go Get it Now.
March 17, 2020
This book was just very sad and depressing. I guess wrong time to read this!!!
January 16, 2012
Book was recommended by a library publication as one with a 'strong sense of place' and it definitely fulfills the label. Angels Crest is a mountain that dominates the story and the lives of the people in it. Whenever you have a 'strong sense of place' you can bet the writing is very lyrical & descriptive and this is true of this book. This is a rather slow-moving story about a very urgent situation, a toddler lost on the mountain. Various characters have a chapter featuring their point of view. The very next chapter often is a different person's point of view about the exact same situation that was just covered. The story explores family and belonging, loss and mistakes. While on the sad side throughout, it is nevertheless a gentle and forgiving story as well.
February 9, 2017
Having found the movie version interesting, I thought I should read the book. It had a strong enough start - I felt able to connect to the characters, initially, and thought we were getting some good depth going. Then everything plateaued and became one of the most repetitive books I've ever read. The multitude of characters we follow have all experienced traumatic events, but by half-way to three-quarters in, I just didn't care anymore. How many ways and times can you tell me about the exact same events and how they are impacting the characters. Even the same phrasing got repeated. It was tedious and interminable. I don't recall the last time I was so relieved to be done with a book.
January 18, 2013
Ugh, what a drag. Totally one note, depressing book that just floats along going nowhere.
March 19, 2024
Basically a soap opera in a book.
I like small-town settings, especially since I’m not an American. This was a great small-town setting, with lots of interesting characters.
There are several interwoven plots, which is why it’s like a soap opera. The main one is tragic, while the others are varying degrees of drama. I think the one character I connected with most was the judge; I wish there’d been a bit more of a conclusion to his story. The lesbian couple were great, but aside from knowing the other characters their story just seemed like a random tangential B plot.
Two stars are deducted because of the horrible transitions between chapters. Like, you finish one chapter and it’s evening, then suddenly the next chapter goes back in time to the morning, ending at night, then the *next* chapter begins at lunchtime. It was really jarring and it spoiled an otherwise reasonably entertaining book.
Entertaining enough for me to have bought the DVD of the movie anyway! It will be interesting to see how it compares.
If the author ever decided to return to this setting and these characters I would most likely be willing to read it - if only the timeline was better sorted.
I like small-town settings, especially since I’m not an American. This was a great small-town setting, with lots of interesting characters.
There are several interwoven plots, which is why it’s like a soap opera. The main one is tragic, while the others are varying degrees of drama. I think the one character I connected with most was the judge; I wish there’d been a bit more of a conclusion to his story. The lesbian couple were great, but aside from knowing the other characters their story just seemed like a random tangential B plot.
Two stars are deducted because of the horrible transitions between chapters. Like, you finish one chapter and it’s evening, then suddenly the next chapter goes back in time to the morning, ending at night, then the *next* chapter begins at lunchtime. It was really jarring and it spoiled an otherwise reasonably entertaining book.
Entertaining enough for me to have bought the DVD of the movie anyway! It will be interesting to see how it compares.
If the author ever decided to return to this setting and these characters I would most likely be willing to read it - if only the timeline was better sorted.
August 1, 2023
An unexpectedly touching story. I started this thinking it was going to be about a missing boy and the townspeople’s search to find him. It turned out to be a beautiful character study into loss, grief, love and redemption.
November 13, 2023
SYNOPSIS - A story of a single father and his son in which he goes missing in a small town. The story basically focuses on the whole search done by the villagers and the sheriffs to find that little boy.
RATING - 2/5
TBH IT WAS KINDA DISAPPOINTING.
GENRE - MYSTERY
REVIEW - When I started reading the book I actually had high expectations from it since it comes under one of my favourite genres but OH GOD it was really disappointing. It took me 5 pages to get bored of this book. I remember really well how I dragged this book till the end. OH GOSH I just couldn't feel any sort of connection to this book. I mean if it's a mystery book then there has to be some plot twist right ? But it had NOTHING, like absolutely nothing. I've never read a book as boring as this.
I'M SORRY THIS MIGHT SOUND REALLY HARSH BUT THAT'S THE TRUTH.
I WON'T SUGGEST ANYONE TO READ THIS BOOK.
RATING - 2/5
TBH IT WAS KINDA DISAPPOINTING.
GENRE - MYSTERY
REVIEW - When I started reading the book I actually had high expectations from it since it comes under one of my favourite genres but OH GOD it was really disappointing. It took me 5 pages to get bored of this book. I remember really well how I dragged this book till the end. OH GOSH I just couldn't feel any sort of connection to this book. I mean if it's a mystery book then there has to be some plot twist right ? But it had NOTHING, like absolutely nothing. I've never read a book as boring as this.
