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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
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
WOWZA. An amazing read. Gorgeous retelling. I don’t even know where to begin. Started off somewhat slow — I wasn’t fully on board with the writing style at first, but it really gripped me as the story.
Watching Lucifer’s relationships develop — with Michael, with Baal, with himself, with God — really kept me hooked. It’s one of those things where I was excited to see How the story unfolded as I already knew how it ended. Lucifer’s corruption, and how it starts from love, how he was doomed because he loved too hard, too deeply. His characterization. GOD his characterization.
And even the side characters were properly compelling. Though the POV shifts weren’t frequent, they were powerful and meaningful when they happened. Truly Uriel’s chapter is sticking with me. The idea of his form that existed Before God, and how that was taken away to be fitted into God’s image.
I couldn’t put this book down. I want a physical copy so bad.
And even the side characters were properly compelling. Though the POV shifts weren’t frequent, they were powerful and meaningful when they happened. Truly Uriel’s chapter is sticking with me. The idea of his form that existed Before God, and how that was taken away to be fitted into God’s image.
I couldn’t put this book down. I want a physical copy so bad.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Incest
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
so… wow.
this was heart wrenching and visceral and beautifully written. it really is like taking a knife to the gut and a soft kiss on the cheek at the same time.
it starts off veryyy slow-paced, so i understand why a lot of readers dropped the book but i think that kinda is the point??
lucifer is a tragic fucking character. in the first half of the book, his innocence and curiosity is infectious. it’s like your hand is being taken through a meadow of flowers, and you’re experiencing the sights and scents for the first time. you watch him learn what it means to be an angel, and what it means to be himself. and he yearns. yearns to learn, yearns to discover, yearns to be loved, and it’s so devastating when god sees that as a bad thing and in his jealousy, rips it all away from him.
lucifer definitely is a victim, but it was so interesting to see his trauma shape him & see him almost mirror his abuser. he becomes more cruel, sadistic, and manipulative, while also still wanting the best for the angels and still holding love in his heart. you can’t help but to want him to win, even with all the fucked up shit that ends up coming from him trying. like yess gaslight gatekeep girlboss!!!
okay so for the incest tag:
i’m mainly only putting it because the angels all refer to each other as “brother” and god, their creator, “father”. but in my opinion it’s easy to see them saying this in a religious way, and also i believe that because god forbids the angels from loving themselves and each other (as he gets jealous and possessive of lucifer when his relationship with michael turns romantic), they must be nothing more than “brothers”. that being said, lucifer and michael do rarely call each other this! but also, i think the incestuous tones mainly lie with god and lucifer, because of their abusive relationship, so i’m also tagging it because of that.
but in short, this book was amazing and i loved it so much. i can’t wait to own a physical copy & read the other books in the series <3
this was heart wrenching and visceral and beautifully written. it really is like taking a knife to the gut and a soft kiss on the cheek at the same time.
it starts off veryyy slow-paced, so i understand why a lot of readers dropped the book but i think that kinda is the point??
lucifer is a tragic fucking character. in the first half of the book, his innocence and curiosity is infectious. it’s like your hand is being taken through a meadow of flowers, and you’re experiencing the sights and scents for the first time. you watch him learn what it means to be an angel, and what it means to be himself. and he yearns. yearns to learn, yearns to discover, yearns to be loved, and it’s so devastating when god sees that as a bad thing and in his jealousy, rips it all away from him.
lucifer definitely is a victim, but it was so interesting to see his trauma shape him & see him almost mirror his abuser. he becomes more cruel, sadistic, and manipulative, while also still wanting the best for the angels and still holding love in his heart. you can’t help but to want him to win, even with all the fucked up shit that ends up coming from him trying. like yess gaslight gatekeep girlboss!!!
okay so for the incest tag:
i’m mainly only putting it because the angels all refer to each other as “brother” and god, their creator, “father”. but in my opinion it’s easy to see them saying this in a religious way, and also i believe that because god forbids the angels from loving themselves and each other (as he gets jealous and possessive of lucifer when his relationship with michael turns romantic), they must be nothing more than “brothers”. that being said, lucifer and michael do rarely call each other this! but also, i think the incestuous tones mainly lie with god and lucifer, because of their abusive relationship, so i’m also tagging it because of that.
but in short, this book was amazing and i loved it so much. i can’t wait to own a physical copy & read the other books in the series <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Gore, Self harm, Violence, War
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Blood
Minor: Incest
I just finished this book and i feel like i need to sit down for a moment to processe what just happened.
