The author's use of magical realism is well suited to this tale about recognizing the miraculous in everyday life. Finding an angel in one's backyard is an appropriate metaphor for suggesting that life is full of surprises. Just like the characters Pelayo and Elisenda, the reader becomes accustomed to the nature of the old man as the story progresses. In a similar way, the reader passes through the stages of awe, mistrust, disappointment, and finally, annoyance at the inconvenience of having a supernatural being in the house. The reader becomes a member of the crowd making demands of the angel. Simply being miraculous is not enough, the story suggests.

A discussion of the language used in the story must acknowledge that it is a translation from the Spanish, but some observations can be made. The language is simple and direct, which encourages the reader to...