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Lady Lazarus (Lady Lazarus #1)

3.17 of 5 stars 3.17 · rating details · 134 ratings · 48 reviews

With the romance of Twilight, the suspense of The Dresden Files, and the delicious thrills of True Blood, the enthralling saga of Magdalena Lazarus unfolds. Descended from the legendary witch of Ein Dor, she alone holds the power to summon the angel Raziel and stop Hitler and his supernatural minions from unleashing total war in Europe. The Nazis have fighters more fearsom...more

Paperback, 320 pages

Published August 31st 2010 by Tor Books (first published August 24th 2010)

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Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Reviewed by Jo for Book Chick City.

Set in Europe at the start of World War Two, Lady Lazarus is a good historical fantasy.

In a world inhabited by the supernatural as well as us mortals, Magdalena is a Lazarus, meaning she is descended from a witch and has the power to come back from the dead. After being told a prophecy by her sister regarding Hitler and his intentions, Magda is tasked with finding a magical book which could prevent war.

Lady Lazarus is slow to start, inviting us into a world and...more Reviewed by Jo for Book Chick City.

Set in Europe at the start of World War Two, Lady Lazarus is a good historical fantasy.

In a world inhabited by the supernatural as well as us mortals, Magdalena is a Lazarus, meaning she is descended from a witch and has the power to come back from the dead. After being told a prophecy by her sister regarding Hitler and his intentions, Magda is tasked with finding a magical book which could prevent war.

Lady Lazarus is slow to start, inviting us into a world and history we recognise, but one which we also know nothing about! Nazi Werewolves? Demon posessed Hitler? Hmmm. I do like this premise about Nazi Germany being controlled by evil entities which would explain such horrific and inhuman actions by Hitler but, I hate to say that it also felt slightly sour that this can be rationalised by be a demon posessing him. I know it's fiction, and liberties can be taken - which is why I'm quite apprehensive to mention it. This is a completely personable thing though!

The writing is reserved, but beautiful. When I say reserved though, it almost left me feeling like I was being kept at arm's length throughout the book and I couldn't fully immerse myself into the story. I must mention however, that the author really went above and beyond for research, it's meticulously done and I couldn't fault her dedication and effort for this era. Too often in books, the heroine is given modern clothing or modern speech but Lady Lazarus holds true to the age it is set in. The characters are again, reserved which didn't make me feel like I wanted to root for Magda and her cause. The prose itself is beautiful to read - I just didn't feel connected in any way. Raziel felt flat, and not the powerful Angel I expected.

I didn't like the fact that the blurb mentions Twilight and True Blood. If you go into with those expectations you will be disappointed because this is a completely different direction than teen angst or oversexed Vamps and Weres! It's a slow moving, yet interesting story and there is a hint of a love story. I believe there will be a sequel, and now the groundwork has been set in this installment I'm hoping for a more fast paced successor.

VERDICT:

While slow to start at first, if you stick with the story you will be treated to a tale of demons, war and adventure in 1930's Europe.

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Jul 10, 2012 drey rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, urban-fantasy, fiction-historical

I thought the premise of Lady Lazarus was interesting – an urban fantasy set in Europe during WWII. Magda Lazarus is the eldest daughter of an eldest daughter, in a line of witches. Her rebelliousness means she doesn’t know much about her lineage or her craft, which doesn’t help when she’s called upon to retrieve the Book of Raziel. Where does she start? How will she find it? And will she survive the attempt?

She doesn’t have a choice though. It is 1939, and Hitler is gathering his forces. Werewo...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Reed rated it 3 of 5 stars

While I enjoy the urban fantasy genre, most readers will admit that it has become a tired field. A writer who can manage to add something to the genre is certainly welcome in my view.

