Book Review - 'Twenty-Six Angels'

BOOK REVIEW

‘Twenty-Six Angels’ Archway Publishing

Written by Chris Brady – Illustrated by Leigh Ann Klein

Reviewed by Jeb Ladouceur

Whatever this slender volume (26 pages) might lack in length, and the skillful execution of poetic meter and rhyme, it more than makes up for in the lofty sentiment of its message: that it is possible to provide meaningful answers to questions that must of necessity follow in the wake of seemingly senseless acts of unspeakable horror.

The answer to the 2012 pre-Christmas massacre of twenty-six people (twenty of them small children) at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut is that Heaven was running short of angels, thus the supply was replenished by the addition of twenty-six new ones from Sandy Hook. These recruits, through harmonious singing and displaying Gandhi-like non-violence, are said to be destined to save the Earth from battle and destruction.

Were the matter not such a cerebral one, Long Islander Chris Brady might be applauded for dreaming it (‘applauded’ being a term Brady would love, since he is an accomplished actor), but it is this critic’s view that the slaughter at Newtown is far too weighty a paradox to be explained away with harps and halos … white wings and warbling.

The author seems to have his finger on the pulse of youngsters, and one supposes that he is either a teacher or some sort of children’s counselor. If that is the case, Brady has overextended himself in stating in his cover notes that ‘Twenty-Six Angels’ was written for children between the ages of 4 and 8. Children of such tender years already populate a world of peace and love … their quarrels are playful and short lived … they have not yet been infused with hateful motives. Brady is preaching to the choir.

This is not to say that there is no audience for the metaphorical ‘Twenty-Six Angels’ story. Maybe Chris Brady should suggest that his noble message be disseminated to areas where hand-guns, illegal drugs, and violent video games are known to proliferate. For that matter, perhaps the books publisher should see to it that a copy is sent to every member of our government’s Legislative, Judicial, and Executive Branch. Those are the people who need the lesson. And the book is written primarily in words of one syllable … thus they’ll have little trouble digesting it.

Brady’s frequent stage director, Jeffrey Sanzel has noted, “I have known Chris for over twenty years and he has shown the same passion as a writer as he has for his acting.” Which of course, is not to say that the young man’s form and imagery are flawless in this, his first poetic work. The notion of angels being in short supply might have been used to humanize the spiritual creatures, however, it comes off as a sort of celestial flaw … surely not what Brady intended.

But even Edgar Allan Poe fell victim to the seduction of such hyperbole when, in the otherwise magnificent ‘Annabelle Lee,’ he describes his own jealous, metaphorical angels as, “…not so happy in heaven…envying her and me…” Of course, the overstatement was not flaw enough to ruin the Poe masterpiece, any more than Chris Brady’s will prove fatal to ‘Twenty-Six Angels.’ It’s a rare actor or poet whose performance or poem cannot be improved.

Leigh Ann Klein’s watercolor illustrations are quite pleasing, particularly in their facial expressions. Her pastel style is primitive and appropriate to the story-in-verse. That is to say, the art and accompanying narrative never overshadow one another. These two artists should stick together if possible … because the combination works very well indeed in this poignant initial effort.

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Award-winning writer, Jeb Ladouceur is the author of eleven novels, and his theater and book reviews appear in several major L.I. publications. Ladouceur’s newest spellbinder THE GHOSTWRITERS explores the odd relationship between the late Harper Lee and her childhood friend and neighbor, Truman Capote. He discusses the new book at https://youtu.be/dE9FiNvVEyw