Out Of The Blue by Sophie Cameron | Book Review

Angels are falling from the sky, crashing to Earth, not a single one surviving. Jaya’s father, obsessed with the phenomena that began just ten days after his wife- Jaya’s mother- died,  uproots the family to Edinburgh, determined to catch one alive. Jaya can’t stand his obsession, and wants nothing to do with it, but then one falls practically at her feet. Alive.

For a book that largely deals with themes of loss and grief, Out of the Blue is surprisingly light. A contemporary magical realism story (one of my favourite kinds), we follow Jaya as she arrives in Edinburgh with her father and sister, who are sure that an angel is going to fall there. I love that the story begins after dozens of angels have fallen, rather than with the first one falling, it adds to the worldbuilding, as does the setting. It would have been so easy to set this story in London, but the sense of place really adds to the story.

The diversity of this book- that Jaya is a mixed race lesbian, that her love interest has a chronic illness- is just another facet of the story, it doesn’t overwhelm it or become a massive focus. It’s just there because that’s life for these characters, and for many people in real life, it’s really refreshing to read.

This book is a really enjoyable read, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. 

Out of the Blue is available now. If you liked this, you’ll like Only the Ocean by Natasha Carthew.