Reviews with content warning for Death - Angel Mage

angel mage contains a fascinating fantastical universe with it own unique magic system and lovely prompts for the imagination. its references to garth nix's interests, such as alexandre dumas's the three musketeers, are delightful when they do appear.

the world-building was well-crafted. there is a real idea of the conflicts that are meant to be taking place throughout the novel: between ystara and the rest of the world, between humans and angels, the monarchs and their court, the cardinal's pursuivants and the queen's musketeers. not all aspects are as thoroughly explored as each other but they are done so in scope with the perspectives being offered by the book, in line with the understanding of the situation of the book's characters. it breathes life into the story, knowing that there are things afoot outside of the limited view of the story being told. there is a sense of history beyond ystara which is plot relevant. garth nix creates a world where humans are able to communicate with angels but ensures we are reminded that each interaction comes at a cost, greater or lesser depending on the power of the angel, as people are forced to sacrifice their own lifespan in order to ensure an angel's help. from this emerge the refusers, people unable to command the help of angels and who are hurt and killed by touches of angelic magic. they are classed as second citizens and maltreated throughout the book. it's a fascinating dissection of how people who believe they are in the good graces of god treat those they perceive as being divinely punished, sinners, people who deserved what they got.

this, of course, turns out to be false.

the characters themselves are worth mention. some deserved to have been fleshed out more (such as henri, who was, a lot of the time, simply a part of the crew) but those that got their five minutes in the spotlight were interesting. the characterisation is an echo of dumas's unique and port style and nix brilliantly echoes the interaction style between the characters - not only present in the 1973 movie they call on as inspiration, but in all media where they appear. agnez and simeon's distinctive roles as musketeer and doctor, how they achieve their respectful positions, and the differences and similarities between them that allow them to become friends with one another in the way they do are fun to read, if only to compare and contrast.

simeon, for example, getting a position in the infirmary via a borderline scheme at the behest of captain rochefort is behaviour more expected of a soldier than it is of a doctor - however, it is agnez who secures her post as a musketeer entirely through her own ability and wit.

dorotea emerges as something of the most prominent character. her ability to make angel icons to channel angelic power outside of the normal process and how it develops as well as her proximity to captain rochefort stand at the foreground of the story. she emerges, perhaps most importantly, not as the ditsy girl she appears at the beginning of the story but as someone powerful and, as is revealed in the climax of the story, someone who is kind. captain rochefort was one of the more fascinating background characters and her complex relationship with dorotea was great to have portrayed.

the plot stands on its own merit. it makes sense and is followed through with enough mystery to keep readers interested. even if you are able to figure out the plot (maybe guess at it entirely), it is still worth following. liliath's plan is somewhat transparent.

at least in that she never planned for the glorious return of ystara but was pursuing her own goals.

often, the narration will reveal these anyway. we know liliath is scheming something. we know we cannot trust her. we know there is a reason for why the refusers became refusers that isn't what it seems. following these loose threads in their conclusion is far from a waste of time.

the decision to leave the story as was, with not every single issue individually resolved, brings the book back to what nix was doing the entire time: you have read a story, the story of liliath, and so the curtains close. you got a glimpse into this riveting world but it was only a glimpse. things will continue to happen in it and around it much like they are revealed to have happened well before you got there and had continued to happen, always somewhere in the background, while you were there.

the book also is to be commended for its inclusivity. the cast is incredibly diverse, both in terms of race and sexuality, and there is a single common title ('ser') used instead of sir/lady/etc which adds a unique touch and made me absolutely giddy.

angel mage is definitely a fantastic read for anyone interested in a well-crafted fantastical universe and anyone who was or continues to be a fan of alexandre dumas and his three musketeers.

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