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cemeterygay's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: War, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Emotional abuse, Violence, Abandonment, Animal death, and Self harm
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual content, Rape, and Sexual assault
CW: Major (Christian religious trauma)nevermoregothic's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, War, and Alcohol
Minor: Incest, Rape, Cannibalism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Fire/Fire injury
thecatconstellation's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I will say - if you have religious trauma, please do a LOT of research before deciding to read this book. It was pretty triggering for me.
Also - I would not label this as a romance and only a portion is cozy - the rest is quite intense and at times difficult to read (trauma, gore).
Graphic: Sexual violence, Blood, Violence, Sexual assault, and Rape
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Animal death, Gore, Grief, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
ess_x's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
kristinajoy07's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Sexual violence, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Gore, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror
radiojupiter's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Gore, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Rape
bloodbrooxv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Self harm, Body horror, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Animal death, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Sexual violence and Sexual assault
Representation: gay main characters, POC main and side charactersmynameisgeoffry's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, Death, and Body horror
madscanread's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gore, Emotional abuse, Cannibalism, Sexual assault, Body horror, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Mental illness, Torture, Sexual violence, Self harm, Rape, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Panic attacks/disorders, and Incest
tinyelfarcanist's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is one of the darkest books I've read and I suggest you look at the content warnings before diving into this one. The following is a list of the topics included in my review, just a meagre example of those contained in this novel.
CW: swearing, blasphemy, and mention of wicked acts.
"He is beautiful," the seraph said as the cherub cried out from a scathingly sore throat. "The most magnificent of all your angels, Father."
I loved the prose reflecting Lucifer’s mental state. Lucifer is an interesting character if unappealing at times.
This book is split into two distinct sections. I divided my review as such. Don't be fooled by the sweetness of the first part, this book doesn't shy away from picturing the depravity that a tortured individual is driven to.
Part 1:
So. Fucking. Cute. A naive and recently created Lucifer shares sweet banter with other playful angels in Heaven...
What else could an angel be but happy?
On the surface, this is a story about a beloved bard finding his purpose, a story about a narcissistic pimp and his favourite twink. A story about angels in love.
Why would God make him so beautiful if that beauty wasn’t meant to be admired?
Paradise is not what it seems.
Part 2:
Looking deeper, this is a commentary on jealousy, identity, and religious trauma.
The Lord said, "Sing, angel," His voice all-encompassing, "and you will be saved." Lucifer did so, fearing his God.
For a restless angel like Lucifer, mindless worshipping and hedonism won’t do.
Angels Before Man is powerful in its painfully accurate depictions of depression, wrath, passion, and pride. It is a blasphemous display of the unforgiving Father and the angel who was punished for questioning.
God may have created his equal. He made a perfect angel, and He will soon discover that power corrupts. Lucifer grows more spiteful every time he’s reprimanded.
Let’s not forget that for all of Lucifer’s deviousness, he is God’s creation.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Murder, Self harm, Blood, Body horror, Alcohol, Animal death, Gore, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Cursing, Death, Animal cruelty, Torture, Violence, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Sexual violence