Full disclosure – I was provided a copy of this short story by the author but have voluntarily chosen to write a review. All opinions are my own.
Makes you think
“Cruel Angels Pass-by” is a short story by Japanese poet/author Keishi Ando. At about ten pages it was a quick read that follows the main character through a few days in his life. Throughout the narrative we learn that he is newly divorced and appears to be seeking solace. His self-imposed seclusion leads him to start seeing an angel where nobody else can. Why he can only see the angel and what it wants is the crux of the narrative and while the ending is abrupt, to the alert reader it may leave you thinking.
This is another creepy read from Keishi Ando and while I didn’t enjoy it as well as I did “Suckers”, it was still good. The writing style is easy to understand, but the angel was a bit of a paradox. Considering that the angel in question appears to be an angel of vengeance brings questions to mind as to why this person is the able to see her. Is she there because of him, his ex-wife or someone else? This may be one to read again to see if Ando left any subtle cues in the narrative as to the angel’s true purpose in visiting the narrator. Overall not a bad read.
Jennly Reads 