shoohoob's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is so wordy and introspective…. very Jewish if you ask me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Child abuse, and Cursing
paulasnotsosecretdiary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A twist on the immigration story, told not only from the point of origin, but from a queer Jewish perspective.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Violence, Trafficking, and Torture
meganpbell's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Fans of Good Omens’ Aziraphale and Crowley will find so much to love about another angel-demon odd couple, Uriel and Little Ash! Warm-hearted, whimsical, and wise, this queer, Jewish historical fantasy follows these two unlikely partners in pursuit of performing a mitzvah for a lost girl from their tiny shtetl in the Old Country all the way to Ellis Island and a Lower East Side full of immigrants, strikers, radicals, and many newfound friends!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Ableism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Grief, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, and Murder
Minor: Homophobia, Pregnancy, Confinement, and Deportation
tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
One of the rare books that made me wish I got along better with audiobooks. It has the cadence and flow of a folk tale or fable and would probably be lovely to hear. That's not to say that reading the printed book wasn't a delight, because it was. I just would've loved to have it in my ears as well as my eyes. It's a love letter to the Jewish immigrants to the US in the late 1800s and early 1900s and the fierce, devoted, rabble-rousing spirt they brought with them. I can never get enough of those - especially the ones written with as much warmth, heart, and spirit as this one is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Body horror, Misogyny, Blood, Antisemitism, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Sexism
Moderate: Kidnapping, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Medical trauma, and Medical content
Minor: Ableism and Pregnancy
antimony's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
some books start out with every piece of the plot flung very far away but it all comes together and ties up nicely and some books start of very small and the plot just spirals outwards until it encompasses so much more than what it began with and the second one is what this book felt like to me. sometimes I felt like ohh my god there is so much going on. but otherwise it was really good!! i loved the characters a lot (especially rose and uriel....and speaking of uriel....ive never seen a book where a character uses it/its & that was quite nice). some parts were a bit slow but overall this was really really good!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Antisemitism, and Death
rorikae's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
'When the Angels Left the Old Country' by Sacha Lamb is a charming historical fantasy following an angel and a demon who travel to America to find a missing member of their community.
The angel and Little Ash live in their shtetl, studying together and looking after their community. Many of the younger generation have been leaving the shtetl due to pogroms and seeking new opportunities. When one of the girls from their shtetl disappears while traveling to America, the angel and Little Ash decide to head to America to find her. Along the way, they befriend a young girl leaving her town after her best friend becomes engaged.
Steeped in Jewish folklore, this story soars because of its characters and the world that Lamb paints. Their writing is clear but evocative in a way that meant the story was always moving forward while also painting a rich picture at the same time. Aspects of the story (mainly the two main characters) are reminiscent of Good Omens but the characters stand out in a unique story. There are themes of identity, belonging, and community. The audiobook was fantastic and added to my enjoyment. I cannot wait to read what Lamb writes next.
The angel and Little Ash live in their shtetl, studying together and looking after their community. Many of the younger generation have been leaving the shtetl due to pogroms and seeking new opportunities. When one of the girls from their shtetl disappears while traveling to America, the angel and Little Ash decide to head to America to find her. Along the way, they befriend a young girl leaving her town after her best friend becomes engaged.
Steeped in Jewish folklore, this story soars because of its characters and the world that Lamb paints. Their writing is clear but evocative in a way that meant the story was always moving forward while also painting a rich picture at the same time. Aspects of the story (mainly the two main characters) are reminiscent of Good Omens but the characters stand out in a unique story. There are themes of identity, belonging, and community. The audiobook was fantastic and added to my enjoyment. I cannot wait to read what Lamb writes next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism and Xenophobia
Moderate: Violence, Gun violence, Grief, and Homophobia
Minor: Genocide and Fire/Fire injury
kathryn51's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This was such a nice book-- the wholesome parts were very wholesome, and the action parts were fast-paced and attention-grabbing. Overall, I really really liked this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Xenophobia
rblue7's review against another edition
Eh just wasn't for me. I couldn't get invested in the characters and the plot moved too slowly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Murder, Xenophobia, and Religious bigotry
jessereadsthings's review against another edition
5.0
Really good. I love how fun it starts, but then as the characters become more involved with world the more serious the story gets. Ending was not as good as the rest of the book, but is still enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism and Xenophobia
pondcreature's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Im tired and will add more of a review later but I enjoyed this book immensely.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Antisemitism, and Xenophobia