When the Angels Left the Old Country

By: Sacha Lamb

Narrated by: Donald Corren

In publishing-speak, here's what we at the LQ office sometimes describe as the Queer lovechild of Sholem Aleichem and Philip Roth: 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.

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.

©2022 Sacha Lamb (P)2022 Recorded Books

loved this

So compelling with characters that you fall deeply in love with. I've listened more than once and loved every minute. ❤️ The mythology and the history are so well rendered.

The Angel and the Demon

I loved everything about this book! It was so well written and kept me engaged throughout the entire book. The characters had wonderful journeys and woven well into each other and their stories. It was so good!

A grand adventure on many levels.

I was charmed by the characters, intrigued by the episodic adventure, and touched by the search for identity.

Captivating

What an utterly charming story. I was a little apprehensive to start reading it in case sad, bad things happen to people, but despite sad, bad things happening at times, it remains wonderful and uplifting and at times very funny.

I loved it!

What a wonderful book! I was captivated from the very first, and hung on every word through all the adventures of Little Ash the demon and Uriel the angel. All of the characters were so interesting, and I was cheering for them throughout. From the old country, to the steamship, to New York City, the plot moved along at a brisk pace, and I never wanted to stop listening. I’m not Jewish, but I loved all the Jewish mysticism present in the story. And the ending was absolutely perfect! A delightful historical fantasy, with a refreshing Jewish perspective.

The narrator wasn’t bad, though I did have problems sometimes differentiating between Little Ash and Uriel when they were speaking. But otherwise I thought he was able to give the book a Yiddish feel in his inflections and speech patterns, that made the book feel authentic.

Warm and entertaining

This book is at once historical and inventive, entertaining and thought provoking, classic and modern. I enjoyed it and will read it again soon. My mother recommended it to me, and I am intrigued that the book appeals to her conservative nature at the same time as it appeals to my progressive inclinations.

Fabulous story!

The reading was a little flat, but the story is fantastic! I loved the dynamic between Little Ash and The Angel. The story didn’t drag at any point, and I wanted more when it was over.

A Jewish “Good Omens”

A fun story with a lively narration. Starts a little slow so give it a few chapters.

A joy ride tale involving Jewish Mysticism

The concept of the book had me at the start. Any novel that starts out with an angel and a demon studying Talmud in a corner of a synagogue, has to get your attention and I’m so glad I gave it a chance. The audio performance is outstanding and all the phrases and mannerisms for the characters, evoke the tremendous spirit of the Jewish community.

Suspend your imagination and take a ride on the fantasy tale and you are sure to feel rewarded. It’s the relationships of the different characters that really moves the story along.

It’s definitely a nice diversion from the usual genre of books and it’s worth your time to explore something new -

Not the same as Good Omen but entertaining

I picked the book because the synopsis sounded similar to Good Omen by Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaimen. The Good Omen follows more of a Christian story with the story of the Antichrist, When angels left the old country has some Jewish mysticism. It is an enjoyable story.

I listen to the audio version and found the story entertaining while doing chores and cooking.