Michele Lang is one of those writers. She has taken the urban fantasy and transported it to pre-WWII Europe. The reader's knowledge of what's to come in the near future helps add a great deal of tension to Magda's story. Her sister is a seer who can seen dire things in the future--a future that Magda feels only she...more

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May 21, 2011 Rea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, fantasy, paranormal

Set in 1939 - Europe is once again on the verge of war. Hitler has already started his crusade against the Jews and is on the verge of invading Poland. But Hitler is not on his own, he has a werewolf pack on his side (the SS), an evil wizard working for him and a demon sharing his body. And Magda Lazarus, a Hungarian Jew and a witch descended from the Lazarus lineage, sets out to do what she can to prevent The Final Solution.

This book is good, I enjoyed it, but it also has its problems. It suffe...more Set in 1939 - Europe is once again on the verge of war. Hitler has already started his crusade against the Jews and is on the verge of invading Poland. But Hitler is not on his own, he has a werewolf pack on his side (the SS), an evil wizard working for him and a demon sharing his body. And Magda Lazarus, a Hungarian Jew and a witch descended from the Lazarus lineage, sets out to do what she can to prevent The Final Solution.

This book is good, I enjoyed it, but it also has its problems. It suffers quite a lot from early works syndrome. The author repeats things a lot - granted, it's in the next chapter, but I don't really need such information repeated that soon. One example is in one chapter she mentions that she can't taste anymore after a certain event happens that takes away a large chunk of her humanity. Next chapter she points out that she can't taste the crepes she's eating. We know. You said it already.

It's also got a few contradictions. At the very beginning, Magda is performing magic for her boss. A chapter or two later she says that their magic was private, for emergencies... but she's using it for her job?

Magda compares herself to Elenor Roosevelt towards the start of the story. But why would a Hungarian be interested in the First Lady of the USA, one of the countries that brought the Austro-Hungarian Empire to its knees? It would have been better for her to use a Hungarian person, even if the reader doesn't really know who that person is.

The characters talk in various languages: Hungarian, German, French. There's no difference in the style of writing to show that the language has been changed, which is something that I would have liked to have seen.

One of my personal annoyances. The author uses "finacée" correctly, showing she knows that this is a word from French that changes between male and female use... but then she has a female "protégé". Why can she use the rules with one word but not the other? A female protégé is a protégée. I see a lot of authors get this wrong.

It's not clear when the angel fell in love with Magda, or why. The story suffers somewhat for this.

Despite my misgivings about the story being heavily seeped in religion (which I should have expected, really), it was enjoyable and I will be buying the sequel to find out whether Magda manages to prevail in her fight against Hitler.(less)

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Feb 21, 2011 Caressa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I passed this novel over twice before finally checking it out. It proposes to combine my two loves: historical fiction and urban fantasy. Lang brings pre-War Europe vividly and intricately to life. Unfortunately the characters felt a little flat.
Nazi werewolves? Awesome. Hitler possessed by an ancient demon? Total cop-out. As far as Magda, Gisele, and Eva...they felt like empty-headed Jane Austen wannabes. We are told that these young women are orphans living in abject poverty (Eva is paid only...more

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Jan 08, 2011 K. Bird rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lady Lazarus is not your typical historical fantasy. What Michelle Lang has woven here is a rich tapestry of Hungarian-Jewish folklore, European pre-World War II history, and a guardian angel-mortal romance that is more of a metaphor for goodness and sacrifice than it is an ode to love.

Magdalena is a Lazarus, meaning she is a witch whose lineage is given the power to come back from the dead. In a pre-World War II Budapest inhabited by magical beings as well as mortals, Magdalena's sister's dire...more Lady Lazarus is not your typical historical fantasy. What Michelle Lang has woven here is a rich tapestry of Hungarian-Jewish folklore, European pre-World War II history, and a guardian angel-mortal romance that is more of a metaphor for goodness and sacrifice than it is an ode to love.

