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A review by thea
Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse
4.0
4.5 stars! it's masterful and a nod to her craft how rebecca roanhorse weaves a murder mystery in a debaucherously gritty world that centers on mining the remains of a fallen angel. the themes were expansive, ranging from the automatic condemnation of a race due to a set prejudice to the false security of having freedom of expression. but, i have to say, my favorite theme this novella had was the corruption of devotion — how too much of a good thing will inevitably lead to ruin.
celeste is not cruel, but is ruthless. nothing matters above clearing her sister' name, morphing her journey into one of manipulation and desperation — a spiral of shame of her own making. i enjoyed her passionate character, despite the mixed feelings her journey made me feel, eventually transforming my raging frustration into breathless, resigned helplessness. i did not give this five stars because of the obvious plot twists that were used, but i still found the conclusion to my satisfaction. despite celeste's status in society as half-fallen (meaning, she has roots to lucifer's rebellion), i felt that, more than anything, her self-made fall from grace truly clarified her state of morality — which was brilliantly, satisfyingly wrapped up in this novella's last sentence.
before i wrap this up, i feel compelled to mention celeste's ex-lover, abraxas — a demon lord with crimson eyes that, when resting comfortably upon celeste's face, show fervent love and devotion. i laughed so hard when i figured out why they broke up because it was so hilariously, obviously demon-like. i am not god's strongest soldier because i would've caved into abraxas's "impossible" (claims celeste) request immediately. i, a hopeless romantic, screeched and wailed with emotion whenever these two were in the same room together. however, i do have a brain and know i cannot trust rebecca roarhorse with my fragile hopeless romantic heart, which saved me from heartbreak (phew). this is a tale of the inescapable, self-destructive trap of consuming devotion, desire, and loyalty. enjoy the ardent rush of lust and love, but do not disrespect this book by prioritizing an amorous, idealistic future above all else — the romance section is over there.
thank you to the publisher and netgalley for sending me an arc for my honest review!
celeste is not cruel, but is ruthless. nothing matters above clearing her sister' name, morphing her journey into one of manipulation and desperation — a spiral of shame of her own making. i enjoyed her passionate character, despite the mixed feelings her journey made me feel, eventually transforming my raging frustration into breathless, resigned helplessness. i did not give this five stars because of the obvious plot twists that were used, but i still found the conclusion to my satisfaction. despite celeste's status in society as half-fallen (meaning, she has roots to lucifer's rebellion), i felt that, more than anything, her self-made fall from grace truly clarified her state of morality — which was brilliantly, satisfyingly wrapped up in this novella's last sentence.
before i wrap this up, i feel compelled to mention celeste's ex-lover, abraxas — a demon lord with crimson eyes that, when resting comfortably upon celeste's face, show fervent love and devotion. i laughed so hard when i figured out why they broke up because it was so hilariously, obviously demon-like. i am not god's strongest soldier because i would've caved into abraxas's "impossible" (claims celeste) request immediately. i, a hopeless romantic, screeched and wailed with emotion whenever these two were in the same room together. however, i do have a brain and know i cannot trust rebecca roarhorse with my fragile hopeless romantic heart, which saved me from heartbreak (phew). this is a tale of the inescapable, self-destructive trap of consuming devotion, desire, and loyalty. enjoy the ardent rush of lust and love, but do not disrespect this book by prioritizing an amorous, idealistic future above all else — the romance section is over there.
thank you to the publisher and netgalley for sending me an arc for my honest review!