Title: Angels & Demons
Author: Dan Brown
Series: Robert Langdon #1
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Detective
Publisher: Pocket Books
Source: Hardcover
Pages: 713
// Add to GoodReads //
Series: Robert Langdon #1
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Detective
Publisher: Pocket Books
Source: Hardcover
Pages: 713
// Add to GoodReads //
BLURB:
When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol—seared into the chest of a murdered physicist—he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati ... the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has now surfaced to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy—the Catholic Church.
Langdon’s worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces they have hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.
Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair ... a clandestine location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.
I picked this book up after I saw The da Vinci Code movie. I later read the book as well but one of my friends told me that if I liked the first one I will love Angels & Demons, so I just knew I have to read it without any questions. And yes, it truly rocked! The basic plot of this book is that something very dangerous is stolen and a person is claiming he will destroy and blow up Vatican. At the same time, the Catholic pope dies and we are in the mist of election of a new one, so the stakes are really high!
THE WORLD: The world in this book is absolutely like ours. Ream time, real places, names, continents, existing museums, monuments and cities (would totally be cool to travel to Italy and walk around in the paces mentioned in this book). So in other words, the was nothing strange or unfamiliar with this world or settings in this book.
CHARACTERS: The main protagonist in this book is professor Robert Langdon, who is a Harvard University professor of symbology. He is also a detective! No I'm just kidding, but in all honesty I did find it a little weird that just because he knows symbology and a lot of religious historical details, he is the only person who can safe the world, but again I was just being too cynical and once I told myself to stop I actually enjoyed reading about prof. Langdon. I found him really smart, well educated in his field and I enjoyed how he explained in full detail on why this or that symbol is important and what it meant. If he was a professor in my University I would totally go to his class. Another huge character in this book is Vittoria Vetra - a scientist in CERN corporation and the companion of Langdon. I liked her, she again was very smart, she together with some other people invented antimatter (which I googled but to be honest I have idea what that is, but in the book they make a bomb from it). In other words she was a bad ass, and I loved her fire.
Actually all characters in the book were well elaborated and developed I think, for example Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca - who is basically the right hand man of the pope was brilliant as a character simply amazing, and there's a twist! I also enjoyed Assassin very very much :D He is basically hired to kill the favored cardinals to get elected for pope, but he was so over dramatic, the little talks he would have with himself and the inner battle he had! I just loved his drama! Also what I really enjoyed was the entire group of priests, and cardinals and church people, I don't know why but at the same moment they made me so mad but also so fascinated with the church living and possible secrets that Vatican has!
Actually all characters in the book were well elaborated and developed I think, for example Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca - who is basically the right hand man of the pope was brilliant as a character simply amazing, and there's a twist! I also enjoyed Assassin very very much :D He is basically hired to kill the favored cardinals to get elected for pope, but he was so over dramatic, the little talks he would have with himself and the inner battle he had! I just loved his drama! Also what I really enjoyed was the entire group of priests, and cardinals and church people, I don't know why but at the same moment they made me so mad but also so fascinated with the church living and possible secrets that Vatican has!
LOVE: We actually only get a little love between Langdon and Vittoria. We understand that they are love interests but the love or their romance does not take much of a part in the book.
PLUS: The theme of never ending battle between religion and science. What I love about this book and about Dan Brown is that he doesn't push one truth. He doesn't state that religion is everything or that science is everything. This book gives a perfect balance of 'maybe' and I like that, I also believe that religion and science are something that will forever be compared and should go hand in hand, so bravo Mr.s Brown. I also enjoyed the inner working of Vatican the detailed descriptions of places in Italy and the process of electing pope. I found it interesting to read.
PLUS: The theme of never ending battle between religion and science. What I love about this book and about Dan Brown is that he doesn't push one truth. He doesn't state that religion is everything or that science is everything. This book gives a perfect balance of 'maybe' and I like that, I also believe that religion and science are something that will forever be compared and should go hand in hand, so bravo Mr.s Brown. I also enjoyed the inner working of Vatican the detailed descriptions of places in Italy and the process of electing pope. I found it interesting to read.
MINUS: I don't understand by prof. Langdon always has to have a female sidekick by his side. Don't get me wrong I love that we have a female lead in the book and she is a strong, independent, educated female. However, at times it felt like she was there just to be his girl.
OVERALL: I recommend this book to everyone who likes fast paced detective stories, who enjoys to read about symbolism, about history in particular religious. I enjoyed this book above and beyond and will continue to read Lost Symbols and Inferno.
OVERALL: I recommend this book to everyone who likes fast paced detective stories, who enjoys to read about symbolism, about history in particular religious. I enjoyed this book above and beyond and will continue to read Lost Symbols and Inferno.
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