tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
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
bandysbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Angels follows an angel and a demon as they try to protect a member of their shtetl who immigrates to the United States. It sounds bizarre and in some ways it is, but oh my goodness did I enjoy this book. The characters were unique, the plot was engaging, and it was a good balance of mystery, humor, and suspense.
First of all, both the angel and the demon were such interesting characters. I loved their unexplainable bond and the humor they share throughout the story. I was invested in who they were and what their purpose was. I also found the human characters well thought out and realistic.
The immigration process through Ellis Island was both unique for the Angel and Demon, but oddly realistic too. We see people arbitrarily trapped for being a single woman, for potential illness, or just because a guard didn't like them. It echoes a lot of the stories I learned about when I visited the Ellis Island museum.
I also really enjoyed the Jewish cultural elements in this story. I felt like I learned a handful of things and it made the story feel so rich and real.
All in all, this was a wonderfully interesting story with memorable characters. I would recommend it if you want a unique adventure of immigration from one continent to another or if you enjoy contemporary fiction with a splash of humor. I will definitely read future books by Sacha Lamb in the future.
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Racism, Blood, Confinement, Bullying, Death, Deportation, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Blood and Gore
amandaplease50's review against another edition
- 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
But even if there was not I’d still give this book 5 stars. Just such an amazing book and discusses things like gender dysphoria and what I took to be impostor syndrome and used great I guess metaphors (I’m I STEM person forgive me if that’s not the right term) to help explain someone who doesn’t experience those things.
And the characters loved everyone of them 😊. There are so many things I wish I could explain in this review but I’m terrible at words and reviews. But gives this book a try it won’t disappoint!
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Antisemitism and Murder
shadowspinner's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Antisemitism
tigger89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
As you might be able to guess from the sprinkling of vocabulary above, this book is also very Jewish. That was one of the reasons I picked it up, as I have some ancestry from Eastern Europe who immigrated through Ellis Island. With the aid of the extensive glossary in the back of the book, I had no problem following all of the terms and references sprinkled throughout the text. However, be warned: unlike homophobia, this story doesn't shy away from depicting period-appropriate antisemitism.
This book's greatest strength was absolutely the character interactions between Ash and Uriel. Not only do they grow individually — in Ash's case, coming into power despite his lack of magical ability, and in Uriel's case, determining what its newfound identity means to it — but the relationship between them is also developed. The frequently-cited comparison to Good Omens is apt, here. While this story lacks the apocalypse humor and madcap antics of Gaiman's and Pratchett's work, what they share is a focus on a pair of unlikely allies who mean the world to each other. Yes, even when they occasionally make each other very upset.
What I didn't like was that Rose felt more like a sidekick character, even though she got her own viewpoint chapters and everything. Until the very end, she was kind of just along for the ride, occasionally providing an insight or assist but leaving all the heavy lifting to Ash and Uriel. While I was ultimately happy with how her story turned out, I feel like she spent most of the book just waiting to be amazing. She could have done more.
Graphic: Antisemitism and Racism
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Death of parent, Blood, and Death
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
moonytoast's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
When the Angels Left the Old Country is even more proof that historical fantasies written by marginalized authors who center the lived historical experiences of people with the same marginalizations are just objectively better!
Jewish Good Omens is an apt comparison for this story about an angel and a demon working together to traverse the Atlantic Ocean in search for a young girl that had left their little shtetl for the New World. I think fans of Neil Gaiman's other works, particularly Neverwhere and Stardust, will enjoy the writing style and tone of this book. It's got a whimsical vibe at many points, but knows precisely when to dial up the tension and intrigue. I think this is clear in Little Ash's confrontation with the gentile demon on Ellis Island and the last ten or so chapters of the book as everything comes to a crescendo.
This may not be for readers who enjoy more fast-paced fantasy stories, but hot take: I think sometimes a slow build is essential for a good story, because you need the chance to grow attached to the characters and see their change before you can genuinely care about whether they achieve their goals by the end of the book. I think this book is a perfect example of that. Seeing Uriel and Little Ash's relationship dynamic shift as they embark on their journey to find Essie is such an integral and standout aspect of When the Angels Left the Old Country, the entire narrative would not be remotely as engaging without it.
He loved his chevrusa with all of his heart: he'd known it by a hundred names, and he'd loved it always. He could not ask it to give up a name it liked having, not even to keep it safe. "All right," he said. He laced their fingers together and lifted its hand to his lips. kissing its bruised knuckles. "All right. You can be Uriel forever, and save a hundred rebbes. Be an angel or a demon or anything you like. Just don't leave me."
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Grief, Murder, Religious bigotry, and Antisemitism
beforeviolets's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I heard “Jewish historical fantasy about a disabled demon and a genderless angel” and had high hopes this book would give me Jewish Good Omens vibes. And it absolutely delivered. At times, its charm felt manufactured (due to perhaps an attempt to mimic the voice of Good Omens), but was charming nonetheless, and eventually found its way into a shape of its own and wormed its way into my heart. It was cozy, it was whimsical, it was adventurous, and it was unapologetically queer and Jewish. How could you not fall in love?
CW/TW: death, grief, gun violence, violence, blood, injury, fire, antisemitism, confinement
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Gun violence
Moderate: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Minor: Antisemitism and Confinement
shaipanda's review against another edition
- 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
Thank you so much to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
I genuinely absolutely loved this book just as much, if not more, than I expected to. As someone who grew up deeply entrenched in my Jewish culture and community, it was so amazing and such a special experience to be able to read a book with so many references I recognized. This book was so clearly deeply deeply rooted in Jewish (specifically Ashkenazi) culture and mythology which was really amazing to read.
Additionally, all of the characters are so loveable and I absolutely loved seeing the characters grow, whether they were teenage girls or immortal beings. This was especially true given the queer Jewish representation in this which is just so important and I have not come acros nearly enough of. I do wish we got to see more of Rivke as she essentially disappears from the story once they leave Ellis Island and I really liked her character and would’ve loved to see more of her.
One other thing I noticed is while I’m very glad there’s a glossary at least in the back, this book has so so many very specific references in it that it could benefit from having footnotes. This was because some of the references I’d actually never even heard of some of them before such as sheydim and ibburim, and I've spent a significant amount of time in Jewish spaces and constantly expanding my knowledge of Judaism. I feel like because of this, having footnotes would make it significantly more accessible for the general public since how it is now, I’m slightly worried people will put the book down because they don’t understand all of the terms and Jewish context and don’t want to keep Googling or flipping back and forth to the glossary.
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Classism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Antisemitism, Confinement, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
Minor: Grief, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Deportation, and Stalking