Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well! I’m posting this review a little bit late right now. I always try to post as soon as I finish the book so it is fresh in my mind. Regardless of when you see this, I am grateful that it grabbed your attention. Maybe you even decided to give this book a chance. I don’t want to ramble any longer. Let’s talk about Angels Before Man.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Sexual Content, Scenes of Sexual Assault, Self-harm, Death of Animals, Implied Incest, Religious Trauma

Before Lucifer fell, he was an angel. He wasn’t just any angel; he was the angel of beauty. He lived in Eternal Paradise. His only purpose in life was to praise God and love others. One day, he crossed paths with the Archangel Michael. Soon, their friendship turned into something that had never been seen before in Heaven. Lucifer soon begins to ask questions. First, they begin out innocently but Lucifer quickly discovers that Paradise is not what it seems and God may not be as merciful as he once was.

Angels Before Man was such a profound and shocking take on the Biblical story of the fall of Lucifer. The writing is a fantastic mixture of prose and poetry. I was hooked all the way through and hated having to put this down. The book is specifically marketed as a “Queer Retelling of the Fall of Satan” and I absolutely loved the way Nicolas incorporates those themes, turning the tale into an allegory for religious trauma and sexual self-discovery. As beautiful as the novel is, it is also raw and visceral. My jaw dropped more than once. I don’t want to give away much more as I really want you to experience this novel for yourself. I implore you to read Angels Before Man as soon as you can.