hattea404's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent story, maybe the end was little a rushed but the world building and the new form of magic was beautiful.
thepunktheory's review against another edition
4.0
Full review on my blog!
This was really cool!
I had just about zero expectations for Angel Mage, so I ended up very surprised and very excited.
Why did I like it, you might ask. First of all, the idea feels very unique. I've read so many books with magic and fae and stuff along those lines, but this one is rather different. Sure, there is something reminiscent of magic but not in the usual way. Here, magic mostly means being able to call upon angels for help and this is a fascinating concept!
Due to this rather unique approach to things, I was immediately engrossed in the world-building. No idea how Garth Nix came up with all this stuff, but he definitely gets a bit thumbs up from me.
I also really liked the French influences that were clearly visible in the story - as that also makes for an interesting change.
The story unfolds slowly, packing mystery on mystery and plan on plan until you can't put the book down anymore, desperate to find out how all of this might end.
If I had to raise some criticism, it would be in the logic department. A thing or two seemed a little far-fetched or stretched, but I'm willing to forgive that as everything else about this book was highly entertaining.
This was really cool!
I had just about zero expectations for Angel Mage, so I ended up very surprised and very excited.
Why did I like it, you might ask. First of all, the idea feels very unique. I've read so many books with magic and fae and stuff along those lines, but this one is rather different. Sure, there is something reminiscent of magic but not in the usual way. Here, magic mostly means being able to call upon angels for help and this is a fascinating concept!
Due to this rather unique approach to things, I was immediately engrossed in the world-building. No idea how Garth Nix came up with all this stuff, but he definitely gets a bit thumbs up from me.
I also really liked the French influences that were clearly visible in the story - as that also makes for an interesting change.
The story unfolds slowly, packing mystery on mystery and plan on plan until you can't put the book down anymore, desperate to find out how all of this might end.
If I had to raise some criticism, it would be in the logic department. A thing or two seemed a little far-fetched or stretched, but I'm willing to forgive that as everything else about this book was highly entertaining.
jesswebby's review against another edition
5.0
Garth nix latest book was a fantastic read. The worlds and characters he brings to life in his books continue to captivate me. This book kept me on edge and I continued to be surprised by the events that occurred up until I reached the ending. Would recommend for those who are fans of his Abhorsen series.
lisalark's review against another edition
3.0
Wanted to love, but did not. I struggle when I can't find a character or characters I personally happen to like/relate to and that might have been the challenge for me here.
turnerprize's review against another edition
4.0
Tricky to rate... I enjoyed the 500 page world build but bit disappointed that it resolved in the last 40pages completely? It absolutely has the makings of a series to explore the magic in greater depth.
regitzexenia's review against another edition
3.0
I loved all of the The Three Musketeers vibes, but the plot itself didn’t really keep my attention.
amcloughlin's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely loved this new world from one of my favorite authors. The depiction of angels, iconography, and women kicking ass at military + governmental leadership roles was MADE FOR ME.
squishies's review against another edition
4.0
I've forgotten how much I love Nix's world building and magic systems; they're well-realised and slightly on the dark side.
Thought it was interesting we saw things from Liliath's perspective first - threw me for a bit of a loop and took a bit to work out that she was the antagonist.
The four "musketeers" were fairly fun characters and the story kept me on my toes in trying to work out how Liliath was going to exploit their weakness or what she needed them for.
Thought it was interesting we saw things from Liliath's perspective first - threw me for a bit of a loop and took a bit to work out that she was the antagonist.
The four "musketeers" were fairly fun characters and the story kept me on my toes in trying to work out how Liliath was going to exploit their weakness or what she needed them for.
Spoiler
Finding out Liliath caused the Ash Plague because she was so obsessed with Palleniel that she wanted him to be corporeal was somehow unsurprising considering her age and how she's been treated (young, bratty, and incredibly spoilt), but man... What a big oof. All those lives ruined and for so long!!novelideea's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.5
jazmyntea's review against another edition
3.0
I felt Angel Mage was unnecessarily complicated to begin with. So much lore and factions, characters with long names or similar names. It made it hard to get to the point of the story. Saying that I enjoyed the concept of the magic and the overall story line. I think having it a bit shorter with less characters would have made it more enjoyable overall.