Angels Before Man

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Angels Before Man by Rafael Nicolás is the queer retelling of how Lucifer fell from Heaven. This book contains stunning prose and lines that just stick with you, leaving you shaken and entirely enraptured. At some points I was left entirely breathless by just a single passage, a sentence even.

I read the progression of the relationship between Lucifer and Michael, the strongest archangel, knowing that it all ends in tragedy, a looming sense of despair lingering in my chest as I grew more and more attached to these characters. Even knowing the ending (Lucifer falling from grace and becoming the Devil), Nicolás managed to keep things surprising, interesting, and original even in the ending. From Lucifer's conception to his fall, I was completely in love.

This book was a great inspiration for me to write my first book, got me into my obsession with religious horror, and to continue seeking out a career in writing. I have been a fan of his works since this debut novel and kept up with his books over the years. I found him a great bit of motivation to keep myself going! If you were on the fence about giving this book a read I believe you definitely should.