Angel Down by Daniel Kraus

Book Review

Sarah Deeming

Cyril Bagger is an American private in World War 1 and has survived so far by being as far away from the action as possible. His work-shy attitude has not gone unnoticed, and when Bagger’s unit is recalled from the front line, he is ordered to stay behind, as during the last attack, a comrade was hurt in No-man’s-land, and their screaming is sanity-destroying. Bagger and a group of misfits are ordered to go into No-man’s-land and deal with the screamer. Only when he gets there, Bagger realises it isn’t an injured man, it’s an angel. Bagger’s real challenge begins now, as this angel might hold the key to changing the war, and he must keep her safe, including from himself.

Angel Down immediately caught my attention with its unusual premise, and from the first page, it throws you into the horror of war with Bagger in the middle of a shell attack. The scene setting and descriptions of devastation are visceral, with mud and body parts flying everywhere, and the indignity of war as the dead are picked over or left, as there is very little of them to bury. The writing style is also unusual in that it consists of a single, long sentence, with each paragraph and chapter beginning with the word “and.” Some people might find this very immediate style difficult, but there is a rhythm to the narrative which is easy to get caught up in. It is a fast-paced stream of consciousness that disorients the reader, and it is apt for the subject matter.

The story is told predominantly through Bagger’s eyes, and he is a fascinating character. Brought up in a religious household, Bagger enlisted, trying to do the right thing, but he is disillusioned by the war, numb from the horror and death. He thinks he is a player, only interested in himself, but his relationship with Arno, a boy too young to have enlisted but there anyway, demonstrates that he is not as callous as he’d like to be. Bagger is a rough diamond, but that doesn’t mean he has the mental fortitude to fight the angel’s lure.

In the hell of war, Arno’s character is a shining beacon. He’s only 14, too young to be there, but an unscrupulous enlisting officer didn’t care enough to send him away. He is ignored and bullied by the other soldiers, but Bagger has, unwillingly, learned enough about Arno to develop feelings for him; an older brother protecting his younger sibling. Despite the front Bagger puts on, Arno manages to get past his defences and bring out the best in the older man. Their relationship is surprisingly tender, yet platonic, against the backdrop of hell.

The angel is not what you would expect, either; it is not a majestic, untouchable figure, but instead a being in distress, bruised and battle-scarred. Once rescued from No-man’s-land, the story truly begins as the angel’s influence affects the men around her. She becomes a focus for all their hopes, fears, and beliefs, and they become a danger to each other as well as to her.

Angel Down explores faith and the human tendency to seek meaning in everything. Kraus shows how faith can be both a source of hope and a tool for manipulation. The angel’s arrival tests everyone around her, exposing the cracks in their moral compass. It is a pity the least moral of the soldiers were sent to help her. But it isn’t all bad. Even in the darkest moments, compassion and altruism emerge from the most unexpected places, offering us hope for humanity.