Wednesday, March 25, 2015

The Blood of Angels (Science Fiction Novel)

The Blood of Angels is one of the most thought-provoking and controversial books that I have read in a long, long time. The novel was written by the Finnish author Johanna Sinisalo and translated into English by Lola Rogers. This short novel takes on such issues as Colony Collapse Catastrophe (Disorder), the meat industry, capitalism, and the funeral industry. The Blood of Angels contains numerous descriptions that made me feel vaguely nauseous. Parts of the plotline are incredibly sad. Yet, I actually enjoyed the book. It was well written. The main character and his son are characters whom I am glad that I met. I enjoyed learning about bees.

The main character in The Blood of Angels, the narrator, is the owner of a funeral home. But, his passion is raising bees. His grown son is a blogger, who is involved in a controversial animal rights group. The novel weaves between the blog posts and the narration. Bit by bit we learn that something tragic has happened to the son. In addition, the father thinks that he has found a portal into another world, one where the bees are healthy. Does the portal really exist or is it the result of grief and too much alcohol?

The Blood of Angels haunted me for days. How can you unread a book? It still makes me question my own values and behavior. Yes, I definitely recommend the book. But, in some people it will stir up thoughts that they have comfortably ignored.

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