Wow, this book is just AMAZING!!!!! I didn't know what to expect from Angelfall, but it had me at "angel"! Susan Ee has cleverly written a truly addicting, thrilling, gut-wrenching story that is so disturbing and moving that it's impossible to put down!!
A little summary of the plot: Penryn is on the hunt to save her 7-year-old, wheelchair-bound sister from the angels that took her away after attacking Raffe and stripping him of his wings (which was a very gruesome, graphic scene). She has to nurse Raffe back to health while keeping herself and her schizophrenic mother safe from the gangs that run rampant in the now-destroyed streets of California. Once Raffe is well enough, she hopes to get him to tell her where her sister was taken. She never expects him to survive his brutal attack, and when he does they reluctantly agree to take the journey to aerie together. He hopes to have his wings reattached so that he can be whole again, and she hopes that the help of an angel, broken or not, will get her to her little sister in time.
Angelfall is dark, as in not like your typical dystopians where the government is overthrown or mother nature has struck back and the US in is chaos. This is real post-apocalypse, world has been obliterated, the wrath of God has been hammered down upon us, DARK. The feeling of despair is so strong, from the vivid descriptions of the setting and the emotions felt by the characters in the story. It was so beautifully written, you couldn't help but feel as if you were actually in the story experiencing everything along with Penryn (LOVE this name, by the way!). There were so many scenes that were terrifying and gruesome, and some that really just made me sick to my stomach, but somehow Ee managed to sneak in humorous characters and moments that were the perfect blend into the cloak of darkness.
The characters in this book were truly dynamic; between Penryn's rollercoaster of emotions about Raffe, her family, and her world, Penryn's crazy but morbidly hilarious mother, Raffe and his constant inexplicable yo-yo-ing attitude and sorted past, and the whole entourage of evil/disturbing/intriguing/creepy secondary characters, there's not a moment in this story where your mind can just rest and recover. There's so much to each character that grabs your attention and keeps you guessing, it's hard to break away from it. Penryn was a phenomenal heroine, I loved her!! Her mother's long battle with schizophrenia has left her very protective and motherly towards her mom and sister, and she is resourceful and clever well beyond her 17 years. She's tough, having taken a multitude of self-defense classes her crazy mother insisted upon, and brave, willing to face anything that comes her way if it means saving the ones she cares about. You can't help but care deeply for her while she goes on this terrifying journey. Raffe, as I said, had me at "angel"! Even as an enemy of the humans, this guy was sexy and captivating, and the mystery surrounding him and his situation had me immersed in the story. As much as you want to hate him for being one of these horrible angels that brought about the end of the earth, you can't help but feel heartbroken for him in his plight. There is near constant tension between him and Penryn, but over the course of their journey it goes from angry and fearful tension to unspoken sexual tension, and I absolutely loved watching their relationship morph into something much more meaningful.
As much as I absolutely love Penryn and Raffe, I think the most creative and interesting character in Angelfall by far is Penryn's mother. This is one of my favorite lines in the book, and it describes her perfectly: "We now play a permanent game of I-am-crazier-and-scarier-than-you. And in that game, my mother is our secret weapon." As disturbing as it is that she's got a serious mental illness and is raising children, this woman is downright hilarious in a very sick way. The fact that Penryn can tell when her mother has come around by how the woman mutilates and messes with dead bodies or leaves rotten eggs as her calling card is just so wacky that it's humorous. She sews astericks onto their clothing for protection, she covers toilet seats to keep out demons, she thinks the devil speaks to her...she has got to be the most mess-up yet lovable character I've ever come across!
Angelfall had me on the edge of my seat for the last several chapters. There are several major twists that bust things wide open for an entirely new plot to develop, and there was so much going on that my heart was just racing through every scene! Ee puts so much action, emotion, gore, and heartbreak into the end of this book that I couldn't believe it was over. It doesn't really hit you until the end just how much Raffe and Penryn feel for each other, and part of it was so upsetting and unsettling, yet you're left with a feeling of hope in what could possibly come. The part of me that loves happy endings wants so badly for things to somehow leave this crazy/beautiful romance alive, but I guess only time and some really wacky twists will tell! Can't wait for the rest of this series to come out, because this is one thrill ride that I do not want to get off of!!
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Popular Highlights in this book
He kisses me with the desperation of a dying man who believes the magic of eternal life is in this kiss.Highlighted by 1,649 Kindle readers- “Sometimes, as we’re stumbling along in the dark, we hit something good.”Highlighted by 1,479 Kindle readers
- When you’re small enough to have to look up at everyone around you, there’s no such thing as a dirty fight.Highlighted by 1,291 Kindle readers
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Reviews with images
YA Post-apocalyptic sci-fi, slow burn forbidden love, angels and demons
All I really knew going into this series was there were going to be some hot angels. If that's all you need to know too, then brilliant, I can confirm there are literal hoards of hot, shirtless angels. However, if you require more proof that this book is worth your time... keep reading.Angefall begins six weeks after Angels invade the Earth. Penryn, Paige (her wheelchair bound sister), and her schizophrenic mother witness an Angel fight where Paige ends up kidnapped. Penryn decides to work with the fallen Angel, Raffe, to rescue Paige.Penryn and Raffe's chemistry just simmers. They are so at odds when they first meet but in this apocalyptic setting, where they are outsiders amongst their own people, they slowly find themselves depending on each other. Their snarky remarks and equally dominant personalities made me fall in love with them so easily.I loved the world, the intricacies of this new society were just so well tied into the plot. Angelfall keeps you moving at a steady pace throughout the entire book. While there are many action scenes, there is an undercurrent of tension that propels the book forward. Though this is definitely still a young adult book, be prepared for graphic descriptions of violence, abuse, and human slavery.
Top reviews from other countries
Laura Machado
Um livro excelente com muita ação, tensão e terror
Reviewed in Brazil on April 15, 2018
