When the Angel of Death Tells Bedtime Stories: A Collection of Modern Fairytales

by Sabine Meyer

Michael, the Angel of Death, is the loneliest of all creatures. No mortal can see or hear the Grim Reaper, and all those he touches must die.

One day, though, a family adopts him as their own Godfather Death. From that day on, Michael tells bedtime stories to their youngest child. These are fairy tales from the angel's ten-thousand-year-old mind, dark, magical, whimsical, and tender.

Told with warmth, wit, and an undercurrent of ancient magic, each story touches upon themes of longing and loneliness, love and sacrifice, courage, loss, and transformation. Whether it’s a terrifying Red Snake that feeds on souls or a chicken yard hiding secrets from another world, these fairytales spark the imagination while embracing the beauty of the bittersweet. Those who are grieving or brokenhearted may find strange comfort here.

Perfect for fans of classic fairy tales, this is a book for adults and teens who enjoy feeling deeply and treading where others are scared to go.

311 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 26, 2025

Reviews

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first part of the book has Michael, the Angel of Death, telling bedtime stories to a little girl who lives with her grandmother. Michael is gentle and kind although his bedtime stories seem to be a combination of Aesop and Fractured Fairy Tales. There is always a message but it is not at smack you in the face message. It is one that causes you to think of the inner meaning. As an example, be careful what you wish for is repeated in several stories. The stories also have a theme and it is only towards the end of the bedtime stories that Michael reveals to Fanny that he is telling her the story of her family and how they became attached to him.

It is a beautiful but sad love story of unrequited love. Michael’s touch means instant death which kind of throws a monkey wrench into any kind of a relationship. Michael becomes the protector of the family through multiple generations to Fanny. The story then changes gears and Fanny is now grown and finds Michael’s presence a hindrance rather than a gift. She is a rather impetuous and wild young woman who in a fit of pique, makes a foolish deal. At the end of her deal, she only then begins to understand the damage that she has done to herself and others. But Michael, always true, is willing to risk all to save her. He is a truly noble and loyal friend.

I enjoyed the bedtime tales and the story that followed. It is a masterful confection that pleased me greatly.. Five purrs and two paws up.

[FaithfulReviewer (Jacqueline) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Sabine Meyer and NetGalley for a DRC in return for an honest review

If Salvador Dali wrote Fairy Tales...🦞

I adore things weird and wonderful - so this should be right up my street - but first impressions count in the wonderful world of books and I have to say I was so disappointed by the cover artwork. As this is a self published book and there is no credit given to an Illustrator, I can only presume that the author herself made the artwork or it was computer generated - either way it is pretty poor and quite possibly the worst cover I've ever seen! Meyer is listed in her Bio as a 'Geriatric Psychiatrist with a Ph.D. in Biotechnology'...I think I'd suggest she stick to the writing!

So, that said, lets put the artwork to the back of our minds and focus on the text instead...

I have just started reading this book and I really liked the first story - The little Dog that became a Volcano. I was a bit thrown by the next story as I didn't really appreciate the labelling of The Bad Mom - not quite sure what this achieves as a title! The Multidemensional Boy was a wonderfully weird tale but I didn't care for Hansel and Gretel - in this day and age I don't think we should be publishing lines like "Dad dragged her to the basement and gave her a good beating"!

So it looks likely that I'm only going to enjoy half of these modern fairy tales...which isn't that bad of a hit rate I suppose.

I will keep on reading...📚

#NetGalley

[P.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, but not one for small children. The author humanizes the Angel of Death and tells how the world began by blending several religions. Each story has a moral, more or less, and the conversations between stories highlight the characters of the Angel and his Godchild. I thought the end was a bit anticlimactic, but I was willing to let it pass because after all the characters went through, it left me with a feel-good moment.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

My students are always looking for books that will hold their attention, which seems to be harder and harder to do these days. The shorter stories in this novel are perfect to keep them engaged and entertained!

[Laurence Lumsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of imagination, plot twists, and gleefully dark humor, this is a fun read for young-at-heart readers of all ages.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

An extremely hard read with stories with a moral, but not always the one you expect. Also, a little scary for younger children.