Magdalena is a Lazarus, meaning she is a witch whose lineage is given the power to come back from the dead. In a pre-World War II Budapest inhabited by magical beings as well as mortals, Magdalena's sister's dire prophecy of Hitler's final solution forces Magdalena on a journey to find a magical book written by the Angel Raziel in order to try to stop the war.

If you've ever read Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita, then you would already be familiar with Lang's poetic and somewhat reserved tone. All but her main characters of Magdalena and her wizardly nemesis, the Staff, tend to come up with pithy and ponderous pronouncements, referring to horrible events and trauma only guardedly. While integral to the plot, the romantic lead and Magdalena's dear sister are more ideals in an absence of action, obtaining their meaning from what Magdalena is willing to do for them rather than being full fledged actors on their own. For example, while the youngest sister, Gisele's, prophecy of the destruction of the Jews by Hitler is what sets Magdalena in action, Gisele is left behind from the start, and even when Magdalena returns to her at the final confrontational scene, Gisele sits out the action in a magic circle.

Coming to this book with expectations it will read like Twilight or True Blood or Dresden Files will put you on the wrong path towards reaping the benefits of the ideas about weakness in the face of a greater evil, or how will and evil interact, or what sacrifice truly means that this book holds. Magdalena's journey is about having the will to bear suffering and pain in order to stop evil, and going along on her difficult journey is what draws you to this book, not teen angst romance or sex.

This Book's Food Designation Rating: Coffee with milk sipped at Cafe Istanbul in Budapest, eaten with a rumball for the great flavors of the era and the straighforward enjoyable story.(less)

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Sep 24, 2012 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Nicole by: Adventures in SciFi Publishing

Shelves: historical-fantasy

I put off Lady Lazarus for too long, because I feared having to steal myself for a WWII/Holocaust triggered depression. But the year of this historical fantasy is 1939, before the German invasion of Poland, and the story is tightly focused around the Jewish witch Magda Lazarus as she fights demons and sorcerers in an attempt to prevent the devastation foretold by her prophet sister. I would call Lady Lazarus dark but not unduly depressing, and in tone and place it put me a bit in my of one of my...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lady Lazarus by Michele Lang is a historical fantasy set just before the beginning of World War II, in a slightly skewed version of our world. What makes it skewed is that in this alternate history, magic exists and plays a major role in world events. For example, Hitler’s werewolves are literal here.

Perhaps Lang’s most controversial decision is that Hitler is in league with, and sometimes possessed by, a demon. Some readers may see this as a cop-out. In my opinion, though, Lang wrote this in th...more Lady Lazarus by Michele Lang is a historical fantasy set just before the beginning of World War II, in a slightly skewed version of our world. What makes it skewed is that in this alternate history, magic exists and plays a major role in world events. For example, Hitler’s werewolves are literal here.

Perhaps Lang’s most controversial decision is that Hitler is in league with, and sometimes possessed by, a demon. Some readers may see this as a cop-out. In my opinion, though, Lang wrote this in the only way that isn’t a cop-out. Namely, Hitler is the master, not the servant, in the relationship. Lang doesn’t use the demon to absolve Hitler of anything; this is no “the devil made him do it” scenario. It’s clear that he’d be just as evil without supernatural help and is simply using the demon as an additional tool in gaining power. And the real-life Hitler was interested in the occult, so to me it’s believable that he’d have tried something like this if it had been possible.

The title refers to the novel’s heroine, Magda Lazarus, who is doubly in danger in this increasingly intolerant Europe: she is both Jewish and a witch. Specifically, she is a Lazarus witch, which means that she has the ability to return from the dead under certain circumstances. As Lady Lazarus begins, she learns of the dire fate awaiting her people. She resolves to find the long-lost Book of Raziel in order to save both the world and her own small household, consisting of her fragile, prophetic sister and her non-magical ingenue best friend. Magda is a heroine who isn’t always wise and isn’t always nice, but commands admiration in her willingness to risk not just death but damnation to thwart Hitler’s plans. Also compelling is the plight of the angel Raziel, who wants to protect Magda but is constrained by divine laws regarding human free will, and increasingly chafes at these restraints as he becomes more attached to her.

