Sacha Lamb’s When the Angels Left the Old Country is a richly imaginative novel set against the backdrop of Jewish folklore and early 20th-century immigration. The story follows Little Ash, the son of a demon king, and his angelic counterpart, Uriel, as they leave their shtetl in the Pale of Settlement to search for Essie, a missing baker’s daughter who had moved to America. This journey through both supernatural and historical landscapes serves as a poignant exploration of identity, love, and the clash between tradition and modernity.

The novel blends elements of magical realism with a vibrant portrayal of immigrant life, incorporating Ashkenazi lore, Yiddish and Hebrew phrases, and culturally specific dialogue that enhances its authenticity. Lamb’s writing style is both comforting and engaging, creating a narrative that feels familiar yet fresh. The comparison to “Good Omens meets Fievel” captures some of the novel’s charm, though it doesn’t fully convey the depth of Lamb’s nuanced storytelling. The book’s portrayal of queerness and gender fluidity is both respectful and integral to the plot, reflecting a sophisticated understanding of identity that feels natural within the story’s context.

Despite the serious themes of labor exploitation, immigration struggles, and existential questions, the novel maintains a lighthearted tone. The dangers faced by the characters—ranging from soul-eating demons to unscrupulous factory bosses—are depicted with a sense of adventure rather than intense suspense. This balance between comfort and profundity makes the novel accessible while still addressing significant issues.

Lamb’s depiction of Uriel’s transformation from a single-minded angel into a nuanced individual with its own desires serves as a metaphor for self-discovery and personal growth. The story’s exploration of identity, both in terms of gender and cultural heritage, invites readers to reflect on their own journeys of self-acceptance and understanding. The historical accuracy of the settings, though not rigidly precise, adds to the story’s credibility and enriches the fantastical elements.

Ultimately, When the Angels Left the Old Country is a testament to the power of literature to offer both solace and insight. It challenges readers to reconsider their relationship with the past and their own identities while providing a comforting and engaging read. The novel resonates on a universal level, demonstrating that stories of personal and cultural exploration have a profound impact regardless of one’s background.

Sometimes I stumble across a book that isn't my usual read and enjoy it immensely for entirely unexpected reasons. This was one such book.

Firstly, the writing is brilliant. It was hilarious while simultaneously endearing the characters to me and me getting emotional for the situations everyone found themselves in. The adventure and repercussions swing between serious historical and wild randomness without compromising on the tone of the narrative as a whole. I kept trying to interest my husband with random paragraphs that obviously did not make much sense to him out of context.

The author includes an entire glossary of the Jewish words used throughout the book and this made it easy to ensure I understood things the right way.

An angel and demon are companions of a sort when the book begins. Although the demon has his own reasons for starting their travels, the reasons change as more and more people and information comes their way. In the background, a reader can imagine the actual immigration to the US from other countries and the tough situations people must have found themselves in all those years ago.

Lastly, there is heart in the centre of this story and I am only sorry that I did not get to this book sooner, it has been sitting on my virtual shelf for a while.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who finds either the review or the book's blurb interesting.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

It's not often I find myself wishing a 400 page book was longer, but I was with this book. The environmental storytelling of the old country and the new, the journey in-between, and the ways the angel and the demon talk to each other feel like a dreamy folk tale being retold by a grandmother passing it down. Sacha Lamb has such a way with crafting stories, and it fits in so well with the method of Jewish storytelling, which is refreshing to see.

Absolutely worth a read, one of my top 10 books of all time.

Thanks to netgalley for the arc.

So lovely. Reads like a Russian folktale, just wholly entertaining. It reminds me of Good Omens.but with a twist.

The writing style here just wasn’t working for me at all and I DNF’d pretty early on. There was nothing wrong with it and I’m sure plenty of people would love it, just didn’t personally work for me.

🪽 BOOK REVIEW 🪽

Synopsis: Uriel the angel and Little Ash (short for Ashmedai) are the only two supernatural creatures in their shtetl (which is so tiny, it doesn't have a name other than Shtetl). The angel and the demon have been studying together for centuries, but pogroms and the search for a new life have drawn all the young people from their village to America. When one of those young emigrants goes missing, Uriel and Little Ash set off to find her.
Along the way the angel and demon encounter humans in need of their help, including Rose Cohen, whose best friend (and the love of her life) has abandoned her to marry a man, and Malke Shulman, whose father died mysteriously on his way to America.
But there are obstacles ahead of them as difficult as what they've left behind. Medical exams (and demons) at Ellis Island. Corrupt officials, cruel mob bosses, murderers, poverty. The streets are far from paved with gold.

Review: An angel and demon causing trouble in early 20th century New York, sounds enticing! Very very Jewish and queer, making it probably the most diverse fantasy story I’ve ever read in my life. I can see why it has such an incredible fandom, and I’ve seen some incredible fan art. I want to thank the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for my review, but unfortunately it wasn’t for me (despite having all the components that usually tick my boxes!). There’s no denying it’s a great book, but it’s just not a great book for me. I really struggled to comprehend what was written, and I put that down to my experience reading character-based stories as well as my knowledge of Jewish culture. I’d love to educate myself more and come back and enjoy this in the future. I haven’t given up on it and highly recommend it to you all!

