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When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb

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When the Angels Left the Old Country

by Sacha Lamb

Narrator Donald Corren

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Length 8 hours 59 minutes

Language English

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Bookseller recommendation

“Fans of Good Omens’ Aziraphale and Crowley will find so much to love about another angel-demon odd couple, Uriel and Little Ash! Warm-hearted, whimsical, and wise, this queer, Jewish historical fantasy follows these two unlikely partners in pursuit of performing a mitzvah for a lost girl from their tiny shtetl in the Old Country all the way to Ellis Island and a Lower East Side full of immigrants, strikers, radicals, and many newfound friends! ”
— Megan • Underground Books

Bookseller recommendation

“When the Angels Left the Old Country draws from traditional Judaism juxtaposed with beautiful, sacred, inevitable queerness. In the era of Ellis Island, Uriel and Little Ash - an angel and a demon - sail to America to solve a mystery, joining forces with a plucky girl named Rose along the way. There’s much good-natured bickering, soul-searching, and heart-pounding action, and did I mention it’s gay? Donald Corren’s narration is nothing short of perfect. ”
— Mary • Raven Book Store

Summary

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 people, Essie, 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. With cinematic sweep and tender observation, Sacha Lamb presents a totally original drama about individual purpose, the fluid nature of identity, and the power of love to change and endure.

YA Fiction