Lady Lazarus has plenty of action but often strikes an elegiac tone rather than that of a thriller. Magda narrates the events of 1939, but is writing them down in the year 1945, and she strongly implies that not all of her loved ones will survive to the end of the series. She mourns a lost world, too, in the form of the cafes of Budapest. Lang paints an elegant setting, embellished with curls of coffee-steam and cigarette smoke, that would be right at home in an old movie; in fact, I realized at several points that I was picturing people and places in black and white. It wasn’t for lack of vivid description — quite the contrary! — but because it fit the mood Lang evokes. This elegant world is dying as the Third Reich advances, and we keenly feel its loss along with Magda.

The novel has a few issues. Several scenes feel summarized rather than fully shown and might have been stronger if they’d been more fleshed out; the demonesses’ attack on Magda and her training at the hands of Lucretia de Merode are two examples. It’s also sometimes hard to grasp the magical rules, as in why a type of magic will work in this situation but not in that one. More elaboration on Lucretia’s lessons would have helped with that too, come to think of it.

To Lang’s credit, however, these problems feel like minor rather than major annoyances. I noticed them in passing, but on the whole was utterly engrossed in Magda’s adventures and couldn’t stop reading about her or thinking about her. The publisher’s blurb comparing Lady Lazarus to a blend of Twilight, Dresden Files, and True Blood misses the mark; it’s completely unlike those. If I were to place Lady Lazarus at the intersection of three other books, I might choose Katherine Kurtz’s Lammas Night (for its theme of witches vs. Hitler); Annmarie Banks’s The Hermetica of Elysium (for its plot centering on a woman traveling through hostile territory, seeking a book, and learning to wield magical power); and a little bit of Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone (mostly for its Eastern European bohemian cafe atmosphere and maybe for the angel romance, though it’s a very different angel romance).

Lang’s supplemental guide, “The World of Lady Lazarus,” elaborates more on the real history and mythology behind some of her tweaks and on her decision to write about this “third rail” topic. It can be found at Smashwords or for Kindle, and is a fascinating read. Magda’s story continues in Dark Victory.

This review was originally written for Fantasy Literature.(less)

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Jan 03, 2012 Krista Mercer added it

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, did-not-finish

Couldn't finish this, although all signs pointed to it being "my" kind of book: historical setting (WWII Europe), paranormal heroine (witch) off on a quest to save the world, paranormal hero (angel), etc. Very elegantly written, too, which only adds to the puzzle.

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Jul 20, 2011 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I originally met the author at a con about a year and a half ago. She's a lovely woman, charming, earnest, and kind to newbies. She's done a bunch of self-published e-book romances, I believe, but this was her first book with a publisher.

I wanted to like it, and I think I did. It's a daring little book, trying to use urban fantasy to avert the Holocaust. Anyone who has the climatic scene be a battle against a demon-possessed Hitler has chutzpah to spare. Given how many edges of tastelessness she...more I originally met the author at a con about a year and a half ago. She's a lovely woman, charming, earnest, and kind to newbies. She's done a bunch of self-published e-book romances, I believe, but this was her first book with a publisher.

I wanted to like it, and I think I did. It's a daring little book, trying to use urban fantasy to avert the Holocaust. Anyone who has the climatic scene be a battle against a demon-possessed Hitler has chutzpah to spare. Given how many edges of tastelessness she skirts, I think she pulls it off. The book's respectful. And while many people have picked up the "Nazis as dark wizards" trope before, she does bring some fresh ideas.

The book is hopelessly uneven, though. There's a lot of fascinating ideas that are not quite fully developed. Intriguing characters are likewise underinflated. The tone is exceedingly formal, dancing along the edge of pretentious. I think she stays on the safe side of the line, but others may disagree.