2/5 stars ⭐️⭐️

#bookstagram #bookish #instabooks #ilovebooks #readinglist #bookblog #readmore #reads #currentread #booknerdigan #readingaddict #avidreader #newread #readallthebooks #booksta #booksandbooks #readaholic #booksparks #booksarelife #bibliophile #bookwormlife #reader #beautifulbooks #bookphotograph #bibliophile

4.5

When the Angels Left the Old Country is a story following Uriel (an angel with no permanent name at first, no gender), and Ashmedai, a demon, who live in a tiny shtetl that has no other name but Shtetl. They've spent centuries there together, studying, until they take a journey following Essie, daughter of the shtetl's baker, who they believe is in danger. Their journey takes them to America and on that trip, they meet many humans, such as Rose (who travels to America, disappointed after her best friend, who she's in love with, marries a man), and encounter many hardships, from corrupt men at every corner to terrible immigration policies once they finally reach Ellis Island.

This novel had me simply enthralled while reading, the writing style is fairytale-, folktale-esque, and it fits the story beautifully. It is pretty much a queer Jewish folktale, set in the 20th century and it's filled with details of what Jewish immigration to the US looked like. The main point of the book really is the characters, their relationships, how they love, how they understand love, how they see themselves, what it means to be human, and what it means to wholeheartedly care for someone. It also deals with some incredibly heavy topics, like anti-semitism, poverty, corruption, grief, and pretty much all real tangible hardships people go through. It also focuses on what identity is to immigrants, what goes with you, what you leave behind, the family that you left, the traditions, and the overall bittersweet feeling of it.

I really enjoyed the characters, as I mentioned, they were certainly the driving force of the book, as all topics explored are explored through their circumstances. I loved reading about Uriel and Ash's relationship, the love, the understanding they had for each other. How in turn it seems gentle, and in turn sharp, but how real it felt to read about. They are polar opposites when it comes to their personalities, but they balance each other, and most importantly they see each other and accept each other as they are. The growth we see in them individually throughout the book was amazing, and I loved seeing how that affects their relationship, how it grows and changes with them. I also loved Rose as a character, she is headstrong, and passionate and often seems like she wears her heart on her sleeve. She is so strong, and truly an amazing and fun character to follow.

All in all, I would highly recommend this book! This is perfect if you love understated fantasy, stories with people at their center, and exploring emotions and identities, what makes a community. It is filled with Jewish culture and references, so prepare to do some research if you're not familiar with the details (as I have done reading this) so you enjoy this novel to the fullest! :)

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

The good angel and the bad - kind of evil actually - angel decide to leave the Pale of Settlement and relocate to the goldene medina in order to find out Essie, the baker´s daughter. Maybe they also wanted a bit of adventure bored by their chevrute studies in the shtetl. Once on the other side of the pond, they observe how the immigrants are badly treated, and the workers in the factories as well, and redefine their identities - gender, angel-like etc..

I am personally in awe about new Jewish literary voices, inserting in the storytelling flow contemporary topics - like gender fluidity for instance - while maintaining a historical and religious background - the old shtetl, the religious traditions. When the Angels Left the Old Country is following the same pathway in a way which is both evocative and creative and even humorous - the relationships between the two angels is both kind and hilarious.

Although the story unfolds in a pace of old shtetl story, the disparate parts of the story and the events occurring in the States - like the social protest and the Feminist outrage - do not match necessarily the story. Instead, it pushes for a social message without polishing the details. The message(s) take over the story and especially from the middle of it, it´s hard to ignore the discontinuity.

Personally, I had high expectations from the book, as giving a new impetus to Jewish topics in contemporary literature is an interesting project. Despite of having some interesting twists, it ends up too ideological and such a literary touch is always detrimental to the literary quality.

Rating: 3 stars

Disclaimer: I was offered a print version in exchange for an honest review but the opinions are, as usual, my own

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me access to this incredible ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. One of the best parts of it, a part that I think sets it apart from many of the other books I have read, is the characterization. Each one of the characters was very distinctive from the others, and their individual voices shined through in the writing. The distinction between the characters also made the relationships that formed feel very genuine.

I loved Little Ash and the angel/Uriel, and also their relationship with each other. The feelings they had for each other were tangible, and the tenderness with which they handled each other spilled off the page. I found them both to be very endearing main characters that I was really rooting for no matter what happened. Something that I really enjoyed about the relationship between Little Ash and the angel was that, although it obviously transcended beyond what a regular friendship entails, there wasn't much about it that was overtly romantic. There was no need for the typical things that people expect from a romantic relationship, because their care for each other was so strong. The angel saying that Little Ash is "the friend of [its] soul", and Little Ash saying to the angel that it "can be Uriel forever, and save a hundred rebbes. Be an angel or demon or anything you like. Just don't leave me," really exemplifies how deeply they understand and yearn for each other. Their bond, in my opinion, is as queerplatonic soulmates, and it is one of my favorite relationships that I have ever read.

