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Thursday, April 6, 2023

SPFBO 8 Finalist Review: Small Miracles by Olivia Atwater

 


Read FBC's interview with Olivia
Book links: AmazonGoodreads

AUTHOR INFO: Olivia Atwater writes whimsical historical fantasy with a hint of satire. She lives in Montreal, Quebec with her fantastic, prose-inspiring husband and her two cats. When she told her second-grade history teacher that she wanted to work with history someday, she is fairly certain this isn't what either party had in mind. She has been, at various times, a historical re-enactor, a professional witch at a metaphysical supply store, a web developer, and a vending machine repair person.

Publisher: Starwatch Press (May 6, 2022) Page Count:286 Formats: ebook, audiobook, paperback, hardback


JONATHAN

Gadriel is the fallen angel of petty temptations. When she takes a job to settle a debt, she quickly finds she’s gotten in over her head.

Miracles is the second of this year’s finalists I’ve read that I’d consider “cozy” fantasy, in that the stakes are relatively small and details the day-to-day travails of its protagonists. It's not really my niche or genre but Atwater’s easy prose style, with its understated humor, had me quickly engrossed. The characters are easy to like. Gadriel is confused and world-weary, but as a former guardian angel, also resourceful and determined. Other characters are a mixed bag, with some displaying layers and others being one-note to the point of being caricatures. There is a light romance element in the book but it’s not heavy-handed. For the most part, the book was paced well and the tale reached a logical, fitting climax.

Two things stood out to me. One, the angel society is peculiar and interesting. I found it clever that each angel was essentially androgynous and could assume any gender (or not) as their mood took them, which led to some amusing exchanges between Gadriel and her human charges or as a running joke with other angels. Two, I enjoyed the use of footnotes throughout, alongside the virtue/sin ranking system. I’m certain this technique will be polarizing among readers but it played right into my reading style.

I did have a few questions. The primary antagonist does not make an appearance or make themselves known until after the halfway point of the book and it was a somewhat jarring transition, since the entire tone of the book had been light and fluffy to that point, and this individual’s arrival overlaid a rather ominous tone over the whole thing. And—I’ll try not be spoiler-y here—while the resolution around that antagonist is handled well, one wonders why it couldn’t have occurred much earlier.

But those are minor nitpicks. Small Miracles is a well-written quick read that I enjoyed. I recommend for anyone who likes cozy and contemporary fantasy with light humor.

ŁUKASZ

Small Miracles charmed me with its simple, effortlessly funny story and likable characters. It's whimsical, often amusing, and there is hardly a dull moment.

Gadriel, the fallen angel of petty temptations, is persuaded by her angelic bookie to pay off her gambling debt. No big deal; she has to tempt a sinless mortal, Holly Harker, into sin. Just a little bit, so her cumulative sin metric isn't so low. A piece of chocolate here, a white lie there, done. Only Holly doesn't like chocolate and seems untemptable.

Small Miracles captures the reader's attention with its engaging writing style and witty humor. I especially enjoyed the author's writing style, which is easy to read and captivating throughout the book. Atwater has a talent for creating vibrant, likable characters who are easy to root for and who draw the reader into their world.

All in all, Small Miracles is a delightful novel that offers an exciting adventure with likable characters and plenty of humor. Although the straightforward writing style may not appeal to readers looking for a more complex and challenging read, it makes for a light and enjoyable experience.

MICHAEL

I cracked this open, saw angels (fallen and otherwise) and groaned in dread. Here we go. More cozy fantasy. A fallen angel tempting humans to sin with little pieces of chocolate. Cardigans and tea. Footnotes tracking accumulated points of sin.

I soldiered on despite my misgivings. I didn’t want to read this. I wanted something big and explosive with a cool magic system and total badassery. 

Instead, I got this. A small story about small choices (miracles) changing small lives.
And it was good. It was very good.


OFFICIAL SPFBO RATING




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