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A review by moonytoast
When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Thank you to Netgalley and Levine Querido for providing me with a digital ARC of this book!
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.
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."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Murder