I'M SORRY THIS MIGHT SOUND REALLY HARSH BUT THAT'S THE TRUTH.
I WON'T SUGGEST ANYONE TO READ THIS BOOK.
November 12, 2010
This was a very difficult book for me to read and I cried so many times while reading it. A boy gets lost in the snow because his father left him unattended in an unlocked car for about fifteen minutes.
The consequences of this one foolish act play out as the tragedy extends to touch all the residents of the little town of Angel's Crest.
But the loss of course was most with the father Ethan, a quiet hard-working hardware store owner, and his ex-wife Cindy, who has been walking the self-destruct alcoholic path even before her divorce from Ethan.
The novel is written from multiple perspective, and although this device gives more depth to the story its use here meant repeating some scenes from one chapter in another which, in my opinion, stuttered the story flow. I also felt it was an additional ploy to squeeze more raw emotions out of the reader in reaction to the senseless tragedy.
In my opinion this books would have worked perfectly as a short story, because much of what happens in it is just reflection on the same issues from multiple point of view.
What the writer wants to say in the end is that people need an anchor in their lives, it has to be either love or faith and life cannot continue when a person lacks both. This is a generally accepted theory but I do not like its implications of the book because faith might save an alcoholic loser while a quiet dependable father who made one very costly mistake could find himself without any hope or reason to live.
But I guess this is how life works, perhaps people invented faith to be able to carry on living.
The consequences of this one foolish act play out as the tragedy extends to touch all the residents of the little town of Angel's Crest.
But the loss of course was most with the father Ethan, a quiet hard-working hardware store owner, and his ex-wife Cindy, who has been walking the self-destruct alcoholic path even before her divorce from Ethan.
The novel is written from multiple perspective, and although this device gives more depth to the story its use here meant repeating some scenes from one chapter in another which, in my opinion, stuttered the story flow. I also felt it was an additional ploy to squeeze more raw emotions out of the reader in reaction to the senseless tragedy.
In my opinion this books would have worked perfectly as a short story, because much of what happens in it is just reflection on the same issues from multiple point of view.
What the writer wants to say in the end is that people need an anchor in their lives, it has to be either love or faith and life cannot continue when a person lacks both. This is a generally accepted theory but I do not like its implications of the book because faith might save an alcoholic loser while a quiet dependable father who made one very costly mistake could find himself without any hope or reason to live.
But I guess this is how life works, perhaps people invented faith to be able to carry on living.
Read
January 14, 2009Angel’s Crest, by Leslie Schwartz. A.
Downloaded from audible.com
This is a book about how a moment in time can change lives forever. Ethan Denton takes his three-year-old son into the woods at dawn to look at its beauty. Ethan has just won full custody of his son and he is happy. He sees two bucks in the distance. Deciding he wants a better look at them, and with his child asleep in the truck, he gets out and follows them. When he returns a few minutes later, the door to the truck is open and his son is gone. A snowstorm blankets the mountain, and he and townspeople look for the child all day. His body is found the next morning by Ethan’s former best friend. What follows is the story of how Ethan, his ex-wife, his former best friend, the town restaurant owner, a lesbian couple, and an elderly judge all dealt with the loss. For all of them it brought up losses and mistakes they had made in their own lives, and for some it was a fork in the road which led them to happiness for the future. For others it was not. This is a well-constructed book and I recommend it.
Downloaded from audible.com
This is a book about how a moment in time can change lives forever. Ethan Denton takes his three-year-old son into the woods at dawn to look at its beauty. Ethan has just won full custody of his son and he is happy. He sees two bucks in the distance. Deciding he wants a better look at them, and with his child asleep in the truck, he gets out and follows them. When he returns a few minutes later, the door to the truck is open and his son is gone. A snowstorm blankets the mountain, and he and townspeople look for the child all day. His body is found the next morning by Ethan’s former best friend. What follows is the story of how Ethan, his ex-wife, his former best friend, the town restaurant owner, a lesbian couple, and an elderly judge all dealt with the loss. For all of them it brought up losses and mistakes they had made in their own lives, and for some it was a fork in the road which led them to happiness for the future. For others it was not. This is a well-constructed book and I recommend it.
