When the Angels Left the Old Country - Sacha Lamb

AUTHOR: Sacha Lamb

NARRATOR: Donald Corren

GENRE: Historical Fantasy.

RATING: 4.25 stars.

In a Nutshell: A historical fantasy with a strong foundation of Judaism. With an angel and a demon and a queer woman leading the cast, this was a unique ride. I would have loved it even more had I understood all the Jewish references, but it was still amazing. The audiobook narrator was outstanding.

Story Synopsis:

An angel (who picks names as per the situation) and Ashmedai the demon (known as ‘Little Ash’ to distinguish himself from his homonymous father Ashmedai the demon king) have been studying the Talmud for centuries in their tiny shtetl. However, when they hear that one of the local girls, who had emigrated to America, has gone missing, the two set off on a journey, for very different reasons. Little Ash wants some adventure, while the angel wants to serve its purpose by rescuing her from supposed danger.

This story is about their long journey from Eastern Europe to the US, their adventures along the way, the characters they meet, and of course, their rescue mission in a country whose streets weren’t paved with gold as the shtetl newspapers had promised them.

The blurb says that this is ‘for fans of "Good Omens"’, but I admit I haven’t read the Neil Gaiman book yet, so I can’t compare the two.

(Editing in August 2023: I have now read 'Good Omens'. So I can confidently say that the books have only one main thing in common: the lead characters are one angel and one demon. The stories are quite distinct, though both offer enough to ponder upon.

Click HERE for my review of 'Good Omens'.)

Where the book worked for me:

😍 It was a unique story for sure! History and fantasy are two disparate genres, and blending them isn’t easy. But this book does so in such an effortless way that it is tough to draw the line between where history ends and fantasy begins, though we all know the fantastical elements in the story. Amazingly written!

😍 The angel and the demon get top marks. Not just for their uniqueness but also for their characterisation. When you think ‘angel’ and ‘demon’, you don’t think ‘best friends’! The connection between the two was so powerful and their friendship, so genuine! I simply loved how they didn’t stick to their clichéd roles of ‘good angel’ and ‘bad demon’ but fell in the grey area at times, just to ensure that the other doesn’t feel let down. These will be among the most memorable characters I have ever read in fiction.

😍 For a book with two clear leads with extended roles, there are some amazing secondary characters as well. The female ones are strong and impactful, with Rose Cohen being so noteworthy that I would love to read a spinoff story of her life.

😍 What amazing rep! A genderless angel. A partially disabled demon. A queer Jewish female. And none portrayed in an apologetic or exaggerated way. Loved it!

😍 The plot covers quite a few serious topics connected to anti-semitism, immigrant experiences, and labour rights. It also includes some personal themes such as self-discovery, friendship, and coming of age. All topics and themes are handled well. (Notice one thing? There’s no homophobia. I loved how the LGBT angle was incorporated into the story in a seamless, matter-of-fact way.)

😍 Despite the heavy content, there are plenty of funny scenes to break the intensity and offer you a smile. The repartee between Little Ash and the angel was enjoyable.

😍 The omniscient narration is put to brilliant use in this book. We not only get to see what everyone is up to, but the narrator also grabs a few opportunities to reveal his opinion on the angel and Little Ash.

😍 While the story was fantastic by itself, the audiobook narrator elevated the experience. Details below.

Where the book could have worked better for me:

😑 This first point isn’t a shortcoming of the book per se, but it did affect my experience. A lot of the content is grounded in Jewish norms (terms, customs, beliefs). Some things were clear from the context but some left me confused, all the more in the audio version. (Like, I googled to see what “dibuk” was, and discovered the existence of “dybbuk”!) I am sure I would have grasped the subtler nuances better had I been more familiar with Yiddish terms, rituals, and superstitions.

😑 The book begins to drag a little in the final quarter, while it should have been the most fast-paced there. The story still moves on, but in a somewhat rambling way.

😑 I do get that it is a Jewish story, but portraying all the non-Jewish characters as villainous became too one-sided and predictable. Some variety both ways would have been better.

The audiobook experience:

The audiobook, clocking at approximately 9 hours, is narrated by Donald Corren. He was simply amazing! While he doesn’t go out of his way to voice the angel and Little Ash (and even the secondary characters) differently, his narrative style ensures a distinct manner of expression for each of the characters. It makes the audiobook so much easier to listen to, especially when there are quite a few spoken dialogues between the characters and knowing who was who is vital. I would definitely recommend the audio version for this book.

‘Good Omens’ fans will certainly experience the book differently. As will readers of Judaic background. I am neither. I still enjoyed this whimsical #OwnVoices novel and would gladly read more books by this author. I was surprised to discover that this is a YA book! Give me more of such YA any day.

My thanks to RB Media and NetGalley for the ALC of “When the Angels Left the Old Country”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.

Editing to add: Some other reviews revealed that there is a glossary at the end. This would certainly be helpful. It wasn’t present in my advanced audio copy.