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lqndtry14's review
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Self harm, and Sexual content
Minor: Animal death
katbotelho's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
What i sit back and think about the beginning of the book and i think about how it ended i think to myself how the fuck did we end up here.
author has a really good way of describing things and made me nauseous when i had to read about the self harm and violence. the beginning is kinda slow but i still enjoyed it. at times it was hard to understand bc their was very little indication of a pov switch but u get used it after a while
left me with a lot of questions at the end like how did asmodeus go from running from the orgy in fear to running home to rosier and sexually assaulting him ?? and were rosier and asmodeus some if the angels that fell with lucifer bc rosier seemed pretty on board to follow him ?
i guess i’d have to read the second book to find out perhaps. overall i enjoyed it
author has a really good way of describing things and made me nauseous when i had to read about the self harm and violence. the beginning is kinda slow but i still enjoyed it. at times it was hard to understand bc their was very little indication of a pov switch but u get used it after a while
left me with a lot of questions at the end like
i guess i’d have to read the second book to find out perhaps. overall i enjoyed it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Self harm, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Animal death
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
regisreed1's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Beautiful prose and storytelling. Such an interesting take on the Morningstar/fall of the angels theology-- you know what's coming at the end, but the road there is so lovely you can't stop, and the fall is horrifying. This book devastated me in the best way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence
Minor: Sexual content and Self harm
The author splits the narration into sections, and readers can choose not to continue into part three where the majority of these warnings come up. The violence tag is present throughout the novel as the angels play games that cause bodily harm that can be mended, but is gruesome.ina_pages's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I’d give this 5 stars if not for very minor grammar issues that I believe were addressed in the rewrite. I hope to get my hands on that since I also heard that new scenes were added to it.
This book pulled me out of a reading slump that lasted MONTHS. Rafael’s masterful prose will have you gripped from start to finish and will have you falling in love with characters literally against your own will. It was heartbreaking enough to read about a character you knew was doomed from the start, but this book makes you feel so much for Lucifer that watching his decent from grace was just that much worse.
Highly recommend this book to anyone who’s interested. The author lists down a set of trigger warnings at the start but they are only really applicable in the second half of the book.
If you want a feel good, slow burn, romance-y book then maybe pick this up and just stop after part one (like skip the interlude even) but if you have the headspace for it part two is an intense rollercoaster ride of emotions.
This book pulled me out of a reading slump that lasted MONTHS. Rafael’s masterful prose will have you gripped from start to finish and will have you falling in love with characters literally against your own will. It was heartbreaking enough to read about a character you knew was doomed from the start, but this book makes you feel so much for Lucifer that watching his decent from grace was just that much worse.
Highly recommend this book to anyone who’s interested. The author lists down a set of trigger warnings at the start but they are only really applicable in the second half of the book.
If you want a feel good, slow burn, romance-y book then maybe pick this up and just stop after part one (like skip the interlude even) but if you have the headspace for it part two is an intense rollercoaster ride of emotions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Moderate: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Mental illness, Violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, War, Torture, Grief, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual content, and Self harm
Minor: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
readabookortwo's review
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
2.0
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
Okay, Angel's Before Man, where to start. Where can I even start I don't know. For the first part of this book, I was convinced it could be a 5* read, the writing was lyrical, I liked seeing Lucifer create these friendships and relationships with all of the angels it was all so beautiful and heartwarming, all of part one was.
However, things went very wrong very quickly. The bare bones of Lucifer and his descent really start in part one, the way he hates himself and is so insecure of himself and the way meeting Michael is the turning point for him and I feel the bones of Lucifer starting to realise his own worth and beauty really start at the end of part one but obviously continue heavily into part two.
Now, I'm not a religious person and I understand that this book healed a lot of religious trauma for other people I get that, I really, really do but the second half of this book for me, was horrific. I actually started to hate read it. I still do not understand the motivation of God raping Lucifer or for that matter, why Asmodeus assaulted Rosier. I really liked the exploration of God and how maybe He isnt a good person(?) And how He is power hungry, jealous maybe that He is a sinner that He doesnt really love the angels, just wants to feel powerful and the way Lucifer questions that I loved all of that because it's a reading of God I've always had but him raping Lucifer was a big step too far for me and i wish there was a different motivation for Lucifer and his descent into his own Godhood.
You know the book isnt going to have a happily ever after that much is obvious but in a way you absolutely crave it, you want Lucifer to have the happily ever.
The quote "Is Father good because He is good or because He says He is good" is my favourite quote in the book and really showcases what Lucifer is starting to learn about Heaven and God and what is happening around him.
Also the relationship between Michael and Lucifer I'm sorry nah, with them constantly calling each other brother it just nope not here for it I'm sorry.
I also feel like so many sentences could have been cut from this book so much of the prose was so long winded and boring in all honesty.
I know people love this and I respect it and honestly I really do understand why they love it. I however, I cant even say I hated it because I loved the first half but the second half I hated I really did so I'm not even sure where that leaves me to be honest.
Okay, Angel's Before Man, where to start. Where can I even start I don't know. For the first part of this book, I was convinced it could be a 5* read, the writing was lyrical, I liked seeing Lucifer create these friendships and relationships with all of the angels it was all so beautiful and heartwarming, all of part one was.
However, things went very wrong very quickly. The bare bones of Lucifer and his descent really start in part one, the way he hates himself and is so insecure of himself and the way meeting Michael is the turning point for him and I feel the bones of Lucifer starting to realise his own worth and beauty really start at the end of part one but obviously continue heavily into part two.
