#beliel

Rating: 5

Re-Read Factor: Yes

Genre: dystopian, fantasy, supernatural, young adult

"I never thought about it before, but I'm proud to be human. We're ever so flawed. We're frail, confused, violent, and we struggle with so many issues. But all in all, I'm proud to be a Daughter of Man."

Angelfall follows Penryn Young as she attempts to escape with her younger sister and mother from their home where angels have now taken over for the past few weeks. Her sister is physically disabled, and her mother has religious psychosis that gives Penryn a run for her money in trying to turn their escape into success. However, they soon cross an angel-- Raffe-- whom other angels have ostracized and cut off his wings. During the struggle, Penryn's sister is kidnapped, and her mother disappears. To find them, she teams up with this "fallen" angel to reach San Francisco, and on the way, she discovers more about the end of days and the resistance other humans have sought to survive.

There's a fierce innocence that immediately drew me into the book. Penryn is strong in her convictions in reuniting her family but has a soft heart where she is willing to risk her life to help others in need. Despite believing the angels as the enemy, she feels strongly about caring for Raffe when his wings were cut off, and her empathy was clear in more ways than one. Her actions were not out of childish sentiment but unambiguous and sensible. None of her actions were without thought, which is rare for many protagonists in current YA novels.

As for Raffe, Ee's portrayal of the angel was incredible. His actions resonated louder than his words, and his care for humanity and beyond was clear throughout the story. For an agnostic angel and a powerful one at that, he did not radiate arrogance, his actions logical, and his development towards indifference to love for humanity was well-developed.

Grand Belial's Key & Chemin de Haine - Hobo of Aramaic Tongues & Le royaume maudit