Introduction

Worlds collide, laced with layers of corruption, as deception permeates places, events, and relationships across generations in the first book of this adventure series. River of Angels, set on a tropical island in the Caribbean, reveals the multiple facets of life condensed within a small town. The story examines individuals caught between the world of conventional society and the world that speaks to an individual's true self. Through the lives of a prostitute, a healer, an entrepreneur, a beggar, and two elders, the reader reflects on the intricacies of human nature. Rolnick spins an intriguing tale of intertwined relationships and clashing elements of culture on the island of Puerto Rico, where the characters strive, sometimes struggling within themselves, to make a life. Monica, a prostitute by choice, controls every aspect of her life, until her world crumbles. Rosie, a professor and healer, forsakes the comfortable role of teacher and wife to unravel the mystery of her father's past and discover a cure for her own malady. Carlos, a successful entrepreneur, witnesses his certainty dissolve and his beliefs questioned. Pide, the beggar, brings wisdom, humor, and friendship to those he watches. Abuelita and Don Tuto, the elders, lead others to safety as they resolve history's hold on their lives. Contemporary issues of social justice, environmental destruction, crime, and avarice act as a backdrop for the inner story of relationships. The characters take you into two worlds, the surface world society accepts and the underground world of caves where the unacceptable thrive. The story blends two worlds and the hope of possibilities that keeps these characters forever in the reader's heart.

Editorial Review

No editorial review at this time.

Excerpt

Chapter 1: Protest
Monica hurried down the cobbled road with the sun’s rays on her bare shoulders. She smiled, listening to the chaotic rhythms of the streets. Music blared from storefronts, and vendors at each corner offered up helado—shaved ice with flavoring. Her new home wasn’t that different from New York, less tidy but just as crazy. She still wasn’t used to the openness of the police toward drinking cerveza outside of restaurants or bars. Different laws, different customs. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. Which character can you identify with and why?

2. Pide, a minor character, plays an important role. What does he bring to the story?

3. “Everything matters, Carlos, even a grain of sand.” What does Rosie mean by this? What significance does sand have beyond the obvious?

4. Monica carries prejudices within herself. Whom does she judge? What are her strengths and weaknesses?

5. What significance does the cave have in the story? How is this situation similar to other historical events?

6. Explore the idea of color—dark and light, black and white, red and purple.

7. How are vines used as a metaphor in the story?

8. Rosie is considered a healer, as is Abuelita. Who else heals or changes in the story, and how?

9. “Fate is patient.” How does fate relate to secrets and actions of Abuelita, Monica, Carmen, and Carlos?

10. Explore the theme of birth—with various characters and the island.

11. If this were a religious story, how would you use the ideas of healer, faith, voodoo, trust, and redemption?

12. The political standing of a territory has implications that affect its people. What place does history have in the development of an individual, culture, and society?

Weblinks

»	Author's web site
»	Publisher's book info

Book Club Recommendations

Recommended to book clubs by 0 of 0 members.

Member Reviews

There are no user reviews at this time.
Rate this book