This is not the story you think it is. These are not the characters you think they are. This is not the book you are expecting.

In an alternate 1880s London, angels inhabit every public building, and vampires and werewolves walk the streets with human beings in a well-regulated truce. A fantastic utopia, except for a few things: Angels can Fall, and that Fall is like a nuclear bomb in both the physical and metaphysical worlds. And human beings remain human, with all their kindness and greed and passions and murderous intent.

Jack the Ripper stalks the streets of this London too. But this London has an Angel. The Angel of the Crows.

I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw who wrote it, as « The Goblin Emperor » was an extraordinary read and I also loved the series « Doctrine of labyrinths », wrote under the name of Sarah Monette, the other author’s publishing names. The fact that I was quite interested by the book’s themes also helped.

As usual in the author’s books, the story was very easy and confortable to read, with good dialogues, splendid characters and touches of mysteries about them. What I liked less maybe is the adaptation of the story of Jack the Ripper, and others Sherlock Holmes ones, I’d have preferred an original detective story. But fortunately the angel theme, thoroughly used and imagined, was quite enough to make for it!

To conclude a very good read, and I really hope that a sequel is to be expected, particularly as I’m not sure about some things about Watson and will love some personal development!

(I thank Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for sending me the ARC in exchange for my honest review)