When the Angels Left the Old Country

In a small shtetl in Poland in the early 20th century, an angel and a demon are studying the Talmud together. With opposing roles in the cosmic order but an intimate personal relationship, they embark on a quest to find out what happened to a local girl who has gone missing on the way to the USA. On the journey they meet Rose, whose best friend — the love of her life — has abandoned her to marry a man. An engaging novel with elements of Yiddish literature and folklore and concerned with early 20th century Ashkenazi immigration history, it is also about queer love and the fluid nature of identity, and about what is good and what is wicked.

Best Books for Teens of 2023