Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee

Title: Angelfall Author: Susan Ee Available in Kindle or Nook format just $2.99 It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back. Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel. Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl. Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

Angelfall deposits the reader right in the middle of this formidable post apocalyptic world where there are dangers lurking everywhere, both human and other. Angels have descended and ravaged the earth and those who are left resort to any means necessary to survive. Penryn is trying to take care of her small family since her father skipped out on them. She has to worry about a mother who is often lost in schizophrenic delusions as well as look out for her crippled and wheelchair bound little sister. Penryn is the one responsible for finding food and shelter as they try to constantly stay one step ahead of the dangerous street gangs and the bloodthirsty angels that can swoop down from above without warning. These angels have been in a really bad mood since their leader, Gabriel, was gunned down and they have been wreaking havoc, destroying so much of the world that the landscape has become unrecognizable and the few survivors struggle to endure day to day. It all seems rather hopeless and Penryn’s only motivation to continue on is the little sister who couldn’t survive without her. When Penryn impulsively saves an angel from being torn apart by his own kind, the other angels retaliate by flying off with her helpless little sister. Now Penryn will risk anything to get her back, including joining forces with one of the enemy.

First lines:

Ironically, since the attacks, the sunsets have been glorious. Outside our condo window, the sky flames like a bruised mango in vivid orange, reds, and purples. The clouds catch on fire with sunset colors, and I’m almost scared those of us caught below will catch on fire too.

Awed..speechless…blown away…these are the words I would use to describe how much I enjoyed Angelfall. The writing was impeccable, I was lost in the story from the first page and it only got better as it continued. The author created a desolate world using vivid imagery and fascinating characters. I was as intrigued with some of the secondary characters as I was with Penryn and Raffe. For example, Penryn’s mother was an obvious schizophrenic who would seem to turn up unexpectedly throughout the book with strange and sometimes cryptic words and warnings for Penryn who wasn’t sure if her mother knew something of if she was simply insane. The angels and the street thugs were effectively terrifying, really setting the tone for the dangerous world they were a part of.

I was surprised that, although these were the angels and archangels of the apocalypse, Angelfall didn’t stray too deeply into religion. It was interesting they way the author weaved bits and pieces of the angels background into the story, leaving them somewhat mysterious but giving enough of an explanation to satisfy, for now. I definitely want to understand more about them in the sequel.

The growing relationship, not necessarily romance, between Raffe and Penryn was one of the highlights of the story for me. There was the slow development of mutual respect for one another which then progressed into trust and loyalty as they helped each other through some pretty scary situations. There was also a physical attraction that was always there but didn’t overshadow the more “real” things they started to feel for one another. I don’t see that slow, realistic progression often in fiction but I liked it. And Raffe….wow….I can’t wait to read more of HIM!!! His courage, strength, and loyalty was certainly swoon worthy for me.

The angels were crazy scary. At one point Penryn sees a sign that says “Who will protect us from the guardians” and I think that pretty much sums it up. They view humans as talking monkeys and are ruthless in taking what they want. These are not the pretty creatures we see on Christmas cards. Raffe really puts it in perspective when he tells Penryn:

He shrugs in the dim light. “Angels are violent creatures.” “So I noticed. I used to think they were all sweet and kind.” “Why would you think that? Even in your Bible, we’re harbingers of doom, willing and able to destroy entire cities. Just because we sometimes warned one or two of you beforehand doesn’t make us altruistic.”

Ultimately, this is one of the best, if not the best, book I have read in 2011.  I can’t recommend it enough. I can’t believe this was only $2.99!!! Angelfall is as a fast paced exciting page turner that will keep you up late into the night reading. I devoured this in just one day, staying up until 4 in the morning to finish it! This dark and gritty and beautifully written novel is a must read for fans of fantasy, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, angels, or anyone who just enjoy an exciting and extremely well written story.

Need more convincing? Check out this incredible review of Angelfall which is what convinced me to buy the book. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/183090277

Rating 5 (plus some extra  love)

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(This book is available for $2.99 as a LendMe Nook book at Barnes and Noble. You can add me as a Nook Friend at ahappybooker at gmail dot com. If you happen to read it, please write a review so we can get the word out about this amazing book!!)

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