There's just so much unrealized potential here. The magic system is intriguing, but never quite defined enough. She breaks the cardinal rule of magic users--the reader should have a reasonable idea of the strength level of the protagonist. Magda is undertrained, which works really quite well overall. But suddenly, she'll pull out tricks that don't seem to make sense in context of what was previously established. There's a training sequence that's nowhere as well defined as it should be. Other events increase her power in ways that just aren't particularly well explained. I could never tell how much trouble she was in, since she would suddenly have power she previously did not.

Magda and Raziel are well drawn, but many of the other characters never really coalesced for me. Her little sister is particularly difficult to grasp, which is a problem given that Giselle is Magda's motivations. All her reasons for why she should hare off across Europe instead of going into hiding, when all the supernatural help tells her that her quest will make things worse (and are proven correct), seem to be driven by a really immature, whiny girl. Lang was clearly going for a feeling of doomed nobility--she knows what she's doing won't help, but has to try anyway. But it never quite works. Her excuses for why they shouldn't just flee to South America are weak (and she admits this). Her goals end up strengthening the Reich by accident (which she was warned of). She insists she's going because she promised Giselle, but Magda breaks her promises left and right and so I don't see why she can't break this one, too.

The action scenes are well set up, but breeze through the action in a way that's very confusing. I still don't understand how certain key events actually happened. There's a lot of "event happens because author wants it to".

It's an ambitious book with a lot of neat ideas, and it just drips in evocative imagery. Her descriptions of Budapest, Paris, and Amsterdam are deeply immersive. But it feels like some of the work that shows up in my writing group--a great deal of promise, but very unpolished. What was her editor thinking? There's so much here that's problematic--fixable, but it wasn't fixed. I don't know whether I want to read the next book or not. The flaws could be overcome with experience, but only if someone points them out to her. And her editor doesn't seem to have done so on this run.
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Sep 09, 2011 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

This book was an enjoyable and easy read. It is easy to conceptualize the presence of so much evil and demons in the backdrop of 1939 and the Nazi party. The main character Magda was also very easy to root for, but that is not hard when you put the protagonist up against the likes of Hitler. I wish the author gave more background on the magic and paranormal that existed within the story. The story did not really establish the rules governing the magic present in the story and when ever the main...more

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Sep 07, 2012 D.B. Jackson rated it 4 of 5 stars

The opening volume of a trilogy, this is a fine beginning to what proved to be an entertaining, moving, and ultimately quite satisfying series (yes, I've read all three books). The story follows Magdalena Lazarus, a Hungarian Jew and a powerful witch, as she grapples with the rise to power of Hitler and the visions of her prescient sister, Giselle, who foresees the horrors of Nazism. The book is set in a version of Europe that is both familiar and darkly fantastic. Magda works for a vampire; Hit...more

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Dec 08, 2010 William Freedman rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Twilight" meets "Diary of Anne Frank" meets "Inglourious Basterds". I've never seen anyone merge Kabbalah with urban fantasy elements before. Extra credit to Michele Lang for setting it in Europe at the brink of World War Two, as opposed not only to present day but also to the actual war. This being fantasy, there's the hope that the war and all that went with it could be avoided in Lang's universe. I appreciate all the research that went into crafting this universe, as well as all the love and...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Meredith Buchanan rated it 2 of 5 stars

My original review for Lady Lazarus by Michele Lang was just the word ‘eh’ and a picture of a kitten.

I’ve been feeling all procrastinaty and grumpy after selling all my things and dragging my former roommate kicking and screaming from my apartment. But then I realized I wasn’t being fair to you or Michele Lang, so I made some popcorn and decided to do some research.

See, I don’t want my review to be colored by the fact that I’ve been uber-busy and stressed the last week. I mean, maybe this book I...more My original review for Lady Lazarus by Michele Lang was just the word ‘eh’ and a picture of a kitten.

