INDIGO'S FALL

In Hart’s (Zebra, 2012, etc.) novella, a guardian angel’s growing curiosity leads her to tell lies to God.

The story revolves around a conversation between God and Indigo, his devout, if slightly rebellious, charge. Indigo tells three lies to God as she tries to avoid hurting her creator’s feelings. She feels obliged to display obedience and satisfaction, like all good angels, but, as it turns out, her concerns are unfounded. God lovingly assures Indigo that he’s there to comfort living beings, not to berate them. He intuits that Indigo wants to experience human life, and, after some encouragement, she admits that she does: She wants to windsurf, taste ice cream, smell flowers, hold a baby. However, human life also scares her, and she’s haunted by her seeming failure as a guardian angel. God talks Indigo through her misgivings, assures her of her effectiveness as an angel and reminds her that he’s always there—for all of creation. By the end of their discussion, Indigo is ready to fall to Earth and take on the challenging intricacies of human life—even though she knows she’ll have to abandon her memories of angelic life to do so. Hart’s novella, which includes charming illustrations on each page, delivers an engaging exploration of grace, written with a light, capable hand. As God and Indigo’s conversation goes on, Hart provides an increasingly sophisticated conception of God’s being, and this Christian tale’s last twist will likely be a poignant treat for readers.

A hopeful novella that aims to provide the comfort of a prayer.