Title:
Angelfall
(Penryn & the End of Days #1)
Angelfall
(Penryn & the End of Days #1)
Author:
Susan Ee
★★★★☆
4 out of 5 stars
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.
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.
At first, I thought this was gonna be just another book with a really strong female character that ends up in an insta-love situation and everything else in the story becomes secondary...I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong.
I must say, I am not a huge fan of first person, present tense narrative because I feel like it just kills a lot of world-building possibilities and this book was no exception. Half the time I waiting for more of an explanation about how everything was set up so I could make a good mental map of where everything was. I like an immersive story where I feel like I can be a part of that universe. This book does not do that. However, the story does present an interesting plot-line and characters.
Because it is all written from the perspective of our main character, Penryn, you do miss out on a lot of things. Especially once you start to realize there is so much going on over at the Angel's side of things. There was a very specific moment in the book that left me with a million questions that weren't answered (because Penryn wasn't there narrating) and I have no indication that they ever will be, though I am hopeful because seriously...what happened?! Without adding any spoilers, I will just say, it involved an albino, a female angel and an operating table. I have a couple theories that are probably very close to being right, but still would like a full explanation.
Having said all that, I really liked Penryn. The ever so complex relationship with her mother, her undying loyalty and sense of responsibility towards her sister and her general positive attitude while trying to make sense of this new world she has to survive in, all while growing up and trying to find herself and who she wants to be, make her a very interesting character to read.
The book moves at a pretty steady pace throughout, except for the last 10 chapters of the book that had me going like: "Whoa! That escalated quickly!". No, really, EVERYTHING happens in the last 1/4 of the story. So much more to know and learn about! It really sets the perfect stage for me to go read the next one.
Had I finished reading this book back in September of last year when I was supposed to, I would have given it 3 stars. But listen, it isn't the book's fault that I wasn't that into it. I was sort of in a very very long Book Hangover and this just wasn't the book to get me out of it. I am glad I waited though...
I marked it as Currently Reading in January when I decided to pick it back up but it wasn't until a couple weeks ago I actually sat down and started over, plus, I promised @MissPhi I would finish it. So I went back to the beginning and I realized I actually like this story!
I must say, I am not a huge fan of first person, present tense narrative because I feel like it just kills a lot of world-building possibilities and this book was no exception. Half the time I waiting for more of an explanation about how everything was set up so I could make a good mental map of where everything was. I like an immersive story where I feel like I can be a part of that universe. This book does not do that. However, the story does present an interesting plot-line and characters.
Because it is all written from the perspective of our main character, Penryn, you do miss out on a lot of things. Especially once you start to realize there is so much going on over at the Angel's side of things. There was a very specific moment in the book that left me with a million questions that weren't answered (because Penryn wasn't there narrating) and I have no indication that they ever will be, though I am hopeful because seriously...what happened?! Without adding any spoilers, I will just say, it involved an albino, a female angel and an operating table. I have a couple theories that are probably very close to being right, but still would like a full explanation.
Having said all that, I really liked Penryn. The ever so complex relationship with her mother, her undying loyalty and sense of responsibility towards her sister and her general positive attitude while trying to make sense of this new world she has to survive in, all while growing up and trying to find herself and who she wants to be, make her a very interesting character to read.
Had I finished reading this book back in September of last year when I was supposed to, I would have given it 3 stars. But listen, it isn't the book's fault that I wasn't that into it. I was sort of in a very very long Book Hangover and this just wasn't the book to get me out of it. I am glad I waited though...
I marked it as Currently Reading in January when I decided to pick it back up but it wasn't until a couple weeks ago I actually sat down and started over, plus, I promised @MissPhi I would finish it. So I went back to the beginning and I realized I actually like this story!
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