I’ve been feeling all procrastinaty and grumpy after selling all my things and dragging my former roommate kicking and screaming from my apartment. But then I realized I wasn’t being fair to you or Michele Lang, so I made some popcorn and decided to do some research.

See, I don’t want my review to be colored by the fact that I’ve been uber-busy and stressed the last week. I mean, maybe this book IS impossible to put down, but I just didn’t get to find that out because I literally HAD to put it down hundreds of times to pack my collection of vintage dog books or write descriptions of a thousand computer things that I don’t know anything about for ebay. According to my research, pretty much everyone on Amazon loves it. Good Reads reviews are a little more varied, but still majority positive.

But you know what? I didn’t. I really didn’t like it. You’d think that a book about magical Jewish witches (descended from the witch that helped Solomon build the temple) that can continually rise from the dead, Hungarian vampires, Nazi werewolves, and a demon-possessed Hitler (that makes sense actually) would be enough for any girl. But for me the plot just lagged along. I didn’t really care about Magda, the fantastically powerful witch who doesn’t want to be a witch (WHEN is that going to stop being a thing?! The last five witch related books have magical better-than-everyone protaganists who don’t want anything to do with their powers. I’m writing a book about a witch who is awesome and brags about it all the time). I didn’t really care about Magda’s beautiful, delicate-flower little sister who prophesied the holocaust blood-bath. I couldn’t even muster up any admiration for the arch-angel Raziel (who ends up being not that impressive, to my mind, for an avenging angel of God), who inexplicably falls in love with Magda (natch). Magda spends a lot of time walking in the forest and complaining.

But Michele needs some positive feedback here. So, I will mention my favorite part of the book–Blondi the werebitch. Yes, when Hitler’s girlfriend Eva Braun tires of being a Aryan princess, she turns into Blondi, his pet German Shepherd/werewolf. True, German Shepherds can’t really be werewolves (as one Amazon reviewer indignantly points out, they are GENETICALLY DIFFERENT canines), but also werewolves aren’t real, so I’ll give Michele some artistic leeway. Disappointingly, Blondi the werebitch only appears for about two sentences, but I’m hoping that she gets more play in the follow-up novel.

(you can read more half-assed reviews at rampantreads.wordpress.com)(less)

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Oct 11, 2010 Beth N rated it 5 of 5 stars

As much as I loved Michele Lang's previous books, this one book blew them out of the water. When it comes to historical fiction of any kind I tend to be really particular. What this means is that if you write historical fiction, I want the story to make sense and follow history properly (unless of course, you are in another universe). For example, if you write about a woman during the Revolutionary War, she isn't going to be running around in a leather mini-skirt. In regard to historical accurac...more As much as I loved Michele Lang's previous books, this one book blew them out of the water. When it comes to historical fiction of any kind I tend to be really particular. What this means is that if you write historical fiction, I want the story to make sense and follow history properly (unless of course, you are in another universe). For example, if you write about a woman during the Revolutionary War, she isn't going to be running around in a leather mini-skirt. In regard to historical accuracy, Michele Lang did a fantastic job. She did amazing research which pulled things from history that are not extremely well known such as the SS Werewolf Unit or the fact that Hitler called himself Wolf. Not only did Michele Lang bring the historical knowledge to the plate, in this story but also the emotional aspects. She brought Magda's family to life in such a way that it made them very real and relate-able.

As I have said previously, the best part of Michele Lang's books are the fact that she dumps you into this new world and you have to figure it out as the characters do. Through this act, she creates a much greater depth to her characters and their settings. When you follow Magda through Budapest it will be as if you are walking alongside her because the story is so detailed and yet never loses momentum. Michele Lang's characters are very multi-dimensional even the less obvious ones. For instance, when you read the first couple of chapters you will encounter a trader whom you will hear about for the rest of the book but not only in a context of good or evil but rather the shades of grey that are part of real life.

In this book, Michele Lang pushes you and her characters further than ever before and in many ways that are not expected or even fathomable. The conflicts faced by Magda are quite unique and complex, all while she is just learning what it means to be a Lazarus. Some of the conflicts are facing down werewolves, battling an evil wizard, and staring down a horde of demons in such a way that by the end you are quite amazed and stunned.

Lady Lazarus also contains a great forbidden romance that is so subtle, and yet so apparent, it makes your heart melt. As a matter of fact, Michele Lang did such an amazing job of knitting the romance into the story in such a subtle way, when you get to the end you are in for quite a surprise.

This stunning book will have you on a roller coaster of emotion that doesn't stop at the last page. Not only will you want to "ride" again, it will have you waiting with bated breath for the next chapter in this trilogy. Honestly, this book has a little bit for everyone with it's mixture of history, romance, humor, action, and adventure. I enjoyed this book so much I read it twice. I have to definitely rate this book a five not only for everything I mentioned above but also because both times I read it, it gave me something new to love about it.

Why I Read This Book: I decided to read this book because I have enjoyed all of Michele Lang's previous books. I also find historical fiction intriguing because it fits in with my "what-if" questioning of the universe. Plus I can't resist a story with a dynamic heroine.

Why I Finished This Book: I couldn't put it down! Down to the last page, you are being flung through a series of events that will leave you guessing and begging to know what happens next. (less)

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Dec 19, 2010 Inara rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: novels-gods-angels-demons-devils, not-my-cup-of-tea, did-not-keep, novels-paranormal, first-person-narrative, series-discontinued-reading

When I first read the blurb of this book I was instantly intrigued by its premise. Set at the begin of WW II and taking place in Middle Europe - an area where I live – I just had to read it.
Well, I was a bit disappointed and it took me ages to finish it. I couldn´t warm up to the female main character Magda and the male hero archangel Raziel wasn´t very interesting either. I really like a good romance in the books I read but this romance here was just boring in my opinion. I never got it when R...more

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Aug 31, 2010 Meljean Brook rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was able to read an early copy of this book, which is out now. If you're looking for something different, a slow-building historical fantasy with lyrical prose, a fascinating heroine, and a darkly powerful, emotional narrative -- this is it. LADY LAZARUS is simply magic.

The title also comes from one of my favorite poems -- Lady Lazarus by Sylvia Plath. Here: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/pr... The title truly fits this book.

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Sep 30, 2011 Annie Leonard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal

This rather strange book has stayed with me in the several months since I read it. A witches' brew in which a Hungarian girl descended from an ancient line of witches sets out across Nazi infested Europe to try to save her beloved sister is beset by werewolves, hunted by the demon that possessed Hitler, aided by an archangel, and ravaged by the consequences of her quest. I am eager for the next installment. Definitely weird and wonderful!

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Mar 23, 2012 Tasula rated it 4 of 5 stars

Strange and lovely. Lady Lazarus can come back from the dead. In a supernatural world where vampires, werewolves, demons and other creatures exist on earth, on the eve of WWII when Hitler was planning his invasions, two young Jewish girls in Budapest try to stop the impending disasters by finding the Book of Raziel. The primary heroine, Magda Lazarus, summons the angel Raziel himself to help her. The story is full of tragedy, evildoers, sacrifice, loyalty and love.

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Jan 25, 2012 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: did-not-finish, urban-fantasy, historical-fantasy

When you've made it 30% of the way into a book, and you can't bring yourself to pick it up again, that's a very, very bad sign. The world-building was shoddy, the characters were nonsensical, the plot lines made utterly no sense to me, and there was nothing that could hold my attention.

2 stars instead of 1 because the prose was competent, and I might pick up the next book in the series to see if the plotting has improved at all.

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Dec 30, 2010 Kristen rated it 1 of 5 stars

I'm so conflicted - by Goodreads standards this is 1 star (didn't like it). By mine it is 2 (didn't like it but there were some things I liked about it so I wouldn't say I hated it and can't see anything positive about it). Since this is Goodreads, I'll go with 1 to fit with their rating system with the caveat that it's a 2 star book by my own ratings system.

Basically, I really liked the foundation for this story - the Jewish history and lore and the feminist leanings - but found I didn't really...more

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May 03, 2013 Brandi rated it 4 of 5 stars

“Eva exhaled loudly, as if she’d been holding her breath since before I’d arrived. “Ah. If crazy was royalty, you, my dear little star, would be the queen.”

Excerpt From: Lang, Michele. “Lady Lazarus.” Tom Doherty Associates. iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

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Dec 05, 2010 Darshan Elena rated it 3 of 5 stars

The narrative architecture of this novel is brilliant, but the characters seemed too simplistic and underdeveloped. In addition, the points of action such as magical battles were too swift to be realized to their fullest potential. I wanted more flesh in this novel - more details, more emotions, more descriptive, more motivation. All this said, I loved the novel's premise.

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Jan 28, 2012 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

An interesting take on pre-WWII Europe with some awesome fantasy/horror elements. Some great plot devices, not the least of which are Nazi werewolves and Eva Braun. There aren't many stories which feature a lineage of literally death-defying Jewish witches as protagonists and I kind of loved the theory of the story. Some of the characterization felt a bit lacking but overall it was a solid read with decent action.

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May 14, 2011 Brittney Weaver rated it 5 of 5 stars

Story-line is excellent. The plot is really strong. I could kinda predict the end but that was okay with me. There was many twists and turns, which kept me on my toes. Overall, this book was an excellent read. This is definitely a book I would recommend to others. I would even recommend buying this book. I enjoyed the book so much I didn't want to put it down.

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Aug 19, 2012 Jess Faraday rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've read reviews comparing Lady Lazarus to stories by Jim Butcher, or even the Twilight books. To me, it reads more like a less languid Elizabeth Kostova novel. The prose is deliciously tangible, and the history impeccable. But the story is fast-paced and exciting. Absolutely gorgeous in every way.

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Jun 27, 2011 Leah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, ya

This book was about what I expected. I have this terrible problem with liking historical fiction even though it tends to be sucky. I liked it well enough, although I found the love part if you want to call it that, to be underdeveloped and kind of useless. Not a whole lot in the way of plot either, but enough to keep you interested. Let's call it a beach read.

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Nov 08, 2010 Bonnie Gayle marked it as to-read

Recommended to me by David, a co-worker, and with a stunning recommendation from Jim Butcher on the front cover, I'll give this a try, even though it sounds pretty depressing. I do like the fantasy twist, so we'll see!

Meh, I couldn't get into this. Alisa, if you read it, let me know if you like it, and if you do I'll give it another try.

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Oct 05, 2011 Colleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Loved this - witches trying to prevent the foretold Holocaust. Great companion book to Jane Yolen's Briar Rose, story about granddaughters discovering their grandmother's history entwined with grandma's oft-told unusual version of Sleeping Beauty. Fabulous.

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Jan 03, 2012 bookczuk marked it as couldn-t-even-finish

Shelves: alternate-history, bookcrossing, don-t-want-to-rate, read-on-recommendation, somewhat-disappointing, vampires-ghosts-and-other-creatures, books-about-books

You would think any book that has Nazi werewolves would worth finishing. Unfortunately, this one has sat on my bedside table since April last year, unfinished. I made it to page 85, before putting it aside in boredom. Even the promise of a couple of young Jewish women, kicking scumbutt arse, and changing the course of history would be tantalizing. But the girls didn't capture me and even having the Angel Raziel come in on their side hasn't encouraged me to pick it up again. We'd been hoping that...more

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About Michele Lang

Michele Lang writes supernatural stories set in futuristic places: the stories of witches, lawyers, goddesses, cops, bankers, demons, and other magical creatures hidden in plain sight.

Visit Michele on the web: www.michelelang.com"

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