Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - When the Angels Left the Old Country

This book is SO GOOD. It really exceeded all my expectations. The dynamic between Little Ash and the Angel has wormed its way so far into my brain it's unreal. I'm also fond of Rose as a character too--she grounds the two in their adventure, but she is also unhinged. She has a drive and boldness that compliments the other two very well. It's the little things with the characters--the way the Angel is agender and stays that way, the way names are played with, the way each of them have animal features and how Little Ash's feet hurt him. I am fascinated by the place the Angel begins in and how it develops its own identity to become more present in the world and

grows closer to Little Ash as a result

. I love how the two always rely upon each other as the stakes are raised. I'm also very fond of this sort of take on an angel and a demon that are both not very powerful and relatively sheltered. The sense that these two are a part of a close community rings true throughout the entirety of the book, from the shtetl, to the ship, to New York City-- it never feels as though they've left their community behind even though they are on a journey-- staying grounded by the search for Essie and by the majority of the human cast being literal family. As the angel and the demon of the shtetl migrate and progress in their journey it never feels isolating, which is nice.

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blessedbamboo's review

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adventurous emotional funny reflective 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

4.75

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moondragon8's review

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

[will fill in later!]

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nightstitch96's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted slow-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

3.75

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shoohoob's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious reflective tense slow-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

4.0

This book is so wordy and introspective…. very Jewish if you ask me

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ronan_lesh's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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bandysbooks's review

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

Do you ever pick up a book that you know nothing about completely based on the cover? That's exactly how I wound up reading When The Angels Left The Old Country. I was scanning Netgalley and the cover just really called to me. I'm so glad I requested this book because this was such a unique and interesting book.

Angels follows an angel and a demon as they try to protect a member of their shtetl who immigrates to the United States. It sounds bizarre and in some ways it is, but oh my goodness did I enjoy this book. The characters were unique, the plot was engaging, and it was a good balance of mystery, humor, and suspense.

First of all, both the angel and the demon were such interesting characters. I loved their unexplainable bond and the humor they share throughout the story. I was invested in who they were and what their purpose was. I also found the human characters well thought out and realistic.

The immigration process through Ellis Island was both unique for the Angel and Demon, but oddly realistic too. We see people arbitrarily trapped for being a single woman, for potential illness, or just because a guard didn't like them. It echoes a lot of the stories I learned about when I visited the Ellis Island museum.

I also really enjoyed the Jewish cultural elements in this story. I felt like I learned a handful of things and it made the story feel so rich and real.

All in all, this was a wonderfully interesting story with memorable characters. I would recommend it if you want a unique adventure of immigration from one continent to another or if you enjoy contemporary fiction with a splash of humor. I will definitely read future books by Sacha Lamb in the future.

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