This book was ....very disturbing.. and that is to say the least for the most blasphemous books i ve ever read.
Did i enjoy it ?? Hell yeah, i was hoocked from the first page, the writing was so poetic, so beautiful, i just couldn't put it down, how can a human being comes up with such a beautiful and delirious and unhinged book as this one ??.
This book is a retelling of biblical Lucifer's fall from the heavens, and even though i very much knew the ending, i still find very...wild...
The first part of the book was very pleasing, it was cute and fun, all the characters were so sweet and gentle, after all, what angels can be but kind and gentle?? And how paradise can be but a very happy place??
Lucifer was at first my favourit character, he was the embodiment of innocence and kindness, the angel of beauty, the angel of worship, god's favourit. And his relation with Michael was so beautiful, so innocent, so warm and fuzzy...
But then.... everything went straight down to hell...literally.
I very appreciated the character of Lucifer, he was like a silly cute little boy, and i couldn't help but ask myself: how can this sweet angel become the devil himself?. Frankly i thought that this retelling was going to be completely on Lucifer's side, and that he would be the angel who has been unfairly punished, who has been misjudged. There was a bit of this , but also there wasn't?.
This book was unsettling,it was wild, it was raw, you accompany the characters in their descent to madness, from complete and total submission and obedience to full rebellion. It's like the devil himself is sitting beside you, tempting you with the most horrific and delirious sins, blinding you with desirs that even you didn't know existed in you. It was like a fever dream, a midsummer nightmare.
There are so many hidden meanings in this book, that i can"t wait to uncover one by one.
If i have to describe this book in one word it would be : "Sin".
If you want to read this book, i would recommend reading the trigger warning, and preparing yourself emotionally and mentally for what is about to happen.
Rapahel Nicolas, i can't wait for you to write other beautifully unhinged books, so i can devour them, and alter my brain's chemistry.
" let's creat and call it sin".
" this, this could be our new Religion".
Definitely 5 stars, a whole constellation of Uri-kimah ( if you get it, then you get it).
This book was ....very disturbing.. and that is to say the least for the most blasphemous books i ve ever read.
Did i enjoy it ?? Hell yeah, i was hoocked from the first page, the writing was so poetic, so beautiful, i just couldn't put it down, how can a human being comes up with such a beautiful and delirious and unhinged book as this one ??.
This book is a retelling of biblical Lucifer's fall from the heavens, and even though i very much knew the ending, i still find very...wild...
The first part of the book was very pleasing, it was cute and fun, all the characters were so sweet and gentle, after all, what angels can be but kind and gentle?? And how paradise can be but a very happy place??
Lucifer was at first my favourit character, he was the embodiment of innocence and kindness, the angel of beauty, the angel of worship, god's favourit. And his relation with Michael was so beautiful, so innocent, so warm and fuzzy...
But then.... everything went straight down to hell...literally.
I very appreciated the character of Lucifer, he was like a silly cute little boy, and i couldn't help but ask myself: how can this sweet angel become the devil himself?. Frankly i thought that this retelling was going to be completely on Lucifer's side, and that he would be the angel who has been unfairly punished, who has been misjudged. There was a bit of this , but also there wasn't?.
This book was unsettling,it was wild, it was raw, you accompany the characters in their descent to madness, from complete and total submission and obedience to full rebellion. It's like the devil himself is sitting beside you, tempting you with the most horrific and delirious sins, blinding you with desirs that even you didn't know existed in you. It was like a fever dream, a midsummer nightmare.
There are so many hidden meanings in this book, that i can"t wait to uncover one by one.
If i have to describe this book in one word it would be : "Sin".
If you want to read this book, i would recommend reading the trigger warning, and preparing yourself emotionally and mentally for what is about to happen.
Rapahel Nicolas, i can't wait for you to write other beautifully unhinged books, so i can devour them, and alter my brain's chemistry.
" let's creat and call it sin".
" this, this could be our new Religion".
Definitely 5 stars, a whole constellation of Uri-kimah ( if you get it, then you get it).
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
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
dark
sad
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
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For any born into the Christian faith, it is difficult to see through the blasphemy of Angels Before Man. The Holy Father is depicted in all His mystery as omniscient and all-knowing, but his role in Lucifer's life strikes more as a possessive and obsessive lover rather than the paternal figure we are so familiar with. The Holy Father's arrogance and all-consuming power is more reminiscent of the Greeks' Zeus than anyone else, especially with his claim over all his creations. Rafael Nicolás is a master in weaving his own threads into the Lord's tapestry while criticising and questioning many aspects of blind religious faith and the sins of the Creator as we see but do not truly acknowledge in the Bible's writings. Is it respectful? No, but Nicolás did give a warning about the blasphemy (amongst other things) in this book. I myself had to remind myself time and time again that this is a work of fiction, and I do plenty of questioning of my own Christian faith in my spare time already.
Though Angels Before Man seems to be at times an unbearing slow-burn, the pacing of the story makes sense with the chronology of Lucifer's life since his creation. The hundred million years of blind faith and worship, all of which are challenged by several horrifying incidents in which his beloved Father shows his true colours.
Lucifer's following corruption initially seems shallow in hindsight, and the rebellion he leads against God happens so quickly in comparison to the slow burn of the first act, but I soon see that this is Nicolás's genius in the work; depicting Lucifer's fall from the eyes of Lucifer himself, desperately cradling his trauma and hurt in the arms of vengeance. As far as the retellings of Lucifer's fall goes, Nicolás's has to be one of the most masterful ones I've seen on paper. Not just the actual fall heralded by the amputation of his wings by the blade of his own beloved, but his splintered mind caught between hatred of his Father and all those who follow Him blindly and the love of the memories from the hundred million years before.
Don't let the stars fool you. I truly enjoyed this book. The rating is a fault of mine, and would have been higher if not for the unfortunate truth that I am not a fan of slow burns, and am also a confirmed Christian.
Though Angels Before Man seems to be at times an unbearing slow-burn, the pacing of the story makes sense with the chronology of Lucifer's life since his creation. The hundred million years of blind faith and worship, all of which are challenged by several horrifying incidents in which his beloved Father shows his true colours.
Lucifer's following corruption initially seems shallow in hindsight, and the rebellion he leads against God happens so quickly in comparison to the slow burn of the first act, but I soon see that this is Nicolás's genius in the work; depicting Lucifer's fall from the eyes of Lucifer himself, desperately cradling his trauma and hurt in the arms of vengeance. As far as the retellings of Lucifer's fall goes, Nicolás's has to be one of the most masterful ones I've seen on paper. Not just the actual fall heralded by the amputation of his wings by the blade of his own beloved, but his splintered mind caught between hatred of his Father and all those who follow Him blindly and the love of the memories from the hundred million years before.
Don't let the stars fool you. I truly enjoyed this book. The rating is a fault of mine, and would have been higher if not for the unfortunate truth that I am not a fan of slow burns, and am also a confirmed Christian.
dark
emotional
sad
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
first read (audiobook): Utterly heartbreaking. And so beautiful.
second read (digital edition): Just as good as the first time I heard it as an audiobook. Next time, I'll read the paperback copy. Take more notes, ache down to my marrow and rejoice in it.
second read (digital edition): Just as good as the first time I heard it as an audiobook. Next time, I'll read the paperback copy. Take more notes, ache down to my marrow and rejoice in it.
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I wanted more from this. I came to Angels Before Man hoping for a queer retelling of Lucifer’s fall that brought contemporary insight and ideological bite. What I got instead was more gothic romance than critique — which could have been fine, except even as a gothic toxic-lover narrative, it felt underdeveloped.
God as an obsessive, possessive lover is an interesting angle, but the execution lacked depth and intensity. Queerness is present, but not with the psychological, emotional, or critical sharpness I’d expect — it reads more as aesthetic than as a real critique of divine/hetero order.
Lucifer’s arc also felt thin. His “journey” toward self-love is shallow, and the rebellion seems impulsive, not rooted in conviction or vision. It’s hard to see why any angel would actually follow him.
I didn’t want a straight religious allegory, but I did want a queer reimagining that interrogates power, conformity, and rebellion in meaningful ways. Instead, this often felt like titillation with biblical window-dressing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence