Guardian angels. Who are they and why do they exist? And how does it all work?
Perry is a newly appointed guardian angel. He is assigned to protect a girl named Fanny and quickly finds the limitations spiritual creatures face in the physical world. He has to learn his craft on the fly, relying on his intuition and the advice of his colleagues, risking becoming a fallen angel at every turn.
Guardian angels. Who are they and why do they exist? And how does it all work?
Perry is a newly appointed guardian angel. He is assigned to protect a girl named Fanny and quickly finds the limitations spiritual creatures face in the physical world. He has to learn his craft on the fly, relying on his intuition and the advice of his colleagues, risking becoming a fallen angel at every turn.
âHiss,â a thick clump of grass said.
Fanny, a five-year-old with sparkling eyes and ever-present dimples (because she smiled a lot), gathered up her fancy picnic-special dress and stepped cautiously closer. She was curious, very curious. Something like a brightly striped ribbon moved inside the grass. Of course the girl wanted to look at it closer. It was so beautiful.
âNo! Stop! Run away!â Perry exclaimed. He waved his arms and flapped his snow-white wing between the girl and the snake, to no avail. Neither could see him.
âŚ
Perry was a novice angel, and Fanny was his first assignment. He was thrilled and proud to be a guardian angel, and had immediately felt a strong attachment to this cute little girl as soon as she was born.
Perry was sure she saw and heard him at first. He would make funny faces at her, and she would smile back. She loved his voice and fell asleep easily when he sang. Perry learned all of her motherâs lullabies, so that Fanny would also sleep readily with her mom singing. He realized quickly that guarding someone, even such a little and well-protected creature, was a full-time job. The go-to-bed time was the safest for both Fanny and her mom, so Perry and Gregory (the momâs guardian angel) could have time on their own. Angels, of course, never experienced physical fatigue and didnât require food or sleep, but they needed emotional rest, and they needed learning.
âA guardian angel should be like a good parent and teach their person to take good care of themselves and be self-sufficient,â Gregory told him once.
Perry did his best, but around the age of two, Fanny started talking with her family and friends and stopped seeing him. At first, Perry thought she didnât respond because she was carried away with her play, but it happened again and again.
âHave I failed?â he asked Gregory. âWhy does she ignore me?â
âShe doesnât. She simply does not see or hear you. Thatâs the age. She might still feel your presence sometimes, but as she grows up, she will do so less and less. Thatâs how humans work.â
âBut how can I protect her without communication?! Iâm not material. I cannot interact with the physical world. If I cannot warn or advise her and cannot stop the danger, how on earth can I protect her?!â
âNobody said being a guardian angel was easy.â Gregory bent his arm and scratched between his wings.
âItâs impossible!â
âYouâre an angel. Youâll find the way.â Gregory smiled.
âŚ
The coral snake raised its head for attack and hissed again.
Now, more than ever, Perry wished to have any physical ability. Wishing doesnât do the deed, he told himself for the gazillionth time.
He slowed time down as much as he could. Regular angels did not have the ability to stop it completely, but he wanted as much time as possible because he had no idea how to save Fanny.
Perry flew high and found the girlâs mother chatting happily with a friend on the picnic blanket. No way she could run to her daughter in time.
The angel closed his eyes and tried to listen to the world around him. He searched for decision points â the forks in time where situations can go two or more equally probable ways. The way at such points was chosen at random. Angels could not interact with physical objects, but they could tweak the random choice.
Here it is! A pebble balanced on an eroded slope over yonder, supported only by a tiny twig and ready to fall on either side of its support. If it fell to the right, it would roll a short distance and stop on the sandy patch. But if it fell to the left, it would boink on the big tree root, jump over the edge of the rock outcrop, speed up in its free fall, and hit a flat rock underneath it loudly enough to alert the deer resting a few yards away.
The next moment, Perry was near the pebble, thanks to the angelsâ ability to move over any distance in no time. He restored time to its proper speed and willed the pebble to fall to the left, which it did and then hit the rock, accordingly. The deer jumped at the sound and ran down the valley, leaping high. Distracted by the movement, Fanny turned her head and watched the deer in awe. The deadly snake noticed the loss of attention and wisely used the moment to escape into the nearby thicket.
The girl turned back to the clump of grass. âHey,â she whispered and waited. Then she slowly outstretched her hand and gently patted the grass. There was no response.
Phew. That was close.
Guardian Angels, As They Are by Maria Merlot is a âlongâ short story (67 pages) that offers a glimpse into a fantasy world of guardian angels in a fictitious spiritual realm that blends Christianity and Greek Mythology with religions that teach reincarnation, such as Hinduism.
The title itself suggests what readers might expect to find in the book: a story encompassing the role of guardian angels, how they operate individually and in groups, the Supreme Angel who directs them, the risks and dangers of a guardian angelâs life, and the dread of failureâbanishment into the land of Darkness as a fallen angel.
The story follows Perry, a new man-turned-angel (i.e., recently deceased) assigned to protect a charming, recently born girl named Fanny from birth. He loves her so deeply that heâs willing to do anything to ensure her safety and well-being. This story recounts how he intervenes during the perilous moments of her life until she reaches young adulthood, braving several dangers and challenges along the way.
The story, which has a cheerful air throughout, culminates in a twist that adds an unexpected layer of complexity. One of the characters is revealed to have been hiding a dark secret, which is sure to surprise readers.
Youâll most probably love this playful, light-hearted, sublime story that dwells on the angelic world if you believe in an afterlife and the influence of spiritual beings on us in this one! It may also bring cheer to lonely people struggling in life against insuperable odds, as it gives hope of angelic deliverance or divine intervention in life-threatening situations beyond human control e.g. miraculous medical treatment and food for the sick Mom of a poor kid helplessly watching over her, their only hope in life, whoâs slowly slipping into death because theyâre too poor to buy medicines and food for her.
The book has an appealing cover, and the readability is good. It also earns the unique distinction of a book with absolutely zero language errors! A big kudos to the author!! However, while the story is doubtlessly great and entertaining, possibly because it doesnât come up with a hitherto unheard of, groundbreaking idea, it didn't impress me as outstanding.
Taking the foregoing positive and negative aspects into account, I rate it 4 stars.
As a light-hearted fantasy tale, I recommend this book to readers all over the globe (native English speakers first, and the ESL community next). While it is most suitable for an adult audience, I believe kids (fifth-graders and above) will enjoy it too.