« Angela and Diabola - Critique »

Banks, Lynne Reid. Angela and Diabola. New York: Avon Books, 1997.

Category: fantasy

Approximate age group: middle elementary

Analysis: Lynne Reid Banks, the best-selling author of “The Indian in the Cupboard” series, brings us a comic novel of two sisters.

A major theme in this story is good vs evil. Reid-Banks make an exceptional case for what can happen when a balance of the two, in each and every one of us,is not achieved. This is a story of angelic forces, diabolic evil and the necessary balance of the two in every child.

It begins with the unexpected arrival of twins to Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones.These are no ordinary twins. One is sweet perfection, the other unbelievably horrific. This is the unmistakable reality that Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones and her husband must face, as Angela grows increasingly perfect and Diabola grows increasingly evil and unbearably frightening with each passing day.

Diabola becomes such an excruciating problem that the Cuthbertson-Jones’ call in the Vicar, who cannot seem to exorcise the evil out of Diabola.

“The Vicar was straining every nerve. He was so carried away the he half expected Diabola’s mouth to open and a stream of screaming ectoplasm to come forth.”

Reid-Banks has put her belief in the importance of fantasy in developing a child’s inner world, to work in her books. Angela and Diabola, with its wonderfully realistic and memorable characters, is no exception. Her eloquent, insightful language andvivid descriptions keep you hanging at the edge of your seat.

Angela and Diabola discover they have special powers and Diabola takes hers to the extreme. Only Angela can stop her. In fact, Angela is the only one who’s understanding of her sister went far beyond their Twinnish.

“Dybo’s not very nice. That’s why I love her.”

The stresses put a horrible strain on the relationship of Mr. and Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones. This story is filled with the emotions, struggles, issues and perceptions of a family, and the actions they made (sometimes without choice, sometimes without thought) and the consequences these actions bring. The Cuthbertson-Jones’ relationships went through many stages and changes that would occur in any family faced with major stresses.

 Banks put her belief in the importance of fantasy in developing a child’s inner world to work in her books.  Angela and Diabola, with its wonderfully realistic and memorable characters, is no exception.  Her eloquent, insightful language and vivid descriptions keep you hanging at the edge of your seat.

LYNNE REID-BANKS

Activity: Have the children make a diorama, or paint or draw a picture, of their favorite scene. Be sure that they represent good, bad, and a balance of the two, regardless of whether the aspect was depicted in that scene. Have them talk about why they made the choices that they did. Alternatively, they can write a story of their own using the same instructions, or write the same story three times, one showing good, one bad, and one a balance.

Lynne Reid Banks in books on Amazon.com: