Christina Henry

Black Wings — (2010-2012) Publisher: As an Agent of Death, Madeline Black is responsible for escorting the souls of the dearly departed to the afterlife. It's a 24/7 job with a lousy benefits package. Maddy's position may come with magical powers and an impressive wingspan, but it doesn't pay the bills. And then there are her infuriating boss, tenant woes, and a cranky, popcorn-loving gargoyle to contend with. Things start looking up, though, when tall, dark, and handsome Gabriel Angeloscuro agrees to rent the empty apartment in Maddy's building. It's probably just a coincidence that as soon as he moves in demons appear on the front lawn. But when an unholy monster is unleashed upon the streets of Chicago, Maddy discovers powers she never knew she possessed. Powers linked to a family legacy of tarnished halos. Powers that place her directly between the light of Heaven and the fires of Hell...

Black Wings

“Besides, look at you. I’m supposed to believe you’re an Agent of death? You’re covered in flour.”
“I was in the middle of making a pear tart dotted with gorgonzola. You’re an unscheduled call.”

That’s on page 3 of Black Wings, and that’s when I knew I was going to enjoy the heck out of Christina Henry’s voice.

The flour-covered Agent is Madeline Black, whose job it is to collect the souls of the newly dead and escort them to the Door that leads to the afterlife. She lives in a two-flat building inherited from her mother, with only her gargoyle Beezle for company. (I see I’m not the only one who saw Unico as a kid!) Being an Agent is a bit of a drag, even leaving aside the death aspect. Madeline has an anal-retentive boss to deal with, and even worse, it’s not a paying gig. So, Madeline decides to rent the lower flat in her building to mysterious, gorgeous Gabriel Angeloscuro, even though Beezle emphatically does not approve.

Shortly after Gabriel’s arrival, all hell breaks loose in Madeline’s life. She is attacked by grotesque creatures, starts having visions, and learns she has a role to play in a millennia-old conflict involving fallen angels. Maddy discovers a secret heritage and new powers, kicks some butt, mouths off a lot, and catches the eye of a couple of hot paranormal guys (including the aforementioned Gabriel). I don’t want to say too much more and risk spoiling anything; it’s way more fun to discover the twists on your own!

Henry’s writing style and her characterization of Madeline set Black Wings apart from the urban fantasy crowd. Madeline is hilarious when she’s being snarky, and incredibly “real” and relatable when she’s hurting. One of the best moments is when Madeline takes a moment to remember a tragedy that occurred in the early pages of the book. Madeline reflects on how the events of the last few days hadn’t given her time to mourn, and how she doesn’t even feel like the same person who experienced that loss, and it’s such a perfectly drawn and poignant look at what she’s going through.

Henry proves equally skilled with a more lyrical prose style; this is most evident in the vision scenes but shows up at other points as well. The more elevated style gives these sections a tragic grandeur that suits the fallen-angel theme.

I read Black Wings in one day, and I loved spending that time with Madeline (and Beezle). I recommend Christina Henry to readers who enjoy the dark humor of Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels series and the demon politics of Stacia Kane’s Megan Chase series. —Kelly Lasiter

Black Night

I devoured Christina Henry’s Black Wings in one day. The sequel, Black Night, took me several weeks to read. I think the problem is the absence or near-absence of two of the most striking characteristics of Black Wings: the dark humor stemming from Madeline Black’s job as an Agent of Death, and the epic Storm Constantine-esque beauty of the flashbacks involving Maddy’s ancestor, Evangeline.

Maddy’s job is much less prominent in the story this time around, and there are no scenes from ancient times. Instead, the plot is closer to the usual urban fantasy fare. Maddy is caught at the intersection of fae, werewolf, and demon politics. She has three potential love interests (Team J.B., if you’re wondering) and has become extremely powerful magically. She rarely listens to advice, yet usually turns out to be right anyway. It feels like a plot I’ve seen before — and it feels like a plot that would work just as well if a different heroine were plugged into it.

There’s plenty of action, though, and there’s still humor, much of it to be found in the interactions between Maddy and her gargoyle Beezle. I was especially tickled by their conversation about a menacing swamp monster: “Is it all squishy and tentacly?”

Then, Black Night improves markedly as it heads into the final stretch. Maddy is sent into a nightmarish labyrinth where she confronts all of her deepest fears, and begins to show a strength of spirit to match her magical strength. The aftermath is heartrending in a pensive sort of way, and then Henry throws a few curveballs that I did not see coming at all. The last few chapters are terrific.

It’s not quite enough to make Black Night a spectacular read for me overall, but it’s enough to keep me interested in the series. Some of this book’s events will have lasting ramifications in Maddy’s life, and I look forward to seeing how they will play out. —Kelly Lasiter