My only criticism of this book is that I was slightly confused as to what was going on or what the purpose of some of the characters' actions was. This may have just been my own lack of understanding and not a problem with the book, but I found that I wasn't really sure what was going on a lot of the time. However, the lack of clear motive at times could just be because the angel and demon have been alive for so long that they will go on any adventure without much reason behind it, which would be fitting.

I am not Jewish so I cannot speak to the quality of that representation, but I expect that it is amazing. I feel that I learned a lot through this book about Jewish culture and folklore, and hold a new appreciation for the religion.

Overall, this was an incredible book. Thanks again to NetGalley for allowing me to read it, and to Sacha Lamb for writing it!

I requested this because it sounded like Good Omens but with way more leftist vibes and actually saying the queer part out loud and with their whole mouth. I ended up being correct, and it also turns out that the author is backing the Harper Collins Union, which makes the worker's rights vibes that you also may have sensed from the summary manifest in a very, very direct way. It also points out that yes, Ellis Island is an evil upon the earth, and exposes a younger audience to the horrors of American immigration policy from back in the Good Old Days. We also get queer human characters too, which is always fun to watch unfold, especially when you've got a Jewish angel and devil combo. Definitely worth reading and just enjoying the vibes for.

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 was first drawn to this book because of the uniquely beautiful cover. I found the artwork and colors intriguing, which was then supported by the synopsis.

A queer Jewish angel and devil travel to America, overcoming various obstacles and taking on many challenges. I thoroughly enjoyed the character development; however the overall plot fell a bit flat for me. All the reviews are raving about this book, so I feel like I’m missing something. I will try to reread in the future.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Levine Querido for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot count how many times I have been told, as a writer, to read my work out loud. Listening to the words, tasting their rhythm and cadence, helps identify awkward phrasing, unrealistic dialogue and a whole host of other problems. I’ve never tried it as a reader until I picked up Sacha Lamb's delightful historical YA fantasy When the Angels Left the Old Country. As soon as the words left my mouth, I understood that this book was written by someone familiar with the unique speech patterns of native Yiddish speakers.

The story follows a Demon and his unlikely chavrusah, an Angel, as they leave their tiny shtetl and set out for America. The demon is out for adventure. The angel wants to track down a missing girl from their village. And although they will never admit it out loud, neither wants to leave the other behind.

As they journey both by steamship and through the perils of Ellis island they join forces with Rose, who finds herself traveling to America alone after her best friend decides not to make the journey at the last minute. Rose is brave, smart, capable and also utterly clueless as to why her friends defection hurts her so deeply. She and the demon make a fantastic team as the poor angel struggles with its own identity as both a servant of God and a being with wants of its own. Chief among those needs are its desire to stay with the demon even if other righteous deeds pull it in differing directions. 

Along the way we meet such various characters as two Dybbuks, an Ibbur and my personal favorite, a Christian demon. There are also human villains, Jewish and not, that must be dealt with. All this in addition to a damsel to rescue, who actually turns out to be be quite competent herself. 

The authenticity of the setting is baked right into the very language the characters use. Readers not familiar with Yiddish, or the distinct English phrases that Yiddish speakers use as a result of translation, might wonder at how the copy editor let this stuff through. I was grateful for every last STET Lamb employed to preserve this effect. Because read aloud, this book about immigration actually feels like coming home.

⭐⭐⭐ -- Love the cover on this one!

This was an...interesting read. I liked it. Didn't love it. It was definitely different and quirky. That said as someone who knows next to nothing about Judaism, I felt like I spent half the book confused and looking up definitions for words. 🤷🏻‍♀️

**ARC Via NetGalley**

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.

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.

What. A. Book. I loved every minute I spent with Ash and Uriel and Rose. The narrative voice was a perfect delight — such a mixture of dark and sweet that it brought to mind both The Book Thief and Winnie the Pooh. 🤯 That and the characters' unswerving devotion to each other made for one of my favorite reads of the year.

Thank you to Netgalley and Levine Querido for providing me with a digital ARC of this book!

When the Angels Left the Old Country is even more proof that historical fantasies written by marginalized authors who center the lived historical experiences of people with the same marginalizations are just objectively better!

Jewish Good Omens is an apt comparison for this story about an angel and a demon working together to traverse the Atlantic Ocean in search for a young girl that had left their little shtetl for the New World. I think fans of Neil Gaiman's other works, particularly Neverwhere and Stardust, will enjoy the writing style and tone of this book. It's got a whimsical vibe at many points, but knows precisely when to dial up the tension and intrigue. I think this is clear in Little Ash's confrontation with the gentile demon on Ellis Island and the last ten or so chapters of the book as everything comes to a crescendo.

This may not be for readers who enjoy more fast-paced fantasy stories, but hot take: I think sometimes a slow build is essential for a good story, because you need the chance to grow attached to the characters and see their change before you can genuinely care about whether they achieve their goals by the end of the book. I think this book is a perfect example of that. Seeing Uriel and Little Ash's relationship dynamic shift as they embark on their journey to find Essie is such an integral and standout aspect of When the Angels Left the Old Country, the entire narrative would not be remotely as engaging without it.

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!