When the Angels Left the Old Country

4.5 stars.

This is a very Jewish Good Omens-like book, and so, of course, I loved it. It was also queerer than Good Omens, with a genderless angel, a queer demon, and a lesbian lady as the main characters. This book is chocked full of Jewish and Yiddish terms that I, as even a reform Jew, had to look up some things. It did have a glossary at the end, but it would have been easier, I think, for goyim to read with the terms and customers explained as they read. The pacing started slowly, but it sped up near the middle and end. I loved all the characters and wanted them all to succeed. The relationship between Little Ash and Uriel was believable and very cute. I love relationships based on arguing about Jewish ideas. Rose, their new friend, is a great character who knows who she is and what needs to be done. She reminds me of Jewish women who have their brains on and are more together than most men.

Overall this is an excellent story of supernatural creatures and humans coming together to make a better life for each other and defeating evils known and unknown. This trend of Jewish fantasy is making me so happy though this one is especially Jewish, so it might not be for everyone.

I meant to post this review sooner, but I finished reading months ago and have been recommending to people ever since! Truly a beautiful book.

The angel and the demon have lived side by side in their tiny nameless shtetl for centuries, passing their time studying and arguing over fine points of the Talmud. The world around them is changing, though, as threats of pogroms grow closer and more young people are leaving for the promise of the New World. When the two hear of a villager’s daughter who has disappeared along the way, they decide to head to America to find her. The demon, Little Ash, finds promise of mischief and excitement, while the angel sees a duty, a mitzvah, to watch out for the residents of their village.

And adventures ensue! Along the way they encounter murderers in Warsaw, the ghost of an old rebbe, a headstrong girl on her way to America still bitter that her crush married a man, demons at Ellis Island, New York mobsters, dybbuks, and more!

But what I love most of this book was the relationships and the way it is such a sweet, beautiful song of being alive, being human (even when you’re not), and the many shapes of identity. I really can’t put into words how beautiful I found this book. If you’re looking for a queerplatonic story with a demon and an agender angel (it pronouns) that explores themes of names, change, identity, and soulmates, for lack of a better word, that is unashamedly Jewish/Yiddish -- if any of that sounds like something you’d like to read, go pick this up now! (You won’t necessarily need to know anything of Yiddish culture to appreciate it)

I was sucked into this story feeling all the feels, and it’s definitely my top book of 2022 now.

Just an absolutely fantastic read, loved the writing, the characters and the setting. Thank you Sacha Lamb for saving YA.

Absolute perfection. Will definitely be recommending it at my library to my teens. Thank you Netgalley and Levine Querido for the ARC!