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Angel
Having abandoned his childhood dream of becoming a priest, Don now tries to help people through his work as a parole officer. His latest assignment turns out to be Michael, a young man Don hasn't seen since he took Michael to church as a child-and saw his parish priest cast Michael out of the church as a demon. Meeting Michael as an adult re-ignites the obsession Don had with the boy he couldn't save-but can Michael be saved at all? Or is the demon with the compelling face as damned as he believes himself to be?
41 pages, ebook
First published February 24, 2010
3 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Merrow
145 books1,327 followersJL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea. She read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where she learned many things, chief amongst which was that she never wanted to see the inside of a lab ever again. Her one regret is that she never mastered the ability of punting one-handed whilst holding a glass of champagne.
She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance and the paranormal, and is frequently accused of humour. Her novella Muscling Through was a 2013 EPIC Award finalist, and her novel Slam! won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best LGBT Romantic Comedy. Her novel Relief Valve is a finalist in the 2015 EPIC Awards.
JL Merrow is a member of the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.
Find JL Merrow online at: www.jlmerrow.com, on Twitter as @jlmerrow, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jl.merrow
She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance and the paranormal, and is frequently accused of humour. Her novella Muscling Through was a 2013 EPIC Award finalist, and her novel Slam! won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best LGBT Romantic Comedy. Her novel Relief Valve is a finalist in the 2015 EPIC Awards.
JL Merrow is a member of the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.
Find JL Merrow online at: www.jlmerrow.com, on Twitter as @jlmerrow, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jl.merrow
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 11, 2023
Po przeczytaniu wielu opinii na temat historii JL Merrow i sądząc po ocenach, upewniam się, że mam zupełnie inny gust, niż większość czytelników. 😁 Jak dotąd wszystkie jej opowieści, czy długie czy krótkie, trafiły prosto do mojego serca. Jestem urzeczona bohaterami, sprawnością stylu i narracji, perfekcyjną konstrukcją. Autorka lubi i potrafi stosować klamry kompozycyjne, co mnie absolutnie urzeka, bo w gatunku MM nieczęsto spotykam się z takim przemyślanym budowaniem historii.
Angel to krótkie opowiadanie (dosłownie do śniadania) o chłopcu, który został odrzucony i wyklęty za to, kim był i na co nie miał wpływu. Brzmi znajomo? No raczej. Dla mnie ta historia jest wielką metaforą tego, jak brak akceptacji niszczy życie, a także tego, jak budować świat, w którym odrzuceni tę akceptację odnajdują. Można to robić nawet w najbardziej zdawałoby się nieakceptujących środowiskach, jak choćby przedstawione w książce środowiska religijne.
Dla mnie ta opowieść w gruncie rzeczy nie jest o religii. Jest o znajdowaniu wyjścia z sytuacji, które nas niszczą, w sposób, który sami sobie wymyślamy. A także o wyciąganiu ręki do tych, którzy sami nie potrafią się uratować.
Super, bardzo mi się podobało.
Angel to krótkie opowiadanie (dosłownie do śniadania) o chłopcu, który został odrzucony i wyklęty za to, kim był i na co nie miał wpływu. Brzmi znajomo? No raczej. Dla mnie ta historia jest wielką metaforą tego, jak brak akceptacji niszczy życie, a także tego, jak budować świat, w którym odrzuceni tę akceptację odnajdują. Można to robić nawet w najbardziej zdawałoby się nieakceptujących środowiskach, jak choćby przedstawione w książce środowiska religijne.
Dla mnie ta opowieść w gruncie rzeczy nie jest o religii. Jest o znajdowaniu wyjścia z sytuacji, które nas niszczą, w sposób, który sami sobie wymyślamy. A także o wyciąganiu ręki do tych, którzy sami nie potrafią się uratować.
Super, bardzo mi się podobało.
March 13, 2017
What an amazing story! The difference between good and evil in its traditional, fundamentalist sense is examined and thoroughly discarded here. The message of hope that results left me (happily) stunned.
Michael is what one might call a demon, damned by association. Except that Donnie, who looks like an angel, has trouble accepting that. The connection between the two men is what allows Michael to rethink who he truly is.
I love the depth of thought that went into explaining Michael's origins and the explanation for the final solution. The "breadth and inclusiveness" of one Christian church versus another is a stroke of genius as far as I'm concerned. I recommend this story to anyone who has struggled with their faith and has questioned what some of the more traditional churches have to say about inclusiveness.