May 5, 2018
A powerful and highly emotional read - with many observations on human nature. I particularly empathized with Ethan and his town's need to always blame and punish someone for pure accidents - it always upsets me when I see this in the news and this novel shows the impact doing just that, and of trial by media. Although it was a good story I had a few problems - it was quite repetitive, on nearly every page someone imagined the young boy dead in the woods to the point where it was no longer impactful, the same descriptions were completely overused. Also, as the writer puts it again and again, 'the lesbians', yes we get it -they're gay. This was mentioned on nearly every page totally needlessly, and again the descriptions of their life and observations of them by other characters were completely overused. I had expected this novel to be a mystery, a town looking for the lost child and uncovering the clues - but it was completely different to this and not in a bad way I suppose.
May 18, 2009
There are some fun lines in this story, and some very charming characters. I like this line, about a funeral being held a mile down a snowy mountain trail, "...city folk would never turn out for a funeral where you had to work your muscles and your grief at the same time." (The character who says this is a bit of a sourpuss who left the city to get away from the 'folk').
It was very tidy, this book. Written in multiple perspectives, Schwartz kept all of the horses in the barnyard. All was as expected.
It was very tidy, this book. Written in multiple perspectives, Schwartz kept all of the horses in the barnyard. All was as expected.
May 16, 2013
One crisp fall morning, Ethan Denton, with sleeping three-year-old in the truck, sets off to enjoy the beauty of the forest. When he spies a pair of bucks, he ventures out of sight of the truck and loses track of time. Thirty minutes later, he comes to his senses, returns to his truck to find his son Nate missing. And area-wide search finds the body of little Nate the next morning, lost in the forest, with tears frozen into ice crystals on his face. And Ethan will never be the same again--nor will the town of Angels Crest.
June 28, 2015
An intense ride in the many heads of the residents of Angels Crest, a small fictional town somewhere north of Los Angeles. In a small clearing adjacent to the woods, a father leaves his sleeping son in his truck while he follows a deer trail, just for a few minutes.
And then... not good stuff happens. And there is a media frenzy, and alcoholism, and people coming together in love, and friendship, and community. Beautifully written, I really cared about and empathized with all these people.
And then... not good stuff happens. And there is a media frenzy, and alcoholism, and people coming together in love, and friendship, and community. Beautifully written, I really cared about and empathized with all these people.
May 17, 2011
This book was definitely not what I expected. I had to make myself read it since I wanted to see the movie. But it was really slow to get going. Then it was good for awhile, then just abruptly ended. Probably not really a book I would recommend, but I gave it 3 stars anyway as it wasnt completely awful and does show you how to really appreciate your life.
July 18, 2012
A plaintive, lyrical book, anchored to the mountain, the snow and the trees. Painful the way life is painful: flawed, broken but trying every day to put itself back together. We witness a cast of characters trying to regenerate themselves after the bleakest of winters, and somehow we know at the end that despite the loss and the pain, life will spring again.
March 7, 2013
I liked most of this book. I teared up at times and was impatient at others. The book takes place in a very small town and is about a few inhabitants of the town. Each chapter is titled by the character the author will highlight in that chapter. It is told by the author and not by the people who title the chapters. I wouldn't read it again; but all in all it was a good book.
November 17, 2013
A heartbreaking story about the consequences of one wrong decision. We all make unwise decisions at some point in our life, but, in this case, the outcome is tragic. It is a slow moving story but I did enjoy it. I certainly could picture the wintery landscape and feel the Father's terror.
Read
August 5, 2014Disappointed
One note narration. So much repetition. The story had good promise, but was poorly executed. I finished the book because I typically make myself do that, but almost stopped several times.
One note narration. So much repetition. The story had good promise, but was poorly executed. I finished the book because I typically make myself do that, but almost stopped several times.
August 13, 2014
What a devastatingly good book. This book leaves you in a whirlwind of human emotion.
The characters of the book were written well and the rainbow of emotion poured out of all of them.
Fantastic book.
The characters of the book were written well and the rainbow of emotion poured out of all of them.
Fantastic book.
August 11, 2016
Poignant. Losing a 3 year old son in a cruel forest that too in a snow storm is painful enough for an individual. The story, altogether, is a very sad journey with the trinkets of hopeful scenes. The book is catchy and you want to know what’s going to happen next.
July 13, 2008
Very sad story, but very well written.
December 31, 2009
This is the story of a tragedy told from many different viewpoints. It was recommended by a friend and I really liked it.
March 20, 2011
Very interesting read. A little boy goes missing and this then shows how it affects other people.
May 22, 2011
Kinda sad!
December 20, 2011
easy to read, interesting to read the same story from different peoples views, very atmospheric
June 8, 2015
Started reading this book and thought I won't be able to finish this but got sucked into it and the quirky characters a real page turner
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews