Tales of Mystery and Woe
By John Robert Mack
© 2021
ASIN: B096WM8CNG
Kindle Version, file size 6367
Wow… what a ride! Call Me Angel is a rollercoaster on two wheels. The action rarely stops. Neither does the snark. All the way through this book, while I was on the edge of my seat and biting my nails for Angel, I was also smirking or even laughing out loud at his sarcasm which ran so thick at times, you could cut it with a knife. For Angel, it’s a shield, one he uses to keep himself at a distance from friend and foe alike, and I loved every minute.
Angel, the main character, is a queer superhero. His superpowers came on him with no explanation as to their source, and absolutely no warning. Adjusting to his new reality was…challenging. We get only little snippets of backstory (the author explains why in the book’s endnotes), so he’s something of a mystery throughout. Even so, his character does evolve. In the beginning, he’s a strict loner, but by the end Angel and his friends are family. I especially loved that development.
Other characters in the story fleshed out Angel’s needs well: Jake, his sidekick; Morrison, a youth in trouble; Beth, who isn’t what she first appears; and Marcus, Angel’s lover. Each of them develops as well, adding to and shoring up Angel’s character in endearing ways. I felt for them all.
While Call Me Angel is not a comedy, it is a light read, in that there isn’t much need for deep thought. Jump on the ride and hold on tight, and Angel will take you out of your own world and into his for a while. I advise seatbelts. Definitely recommended.