Praise for Angel and Apostle:
“In language nearly as beautiful and powerful as Hawthorne’s, Noyes tackles passion and Puritanism
in a riveting historical tale with timeless overtones. Strongly recommended.”
-- Library Journal
(starred review)
"A is for ardent, avid, adoring — and such is Pearl, whose coming-of-age as Hester Prynne's bastard child is the subject of [this] debut.... Noyes engages with atmospheric charms of time and place... and... delivers an ending revelation that would surprise Hawthorne himself." -- Publishers Weekly
"A lyrical debut.... Noyes does a remarkable job of capturing Puritan New England and the spirit and willfulness of Pearl, who is a compelling, sympathetic character in her own right." -- Booklist
"Echoes of Hawthorne abound in vivid scenes and authentic language in this masterfully re-imagined tale, not a retelling but an alternative telling that sweeps one along beyond the point Hawthorne chose to stop and embroiders new characters on the fabric of time. A captivating achievement that teases recollection and delights fancy."-- Susan Vreeland, author of Girl in Hyacinth Blue
"An accomplished novel, stylistically sharp and metaphorically keen…. [Noyes’] deft telling provides
a thoroughly engaging story with an utterly stunning ending.”
— The Chicago Tribune
"The character and plot development are first rate as Noyes captures the true essence of Pearl’s
personality, life, and times…. With quietly savage prose, Deborah Noyes takes Pearl to adulthood,
marriage, motherhood. We experience her life in America and England, the blossoming of love, and
the heartbreak borne of passion and loss. Readers smell the sea, the bite of chill air, and live
the very heartbeats of each character. This book is a literary classic and highly recommended.”
-- Midwest Book Review
"A worthy successor to Hawthorne's classic, breathing life and sympathy into an enigmatic child." -- Luan Gaines, curledupwithagoodbook.com
"This small saga reads larger than its 304 pages. While a dark tale, sad and poignant, it is a
tale of ultimate enlightenment."
-- Kate Ayers, bookreporter.com
"I enjoyed every page of this debut novel.... Ms. Noyes captures the heart of the time period, and I think Mr. Hawthorne would have liked this story, too." -- Historical Novels Review
"Noyes imbues her debut novel with energy and literary weight, continuing Pearl's story while remaining faithful to the original which inspired it.... Noyes does more than simply update the Hawthorne story, however.... Investigating what constitutes a good life and dealing with the subjects of life and death, and salvation and sin, the novel explores universal themes within the colonial settings, but its focus on the passion of love and its aftermath gives it a modern context, one to which a modern reader will respond." -- Mary Whipple, mostlyfiction.com
For more information about Angel and Apostle, including a Discussion Guide or to purchase, please visit Unbridled Books.