Now, I'm not a religious person and I understand that this book healed a lot of religious trauma for other people I get that, I really, really do but the second half of this book for me, was horrific. I actually started to hate read it. I still do not understand the motivation of God raping Lucifer or for that matter, why Asmodeus assaulted Rosier. I really liked the exploration of God and how maybe He isnt a good person(?) And how He is power hungry, jealous maybe that He is a sinner that He doesnt really love the angels, just wants to feel powerful and the way Lucifer questions that I loved all of that because it's a reading of God I've always had but him raping Lucifer was a big step too far for me and i wish there was a different motivation for Lucifer and his descent into his own Godhood.
You know the book isnt going to have a happily ever after that much is obvious but in a way you absolutely crave it, you want Lucifer to have the happily ever.
The quote "Is Father good because He is good or because He says He is good" is my favourite quote in the book and really showcases what Lucifer is starting to learn about Heaven and God and what is happening around him.
Also the relationship between Michael and Lucifer I'm sorry nah, with them constantly calling each other brother it just nope not here for it I'm sorry.
I also feel like so many sentences could have been cut from this book so much of the prose was so long winded and boring in all honesty.
I know people love this and I respect it and honestly I really do understand why they love it. I however, I cant even say I hated it because I loved the first half but the second half I hated I really did so I'm not even sure where that leaves me to be honest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Self harm, and Animal death
Moderate: Body horror
dead_colonel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Self harm, Gaslighting, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Incest
arlingtonchamberofgay's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
rafael nicolás does a beautiful job of painting Heaven as a utopian paradise alongside the perils of asking too many questions, being too different. His writing is wonderfully elegant and walks you through the creation of the angel of beauty and his long life all the way to his fall. Lucifer’s expulsion from Heaven was always going to happen, but you can’t help but pray that it doesn’t, for the angel to succeed in his fight against god and his throne.
This book is for the outcasts, the broken, the abominations. It’s for those of us who have been deemed undesirable in the eyes of god, his church and worshippers. May we create and mold new worlds out of our pains and pleasures.
This book is for the outcasts, the broken, the abominations. It’s for those of us who have been deemed undesirable in the eyes of god, his church and worshippers. May we create and mold new worlds out of our pains and pleasures.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Animal death, Sexual content, and Self harm
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence
ash_trys's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Rape, Gore, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Grief
axel_p's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I am so torn between loving this book and hating it.
Lucifer had some great ideas but some of his other ideas were less ideal.
Lucifer had some great ideas but some of his other ideas were less ideal.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Classism, War, Child abuse, Blood, Dysphoria, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Mental illness, Animal death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Religious bigotry, Sexual violence, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence
pika_berry's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A powerful work.
Quite unlike other LGBT fantasy, and warning:bad ending and gore.
Though it has it in the tag, technically, this book is not a genre romance.There is no HEA — a HEA is the prerequisite for a genre romance.
The first 30% or so was quite rough with POV issues.
Words like “ground level shrub” or “mahogany” would be used when it’s the POV of somebody who was literally just created and does not even know what a plant or a tree is.
Is was sometimes hard to tell who’s perspective we have shifted to, and had me wondering who did what. But these issues went away in the middle of the book. I think the writer got better at writing as they went along.
Another major drawback is the portrayal of god. The god is written as a petty, moody, middle aged man. He doesn’t seem very wise nor compassionate. He demands the angels to worship him, and makes dumb decisions.
Like creating an Angel that is supposed to be the most beautiful, and giving him special treatment … this doesn’t seem like a very wise thing to do, even from my limited mortal perspective…
And while I know this is in the original story, I don’t think this book depicted this very well. He feels more like an abusive cult leader than a holy being to me. But perhaps this is because the writer is a modern person, and at the end of rhe day, most modern people snicker at religion and the idea of god. They think it’s superstitious or foolish. It is natural for this broader sentiment to show in their work.
The entirety of the plot is based on poor decision making by this dumb god character, and that could pull you out of the book. I didn’t mind though. I don’t think anybody reads a retelling for plot, tbh.
The drama, the beautiful imagery and the motives make this a compelling read.
The book feels like a fanfic. It’s a retelling, but feels more like fanfic. It’s probably the generic characters. I like it though lol.
I can imagine the story doing well in the Japanese market, perhaps made into a manga.
Quite unlike other LGBT fantasy, and warning:
Though it has it in the tag, technically, this book is not a genre romance.
The first 30% or so was quite rough with POV issues.
Words like “ground level shrub” or “mahogany” would be used when it’s the POV of somebody who was literally just created and does not even know what a plant or a tree is.
Is was sometimes hard to tell who’s perspective we have shifted to, and had me wondering who did what. But these issues went away in the middle of the book. I think the writer got better at writing as they went along.
Another major drawback is the portrayal of god. The god is written as a petty, moody, middle aged man. He doesn’t seem very wise nor compassionate. He demands the angels to worship him, and makes dumb decisions.
Like creating an Angel that is supposed to be the most beautiful, and giving him special treatment … this doesn’t seem like a very wise thing to do, even from my limited mortal perspective…
And while I know this is in the original story, I don’t think this book depicted this very well. He feels more like an abusive cult leader than a holy being to me. But perhaps this is because the writer is a modern person, and at the end of rhe day, most modern people snicker at religion and the idea of god. They think it’s superstitious or foolish. It is natural for this broader sentiment to show in their work.
The entirety of the plot is based on poor decision making by this dumb god character, and that could pull you out of the book. I didn’t mind though. I don’t think anybody reads a retelling for plot, tbh.
The drama, the beautiful imagery and the motives make this a compelling read.
The book feels like a fanfic. It’s a retelling, but feels more like fanfic. It’s probably the generic characters. I like it though lol.
I can imagine the story doing well in the Japanese market, perhaps made into a manga.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis