A Christian mythos inspired murder mystery set in the late 19th century, I enjoyed the different take on angels and demons this provided. I wasn’t quite sold on the book until the ending, which for obvious reasons I can’t explain.

3 stars

The fantasy-western setting to this novel is very cool, and I especially love the way in which biblical allusions and grand, sweeping epic battles of the past are distilled into the old-west, frontier town setting of petty grievances and old grudges, particularly as the literal bodies of titanic demons are mined to power futuristic technology (theology-punk?).

Initially I was also sold by the novella length, because I think it’s an excellent soupҫon of idea-driven worldbuilding that doesn’t need a big plot to justify it. However, the hardboiled murder-mystery plot upset this delicate balance for me; I felt that this either needed to be a longer story to fit the plot, or a less dramatic plot to suit the short time in this setting. Because Celeste, our point-of-view character, only has a day and a half to prove her sister Mariel’s innocence, she has to shove a great deal of investigating into that time—and Rebecca Roanhorse also has to shoe in a great deal of worldbuilding in the same amount of time. The two goals (hardboiled mystery and conceptual worldbuilding) sit uneasily with one another. Celeste spends much of her time dawdling, to my mind, to let the reader learn about the world; and yet when she speaks with other characters, frantically, about her need to free her sister none of them seem to understand the urgency of the situation. The result is that the story does not feel satisfying; yes, the plot is wrapped up neatly, but it feels very fortuitous that Celeste stumbles (mainly by luck) into the conclusion, and the world feels more shallowly painted than I had hoped. I found myself thinking rather wistfully of P. Djèlî Clark’s Fatma el-Sha’awari novellas, which left me wanting more but nicely balanced its mystery-plot and alternate-history-fantasy-worldbuilding elements.

However, it is always fun to read a high-concept novella, particularly one with morally grey characters. I just don’t think all the elements were balanced in a way that left me feeling satisfied.

The newest novel from Rebecca Roanhorse takes place in a world where angels and demons are real and a very real war took place over Lucifer's Fall. An angel fell in battle outside the Colorado town of Goetia and the townsfolk now mine his remains for the Divinity that powers magical devices for the rich and powerful. Combining elements of the fantastical with the 19th century American gold rush, Roanhorse creates a world where the fanaticism and hypocrisy are on full display.

The main character, Celeste, is half Elect and half Fallen - the latter being the only ones who can mine Divinity but who are also abused and oppressed for their supposedly inherent sinful nature. While she can pass for Elect (the language of historical racism is not an accident here), her sister cannot and when her sister is accused of murdering a powerful man she will do everything in her power to save the only person she truly loves. While there are a few friends and an old lover she meets along the way, she burns a path through the world in her determination to save her sister. Things come together quickly in the end - while the mystery structures the novel, at heart this book is a commentary on religion, power, and how the road to hell is paved with the best of intentions.

Roanhorse crafts a whole new fantasy world with super interesting mythology and a interesting cast of characters. The story is good, the romance is good, and the world is fascinating. The best thing about this book is that Roanhorse is working outside of the native mythologies that have caused so much controversy in the past.

In a mythological West, Celeste and her sister work at the Eden, a casino/bar. Celeste is a card sharp ,her sister is a singer, who on a holiday night of revelry is accused of killing a Virtue, a member of the ruling class of the mining town. Celeste is desperate to prove her sisters innocence to save her from execution to Hell.
Rebecca Roanhorse has again written a beautifully crafted dark fantasy. Her originality shines in the creative characters and the settings of her books. I have read several of her recent books and have enjoyed them.

In a world of demons and angels segregated by the fallen and the virtuous, two sisters are torn apart by a murder. I loved this book. Such an original and compelling world. A fast paced story and a quick read, I loved the blend of original Fantasy with a classic whodunit murder. My major critique is I was left feeling like the author could have done more with this idea, it was quite short.

This story had a lot of potential that it didn't quite meet. Something felt off or missing through the whole thing, though I can't quite pinpoint what. Maybe it was just a case of personal taste because I can't think of anything particularly wrong with the book. It had well developed characters and a fascinating world. Maybe my issue is that I am a sucker for happy endings and this one didn't have one. I liked all of this author's other books much better.

This is a novella but an interesting one.

I actually would be down for Rebecca writing a full series in this world. I like the mixture of angels and demons in the west.

The story is as the summary says, but the stand-out characters for me our main character and her mysterious demon lover. He shows up a couple times through the novella and his backstory is so tragic that you demand for more. However, the fun thing about their relationship is the love and hate between them. They're two, strong, independent beings (human and immortal) who debate between one another on what is right and what is wrong.

When it was finished I almost expected a "just kidding, here is a full series for you coming out such and such date".

Please, flesh out this world and make it into a series. I'd be happily reading it with a smile on my face.

Celeste, a card sharp with a penchant for trouble, takes on the role of advocate, to defend her sister Mariel, accused of murdering a Virtue, a member of the ruling class in the mining town of Goetia. This is the first time I've read anything by this author and description caught my eye immediately.

The premise was an interesting one, with Virtues, Fallen and Elect, and using the terminology of fallen angels after God's war with the Devil. It was also a bit of a weird world - they had current things like hopping nightclubs, casino games and the like, but people used horse and buggy to get around and the women wore dresses only. Some of these details lacked in the earlier part, so when they became more present in the second half I had a bit of whiplash changing what I had been envisioning.

The first half of the novel was very interesting and I was intrigued to read more about how Celeste was planning on helping her sister. There were mentions of other characters and events and I thought, oh cool - this is going to be like a Sarah J. Maas novel. Then all of a sudden, the story sped up very quickly and details just were plowed through. I felt like I had been skipping over parts, but no - that is just how the book was written.

I did very much enjoy the book but I wanted more. I think it could have been even longer with more world building, setting the stage for these characters, and then how Celeste was being portrayed. There was barely anything about Celeste being a card sharp. And the various skills and memories she had were also only briefly mentioned. Still a fun quick read. Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

This was another very interesting and readable novella from Rebecca Roanhorse. The setting is nicely fleshed out for such a short book, although of course I wanted to know more about the world since it's so interesting. The main focus of the story is the relationship between the two sisters at the heart of the novel--one accused and the other her advocate. Roanhorse is not one for easy endings or simple character dynamics, so I was expecting some murky morality and interpersonal conflict with stakes, and I was not disappointed.

This was excellent, RR continues to write twisty turvy novels that will excite any reader. 1883 seemed like a borish setting given 19th century stories are a dime a dozen, this one actually had my attention.

Rebecca Roanhorse has created a stark fantasy world in the weird west of her powerful novella, Tread of Angels. From its brilliant opening, as a dark and violent wind blowing off a mountain called Abaddon storms into the grim town of Goetia and slams down Perdition Street into the Eden, its main den of gambling and prostitution, we can feel the raw power that the characters of the story have to contend with. They are divided sharply into the Elect and the Fallen and will face horrible choices, or perhaps no choice at all about their futures.

Tread of Angels opens a world of demons and angels as well as people. Its machines and engines run on a fuel called divinity, which comes from the Tabor mine on Mount Abaddon. Despite its ubiquitous use to power everything, too much exposure can drive the Elect mad. Strangely, only the Fallen can detect the mining lodes of divinity and resist its power to twist the mind, so they are paid well by the Elect for their services. But socially the Elect have nothing to do with the Fallen lower class and scorn to be seen with them.

.......
Rebecca Roanhorse adds great depth to a story that could feel like a morality play in lesser hands. She packs this novella with fascinating detail that is just enough to keep you moving swiftly through the action and yet stays in your mind because of its elemental force. I’m glad the novella as a form has been making such a comeback, since the intricacies of plotting long novels often feel forced to me. Rebecca Roanhorse shows herself in Tread of Angels to be a master of the form.

This feels like Roanhorse got the go to go off in whatever direction she wanted in the best kind of way, and the result is a whodunit with a sister trying to protect her younger sister in a Western setting with angels and demons (and just a dash of steampunk). This is a novella you can blaze through just for watching how everything falls apart, and where you choose to place your priorities (and sometimes, they’re not the right places!). Pick this up when it comes out, you’ll be in for a treat.

Roanhorse has added a delightful new entry to her “new Americana” canon with what I can only describe as a celestial Western. I ripened through this novella in an afternoon, strung along by the murder mystery intrigue and complex characters. Little in this story was what I expected - Roanhorse bucks conventional tropes of romance and family to create a portrait of two deeply flawed sisters and the layers of their borderline toxic codependency. I find anti-heroines in fantasy to be refreshing - so many fictional men are allowed to be both sympathetic and reprehensible but women are less often permitted a foray into the realm of honest-to-goodness grey morality. I also enjoyed that Roanhorse doesn’t try to force any romance — the story stays grounded where it belongs, in the relationship and history of Celeste, her sister, and the dynamics of their differing experiences.

This was a super engaging novella, despite the fact that 1800s settings generally don't work for me. Unsurprisingly, Roanhorse makes it work really well, from expertly rendered characters to a depth of world building that shouldn't even be possible in such a short span of pages.

This fantasy novella is set in a kind of wild west populated by angels and demons. In it, Roanhorse explores some of the same themes as her series Between Earth and Sky- including a divine being who's long-dead body is now mined for use by the current populace- in this case it's used to power steampunky technology rather than the magical powers in the series.

She also plays with the idea of people long-divided by a an epic battle among higher beings many years ago- causing strife to this day. In this book, she whittles it down to two groups of people, rather than the larger set in the series which makes it a lot easier to navigate plot-wise.

A mystery element is strong in this novella. Although I woudn't quite call it a mystery, there is a mystery at the heart, one that's revelation changes everything.

Roanhorse managed to write a well-developed plot, fleshed out characters, and a compelling setting within a compact book.

My only complaint is that I wanted more. I'd love to read another book set in this world.

Well, that was a great! I really enjoy Roanhorse's writing, so finding this novella was a treat.

My favorite thing about this story was the world. The setting has a strong wild west vibe with some steampunk elements, all against the backdrop of a social hierarchy that is based on the aftermath of a war between angels and demons.

One of the things I always enjoy about Roanhorse is that she is great at including multiple women of multiple backgrounds in her books, and she clearly supports women's wrongs. However... this is a morally grey book, and it's on the dark grey side. If that's not your thing, or you want your characters making "good" choices, this might not be the best option.

My main quibble is that I wanted more, and I don't mean that in a trite way. The book is so short that there were significant character moments that felt rushed, and I wanted a little longer to let it steep. That being said, this is an excellent, self-contained and innovative fantasy story. I really hope that it's a precursor to more books set in this world, because I will enthusiastically read them.

Set in a Wild West town populated by angels and demons, Tread of Angels sets a murder mystery in a mining town filled with desperados and those wielding unspeakable power. When her sister is accused of a brutal murder, a card dealer sets out to prove her innocence, whatever the cost may be. Celeste passes for one of the Elect but chooses to live her life with her sister Mariel and the other Fallen of Goetia, working as a card dealer and trying to forget her demon ex-lover. The murder shakes Celeste's carefully controlled life and causes her to sacrifice everything she holds dear in the hopes of saving Mariel. Engaging, complex, and unwilling to wrap up with a neat bow and a happy ending, Tread of Angels is another excellent read from Roanhorse.

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!

I received this as an eARC via email from the publishing company without solicitation and read it under my own volition.

Having only read Roanhorse's Between Earth and Sky series and having no other context for their writing. I was pleasantly surprised by this short story and, like many other reviewers, agree it should have been longer. It had a lot of potential to be an excellent full-length novel, and I think it would have helped out the world building to have a full novel to explore the concept of this world.

I found the characters fascinating and well-developed for such a short story, the mystery plot compelling and leaving me curious as to how things occurred, and the worldbuilding fascinating.

All-in-all, a great short read if you want a fast-paced, mythical story.