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rmnedder'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? Yes
4.5
My only complaint is that it took me a minute to get truly invested; it started out a little slower than I would have liked, but after the first ~25% it really picked up. Other than that, this was such a fantastic read. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded that queerness exists in all corners of mythology.
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Minor: Death and Alcohol
wolfst4r's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Cursing, Incest, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
kimberlyflwrs'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
“i waited for your touch to save me.”
there are no words to explain the masterpiece of this book is, i can try, but i’m afraid i won’t do it any justice. i desperately need every word this book engraved deeply into my bones. the intense amount of joy and pain I felt while witnessing the rise and fall of lucifer is unlike anything i’ve ever read or felt before.
the themes of identity, religious trauma, sexuality, desire and doubt were portrayed in this novel so perfectly. not to mention the prose was so lyrical and hauntingly beautiful.
i fear this book has rendered me speechless. just know that i will read anything rafael nicolás writes 🤲🏻
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, and Violence
c_alexander'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: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body shaming, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Rape
pandem0nium's review
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Self harm, Violence, Religious bigotry, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, and Sexual violence
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis
thesvnthsense'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
3.0
Graphic: Body horror, Rape, Self harm, and Violence
Moderate: Incest
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
lqndtry14's review
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
Minor: Animal death
katbotelho's review against another edition
- 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
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
Graphic: Body shaming, Self harm, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
ina_pages's review
- 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
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.
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
readabookortwo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
2.0
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.
Graphic: Animal death, Incest, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror