When the Angels Left the Old Country
$19.99 USD
hardcover
BEST OF THE YEAR
NPR · New York Public Library · Kirkus
For fans of “Good Omens”—a queer immigrant fairytale about individual purpose, the fluid nature of identity, and the power of love to change and endure.
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 emigrants 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.
Sacha Lamb is a 2018 Lambda Literary Fellow in young adult fiction, and graduated in Library and Information Science and History from Simmons University. Sacha lives in New England with a miniature dachshund mix named Anzu Bean. Their debut novel, When The Angels Left The Old Country, was named a Printz Honor Book, a Sydney Taylor Award winner and a Stonewall Book Award winner.
* “Immersive…Propulsive. A mashup of historical fiction and magical realism, this will find a satisfied audience in fans of both.”—BCCB (starred) "When the Angels Left the Old Country is a phenomenal story that explores gender identity and sexual orientation while showcasing the power of community and the journey one must take to truly know themself." — Jewish Book Council *“ Expansive queer tale that marries historical fiction with inventive world-building. Witty, cerebral storytelling.” —Horn Book (starred)
* “Powerfully moving. Broad in scope, the strong queer relationships at its core provide an unfaltering anchor.”—Publishers Weekly (starred)
*”Richly imagined and plotted, this inspired book has the timeless feeling of Jewish folklore, which is further enhanced by the presence of two magical protagonists, and not one but two dybbuks! In the end, of course, it’s the author who has performed the mitzvah by giving their readers this terrific debut novel.” —Booklist (starred)
* “Extraordinary details flesh out this absorbing world… And love emerges in places where angels, demons, and defiant girls did not at first think to look. When the Angels Left the Old Country is a sublime novel about the fantastical, freeing nature of love. — Foreword Reviews (starred)
* “Steeped in Ashkenazi lore, custom, and faith, this beautifully written story deftly tackles questions of identity, good and evil, obligation, and the many forms love can take. Queerness and gender fluidity thread through both the human and supernatural characters, clearly depicted without feeling anachronistic. Gorgeous, fascinating, and fun.” —Kirkus (starred)
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