Book Reviews

Fire Angels by Elizabeth Kern

Fire Angels by Elizabeth Kern Reviewed by Janet Snyder: Fire Angels by Elizabeth Kern will touch your soul with its grace, its grit, and its gravitas. It’s a tragic story of a fire that took place at the Our Lady of the Angels school in Chicago on December 1, 1958, and resulted in the deaths of 92 children and three nuns. Kern guides her narrative through the viewpoints of a janitor, teachers, survivors and their families, church leaders, firemen, the suspected arsonist, and his parents. But the most unique and powerful voice is that of Fire itself, a lofty and sardonic protagonist if ever there was one. Fire’s voice is woven deftly throughout this tale of despair and grief and bravery and hope. Whenever a match is struck, Fire makes its appearance. Sometimes Fire struts like a peacock, preening and showing off. Other times it’s alternately cruel and egotistic, like…