Review by Booklist Review
There's no real setup here. On the opening pages, 17-year-old Penryn is trying to hustle her wheelchair-bound little sister and her schizophrenic mother out of their Bay Area condo to some safe area where the angels of the apocalypse won't destroy them, as they've been doing to others worldwide for the last six weeks. The getaway doesn't work so well. Penryn's sister, Paige, is grabbed by the angels, right after a band of them slits off another angel's soft, white wings. Against her better judgment, Penryn saves Raff (well, he is quite handsome) on the condition that he'll at least put her in the direction of Paige. So begins a dangerous trip into San Francisco; along the way, the two have to avoid marauders, escape a resistance group's camp, and keep away from the cannibals. Information about the angels is dispensed miserly, but the action never stops, with some new horror just around the corner. The main characters, including Penryn's mother, all intrigue, so the sequel will be welcome.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Ee's gritty debut, which stars a heroine with backbone, angels of the apocalypse seek revenge against humans for killing the Archangel Gabriel, and street gangs have taken over Silicon Valley. Seventeen-year-old Penryn lives with (and cares for) her wheelchair-bound sister, Paige, and their paranoid schizophrenic mother. While attempting to escape their apartment to find safety, Paige is kidnapped by an angel. At the moment of the abduction, Penryn meets Raffe, an angel whose wings have been cut off by the angels who take Paige. Hoping Raffe might know where Paige is, Penryn reluctantly nurses him back to health, and the two join forces, traveling to the angels' "aerie" in San Francisco to recover Paige and repair Raffe's wings; along the way, they are captured by a dangerously anarchic army of the human resistance. Smartly conceived details (for example, there's a bounty on angel body parts, turning them into a commodity) feel fresh in this apocalyptic romance that's sustained by well-developed characters, atmosphere, and strong writing. Ee leaves plenty to discover in a planned sequel. Ages 14-up. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-Six weeks ago, the apocalypse began with angels coming down from heaven, killing and terrorizing humans in revenge for their killing the Archangel Gabriel and taking over the world. Now, 17-year-old Penryn, her wheelchair-bound sister Paige, and their schizophrenic mother are trying to survive in a world taken over by vigilantes and angels. When Paige is kidnapped by warrior angels, Penryn makes a deal with an injured enemy angel to help her find her sister. Susan Ee has spun a gripping tale (Amazon Children's Pub., 2012) that will rivet listener and narrator Caitlin Davies gives each character a distinct voice. A fine addition to school and public library collections.-Elizabeth L Kenyon, Merrillville High School, IN (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
