Green Angel

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Green Angel is a 2003 young adult novel written by Alice Hoffman.

[edit] Plot summary

Green is a quiet,pretty, and shy 15-year-old girl who is approaching her 16th birthday.She lives with her mother, father, and sister, Aurora in a house on the edge of a city. While her sister is wild, careless, and impatient, Green is shy (often not talking to people outside of her family), and has the infinite patience required to tend to the family garden. After mastering the art of tending the garden, she becomes the garden’s main caretaker. One day, her family goes to a nearby city to sell produce, leaving Green behind to pull the weeds. While in town, her family perishes in the city as a result of a huge catastrophic explosion supposedly let off by some of the cities residents for unknown reasons. Many of the people in the city that day die, leaving many orphans Green's age. Ashes from the fire blind Green and set her hair on fire. Green, deeply hurt, changes her appearance and personality and names herself Ash as she decides to destroy all her past to conceal the pain she is suffering. To conceal her internal pain, she tattoos almost her entire body as the story progresses. She continues to suffer but grows indifferent toward her pain. Over time, through interactions with several kinds of animals, a mute boy she calls Diamond and a kind, old neighbor, Green heals. Finally, on her 16th-birthday, she is no longer Ash but once again Green. She is strong enough to tell her family’s story.

[edit] Characters in "Green Angel"

Green, the protagonist (after the fire and before healing, she is now called Ash)

Green has long dark hair and describes herself as preferring plants to people. She tends to the family garden and knows the medical uses for many plants. As Ash she cuts off her hair and wears a scarf of thorns, a heavy jacket, and her father's nail-studded boots. Also, she often tattoos herself with needles and ink. Eventually her entire body is covered in black roses, vines, ravens, etc. The old woman tells her to look closer and she discovers the ink is actually green. The tattoos begin to change color, the flowers becoming white with green centers (as they are in her dreams). The half-heart near her own heart turns red at the center.

Aurora, Green's sister, who visits Green in dreams

Aurora seemed to be Green's opposite, a young girl who was outgoing and cheerful. She often danced in the moonlight, and would sleep in a corner where white moths hovered over her. In Green's dreams she sometimes appears as an older version (about Green's age) of herself, but Green comes to realize Aurora will never be any older. She accepts Aurora's death, and the loss of her family. In Green's dreams Aurora sometimes wouldn't recognize her (this was only when she became Ash).

Mother and Father, Green's parents

Green's parents die in the fire. The story doesn't talk about them in detail as it does with Aurora. Green's father was "honest and strong" and her mother was gentle and "collected blue jay feathers, preferring them to her pearls."

Old Woman, Green's neighbor who helps Green to heal

Aurora and Green used to steal apples from this old woman. Green assumes the woman hates her, but in reality she doesn't. Green begins cleaning up the old woman's house. Each time she visits the woman asks her what her name is. On every occasion except the last, she replies that her name is Ash. As Green walks home each time she senses something (the taste of an apple, the smell of cut grass, etc.) that reminds her of the color green, and therefore her name.

Diamond, Green's friend who helps Green to heal

Diamond is a boy who comes to Green's house one day. He's one of the few people Green trusts. He is completely silent, but Green seems to understand him perfectly. He eventually leaves to search for his mother. She was in the fire, but he doesn't believe she is dead. Green knows that she's in love with Diamond, but understands that he needs to leave. He has the other half of Green's half-heart tattoo.

Heather Jones, Green's former classmate

Heather joins a group of teens who are determined to forget everything that happened in the fire. These teens drink, steal (they take everything from Green's garden) and dance around a fire at night. However, it becomes clear Heather can't manage this and she continually declines in appearance and personality throughout the book. The white dress she wears turns to gray. Green was once jealous of Heather and that beautiful dress, but realizes Heather isn't better than her. She gives Heather an old dress that was her mother's. Shortly after this Heather burns to death in the fire the teens gather around.