A review by inkwellimps
When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb

adventurous funny hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book is SO GOOD. It really exceeded all my expectations. The dynamic between Little Ash and the Angel has wormed its way so far into my brain it's unreal. I'm also fond of Rose as a character too--she grounds the two in their adventure, but she is also unhinged. She has a drive and boldness that compliments the other two very well. It's the little things with the characters--the way the Angel is agender and stays that way, the way names are played with, the way each of them have animal features and how Little Ash's feet hurt him. I am fascinated by the place the Angel begins in and how it develops its own identity to become more present in the world and
grows closer to Little Ash as a result
. I love how the two always rely upon each other as the stakes are raised. I'm also very fond of this sort of take on an angel and a demon that are both not very powerful and relatively sheltered. The sense that these two are a part of a close community rings true throughout the entirety of the book, from the shtetl, to the ship, to New York City-- it never feels as though they've left their community behind even though they are on a journey-- staying grounded by the search for Essie and by the majority of the human cast being literal family. As the angel and the demon of the shtetl migrate and progress in their journey it never feels isolating, which is nice.
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