A review by laurareads87
Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Tread of Angels follows Celeste, who must struggle to free her sister who’s been imprisoned for murder. In this Western-inspired world of angels, demons, and their human descendants, classic Western characters like the sheriff, the saloon keeper, the corrupt landowner, and the outlaw are given a new spin that feels feminist — this is a decidedly women-centered narrative — and contemporary even amidst the 1883 slightly steampunk-infused setting. Much of what I liked most about this novella are what I think Roanhorse does best: the complex world-building, the moral complexity and ambiguity of the characters, and the trajectory of the protagonist’s character development. There are a lot of themes here — ends and means, corruption and the desire to challenge it without becoming corrupt oneself, dogmatism and moral policing, loyalty and betrayal. While I enjoyed the novella, I do think this story would’ve benefited from more room to breathe — this could’ve easily been a full length novel and would’ve felt less rushed if it were. The universe Roanhorse has constructed is interesting enough that I hope she returns to it in future stories. 
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for providing an ARC in exchange for this review. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings