Originally posted as part of Queen’s Book Asylum’s SPFBO Champion’s League reviews.
Gadriel is a former guardian angel who, having previously delighted in the small miracles of the title, now specialises in the sort of petty temptations that everyone experiences. Indebted to their former boss, the angel Barachiel, Gadriel agrees to find a way of tempting Holly Harker into some minor sinning and having some more fun in her life. But it soon turns out that what was originally sold as a simple errand turns out to be much more involved and leads Gadriel to some overdue self-analysis.
Gadriel is frequently witty and charming, with some key insights into human nature. They also flit back and forth between male and female forms (as well as a kitten at one point), something that the human characters barely acknowledge. They also have a very large sweet tooth, particularly for chocolate, which actually forms a plot point later on.
Although Gadriel would be considered the primary character, several chapters also come from Holly’s perspective. At first bemused by the sudden appearance of Gadriel in her life, she soon comes to rely on her new friend. As the main human character, she’s easy to understand and empathize with as she struggles with; well, to say more would stray into spoiler territory.
One thing that I particularly liked about the book is that, after the initial chapter, each is headed by Holly’s current sin level and ends with a tally of the sins and virtues Holly earned throughout.
An obvious point of comparison is Good Omens, which the author acknowledges was an inspiration but Small Miracles feels more contained, focusing on the main characters rather than trying to expand its supernatural underpinnings.
Given that it leans into the current trend for cozy fantasy, Small Miracles is not a book that I would normally have picked up on my own. So, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It’s a relatively short and straightforward read, with a couple of nice, unexpected turns.
3.5 out of 5 stolen chocolate bars.
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