I really enjoyed it! Bauer does a great job of getting immersing readers in the world without bogging the story down. We learn as we read, which is fantastic. The pacing is steady and the characters fun.
Myla is a great protagonist, full of spark, energy, and of course, wrath. Being a quasi demon whose sin is wrath (and lust), she drives the story forward with relentless passion. What truly sets Myla apart from the stereotypical, and often one-dimensional, kick butt warrior, is that she isn’t just that. She is sensitive and introspective, especially when it comes to her background, her family, and the injustices she observes. Yes, she enjoys the fight, and though it seems like her life is about the fight, it isn’t. That’s what it has been because that’s all she has had to escape from the realities of the current construct of Purgatory. It’s her only escape, and that she’s good at it – only make it better.
To say everything changes when she meets a boy would be cliche, but also a partial lie. Everything changes for Myla when Purgatory itself shifts away from the current norm. That Bauer manages to conflate the workings of the world with the meeting of a boy is fantastic, keeping Myla true to herself and strong, while still letting her be young and “in love.” Also, Lincoln is amazing and a breath of fresh air compared to all of these other YA love interests. He backs Myla up instead of overshadowing her or going above her. He cares for her and does what she needs instead of what he thinks she needs or is best.
Angelbound by Christina Bauer is a great YA fantasy novel that has some of the healthiest depictions of young romance I’ve seen in a while. The pacing is spot on, characters are refreshing, and there are seedlings of a vast and solid world beyond what we see.
