What I enjoyed most about this book is how entrenched it is in Catholicism and how much I learned about religion without it ever feeling preachy. Somehow, it always knows where to find her, and it shows no mercy, tearing down whomever it needs to in order to get to her. A being they refer to as the Other, the opposite of Remiel, seeks to destroy Elise. There is also plenty of danger and action in the novel. It begins as largely his story, but transitions to focus on Elise and her struggles.

The other characters were well-rounded as well, and Father Chris is sure to be a favorite of many reading the book. Like Christ, she has a sacrifice to make to save the world, and as much as she’d like to give it up, she also knows that she plays a critical role in the survival of mankind. They find her in the form of Elise Moore, a beautiful young student who has lived a quiet life hiding her supernatural powers from those around her.Īlthough Elise was initially a hard character for me to come to like, over time her character is expanded to the point that you can’t help but root for her. Alerted by the strangeness of the killing, Father Mognahan alerts the Hetairia Melchizedek, and, together with a mute monk, searches the campus for Remiel.

Following several introductory pages of the Book of Revelation describing the angels and end of days, the opening of the novel hits with a bang–a supernatural murder on a college campus. The Sounding was a far more thoughtful and exciting novel than I had anticipated. When a prophetic dream and change in a statue of Remiel, the final angel, occur, the society, including young priest Chris Mognahan, seek to find the incarnation of the angel on earth so they may work with her to prevent the premature end, and protect her from the evil Other that seeks to destroy her. However, what happens if the earlier omens that would trigger each of the angels are skipped, and the final angel is brought forth too soon, far before mankind is ready and ahead of God’s plan? A secret faction of the Catholic Church, the Hetairia Melchizedek, studies omens and signs, hoping to protect the world from this ever happening.

The final angel brings forth the end of days, but only after humanity has gone through a series of trials to ready it for this event. Where I got it: Review copy received courtesy publisherįourteen angels are cited in the Book of Revelation.

The Sounding by Carrie Salo