Michael is what one might call a demon, damned by association. Except that Donnie, who looks like an angel, has trouble accepting that. The connection between the two men is what allows Michael to rethink who he truly is.
I love the depth of thought that went into explaining Michael's origins and the explanation for the final solution. The "breadth and inclusiveness" of one Christian church versus another is a stroke of genius as far as I'm concerned. I recommend this story to anyone who has struggled with their faith and has questioned what some of the more traditional churches have to say about inclusiveness.
March 22, 2017
What happen in the beginning of the story really captivated me, but not with the rest of the story...
But, even I couldn't 'relate' to the story very well, I must admit that the cover (2017 Edition) totally worth 5 stars from me for it simpleness and stunningly beautiful...
March 25, 2010
A rich, evocative and thoughtful story. Well written, involving themes of good/bad, damnation/redemption that were handled compassionately here.
March 18, 2017
Review soon
Read
March 31, 2018I'm not rating this because I know my own personal beliefs figure into my enjoyment. The concept that you can only be happy and whole if you repent to god... well. Anyway. Not my thing.
April 13, 2017
2.5 Stars ~ Don is now a parole officer, and when his newest client walks into his office, Don finds himself thrust some twenty years into the past. Back then, a new boy in school was all alone and Don decided to befriend him—walk him home after his first day. On the way, church attendance came up and Don found it odd that the boy was not allowed to attend. When he took the boy to his catholic church and tried to make him use the holy water, it became quite clear why Michael, the new boy, wasn’t allowed in church. Something is terribly wrong with Michael and now, some twenty years later, Don is about to find out exactly what it is.
Angel is a bit of a departure from the types of stories I am used to reading by JL Merrow. Beyond the fact that I felt the story was way too short, which meant getting a real emotional fix on the characters was problematic, the tale itself was very different. With more than its fair share of religious overtones, the idea that a demon is nothing more than a fallen angel is not a new one, but that mere attendance at church can change a demon so dramatically was most definitely a unique take on an old tried and true trope.
I wanted to like both Don and Michael, and I truly feel that had I been given just a bit more time I would have been able to without any hesitation. However, this short story skimmed over so many important emotional moments that were needed to establish the idea that a relationship was in the making between Don and Michael, and instead, seemed to rush to a happy, or at least hopeful, conclusion way too rapidly. I had no time to invest in either man due to the fact that I barely got to know them. Instead, I was thrust into the future where two men who met briefly as boys were now meant to have some definite unfulfilled desire for each other. Because there was so little background to go on, the idea that the two were attracted to each other was rather unbelievable to say the least.
Angel could have been a truly captivating story and still remained shorter in nature had the author taken just a little bit more time developing some background on the two boys and establishing their friendship at an earlier age. This then would have given much more credence to the sexual tension and Don’s desire to save Michael. Instead, we were given what felt like an unfinished bit of writing and then asked to make way too many leaps of faith in order to make it convincing. I have loved this author’s work in the past, and am sure I will in the future, but this one was not up to the normal excellence I am used to in reading a JL Merrow story.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach Reviews
Angel is a bit of a departure from the types of stories I am used to reading by JL Merrow. Beyond the fact that I felt the story was way too short, which meant getting a real emotional fix on the characters was problematic, the tale itself was very different. With more than its fair share of religious overtones, the idea that a demon is nothing more than a fallen angel is not a new one, but that mere attendance at church can change a demon so dramatically was most definitely a unique take on an old tried and true trope.
I wanted to like both Don and Michael, and I truly feel that had I been given just a bit more time I would have been able to without any hesitation. However, this short story skimmed over so many important emotional moments that were needed to establish the idea that a relationship was in the making between Don and Michael, and instead, seemed to rush to a happy, or at least hopeful, conclusion way too rapidly. I had no time to invest in either man due to the fact that I barely got to know them. Instead, I was thrust into the future where two men who met briefly as boys were now meant to have some definite unfulfilled desire for each other. Because there was so little background to go on, the idea that the two were attracted to each other was rather unbelievable to say the least.
Angel could have been a truly captivating story and still remained shorter in nature had the author taken just a little bit more time developing some background on the two boys and establishing their friendship at an earlier age. This then would have given much more credence to the sexual tension and Don’s desire to save Michael. Instead, we were given what felt like an unfinished bit of writing and then asked to make way too many leaps of faith in order to make it convincing. I have loved this author’s work in the past, and am sure I will in the future, but this one was not up to the normal excellence I am used to in reading a JL Merrow story.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach Reviews
January 14, 2011
Very intriguing story of what is good and who judges evil? 12 year old Donnie meets the new kid, Michael. Donnie is a religious Catholic who wants to enter the priesthood, and is eager to show Michael the church. Michael hasn't ever been to one, and the reaction upon his entry, including the response of the priest, not only defines why he hasn't ever been there, but sets the tone for Michael's whole life. Donnie meets up with Michael as adults, in a professional capacity. Donnie makes mistakes, Michael lashes out. Robert, the pastor of Donnie's adult church? He is what church leaders should be.
August 20, 2010
The scene that opens this short story is probably one of the most intriguing ones, I've read ... as well as heartbreaking. I really enjoy this different take of good vs. bad, angel vs. demon in this story. I love Michael's character. He is so lost and so vulnerable, I want to hug him. I can't really categorize this as romance but what a thoughtful story. In the beginning, I want to give it 3.5 stars, but I always love stories about angels, and demons, thus the extra 0.5 stars :)
March 12, 2015
I couldn't see a point other than proselytizing.
October 11, 2019
A short story from J.L.Merrow about angels and demons. It's sweet, but would have better if developed into a longer story
March 21, 2017
Intriguing characters, sharp writing, but devolved into a religious fable without satisfactory resolution of the romantic storyline.
Read
March 23, 2017*Hoopla
February 21, 2012
The writing was pretty good, but sadly that's all the story had going for it in my opinion.
I expected more of a romance than a theological debate of "can a demon be saved or not".
Furthermore, we only get a bunch of quotes from the Bible pushed down our throats, but never even get the end of the story. Nothing is explained. Nothing at all!
What happened? Did Michael burn at the end of the sermon? Did his wings turn into feathery wings in the end by any chance?
How the hell did "Michael" end up on Earth, replacing a woman's dead son?
Who was Michael in the first place?
All in all, it felt like a debate of Christian ideas with a few tidbits of a story stuffed in the holes. Half a story at best.
I expected more of a romance than a theological debate of "can a demon be saved or not".
Furthermore, we only get a bunch of quotes from the Bible pushed down our throats, but never even get the end of the story. Nothing is explained. Nothing at all!
What happened? Did Michael burn at the end of the sermon? Did his wings turn into feathery wings in the end by any chance?
How the hell did "Michael" end up on Earth, replacing a woman's dead son?
Who was Michael in the first place?
All in all, it felt like a debate of Christian ideas with a few tidbits of a story stuffed in the holes. Half a story at best.
March 29, 2015
I didn't like it at all. I was propably tainted by the fact that I am not Christian and talks about sins and what God wants and forgive kind of annoy me. I tolerate everybody beliefs and I don't mind it but when it is too much I just can't enjoy it.
And this was all about a man that thought that he was a demon and doesn't deserve a redemption and love and another man, Christian, who tries to persuade him to just come to church that if he only decides to be good that God will accept him.
I just could't, fortunately it was veeery short and finished before I turned off my e-book reader with annoyance.
And this was all about a man that thought that he was a demon and doesn't deserve a redemption and love and another man, Christian, who tries to persuade him to just come to church that if he only decides to be good that God will accept him.
I just could't, fortunately it was veeery short and finished before I turned off my e-book reader with annoyance.
January 12, 2017
3.75 Stars rounded up. I wish it was longer only because I came to care about the characters in such a short time and while the ending was technically HFN instead of the HEA I usually demand it was completely satisfying and sweet.
May 21, 2010
3.5 stars - Would have liked more
Very beautiful story and approach on good/evil (angel/devil).
Very beautiful story and approach on good/evil (angel/devil).
November 14, 2010
*4.5 stars*
July 26, 2011
A totally different spin on the Demon theme. Enjoyable and interesting. Reviewed by others much better than I could.
January 27, 2012
This author is always good, and writes interesting and compelling stories, this is no different, but in someways the most compelling short story I have read in a long time!
December 12, 2013
This needed to be deeper, or sillier. As it was it was just too much and not enough of both.
March 28, 2017
Review coming soon
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews