Angels and Demons

Started slow but ended up being a brain melting mystery

Loved it!!

Really good, a bit too descriptive and exact for my usual taste as I felt myself thinking, Get ON with it already, but perhaps that's because I'm unaccustomed to reading a book set over less than 24 hours taking me almost that many hours to read (or so it felt). Most of it really was a page-turner and I could hardly put it down. I did predict some of the plot twists (of which there were several in the last eighth of the book and it was an absolute rollercoaster), but there were just as many that I did not predict.

Robert Langdon is kind of underdeveloped internally and he seems to be there as an action hero who just happens to have the knowledge, skills and past life experiences to be the perfect savior of the day in every instance throughout the book, but the complex interconnectedness of the plot and action are an impressive enough feat of writing that I look forward to reading his next adventure.

Me gusto, aunque tampoco me enloqueció. Primero vi la adaptación en cine, así que no pude evitar comparar. Hay algunas cosas que son mejores en la adaptación, pero en el libro hay mucha más riqueza en los personajes y en cómo se transmite la información. Me gusto que Vitoria tenga más protagonismo en en libro, aunque hay algunas decisiones respecto a algunos sucesos que le pasan a Vitoria que me parecen al menos controversiales. La gente debería definitivamente comenzar la saga con este libro y no con “The Da Vinci code”.

Lots of twists and clever ideas Despite being late to the party, I thoroughly enjoyed the first in the Robert Langdon series. It has set Dan Brown up as ana author who really knows how to pull my intrigue. There was definitely a lot of action, a lot of mysteries and it was all written in a way that made it very accessible! Looking forward to reading the sequel, one of the bestselling books of all time, The Da Vinci Code.

Angels and Demons was an enjoyable and quick read but the premise bothered me a lot more than The Da Vinci Code did, especially the set up and the cheats that Brown did to get his main character from Boston to Geneva in time for the action to start. CERN owning an X-33, come on! Poor CERN, they've felt compelled to put an Angels and Demon's FAQ on their website. I enjoyed the book a great deal more once they actually got to the Vatican even though recent election of a new pope certainly shot holes in scenario Brown paints in Angels and Demons. That being said, it was still an entertaining, albeit, completely predictable (from page 23). There are very few surprises. Here is something that thriller protagonists never seem to realize: 1) The person who seems to need your help most is probably the villain. 2) It is always an inside job! 3) No matter how far the clues take you on your wild goose chase, they always lead you right back to where you started.

i may or may not find the satisfaction in reading conspiracies themed book where the conspiracies are often baseless and mostly accusative. a roller coaster ride, and alluring enough to finish.

Really enjoyed this. It's one of those books you reread every summer because it's just great reading.

The Dan Brown novel that turned me into a Dan Brown-head. Angels & Demons so smartly ties together the world of history, art, religion, and science to create a perfectly formed story.

She looked nothing like the bookish physicist he had expected. Lithe and graceful, she was tall with chestnut skin and long black hair that slurred in the backwind of the rotors. Her face was unmistakably Italian – not overly beautiful, but possessing full, earthy features that even at 20 yards, she seemed to exude a raw sensuality.” Well, does this description make you wish it were yours? I am sure it did. Because so was the case with me. To put simply, this character is Vittoria Vetra from the celebrated author Dan Brown’s bestseller work, the immaculately sublime novel “ANGELS AND DEMONS”. It is incontrovertible that all the characters he etches so deftly are worth going under the skin of, for as long as it is about the epicsome rhetoric, enigmatic miens, panoramic venues, sequential mysteries and startling plots that he creates, it hardly matters which character, all characters are etched by him with flawless precision and meticulous perfection that wins any and every reader’s heart. His plots are all peppered with a mind-boggling volume of symbols, cryptography, mythology, code-deciphering, surreptitious rendezvous with strangers, et al. Robert Langdon, the protagonist of the novel who is a strict Harvard professor, a scintillating symbologist who “relishes recreation with an infectious fanaticism”, is no less of a dream character. Yet, I’d rather prefer to accompany him in his quest, and though Vittoria Vetra's character is subsidiary to Langdon, it is so indispensable to the plot, bereft of an iota of doubt. Now talking about the story, Langdon and Vittoria Vetra are called up by the Vatican to deploy their brilliance and expertise to a situation. And the situation is nothing short of a murder- an excruciatingly nauseating one, at that. The journey is characterized by bone-crunching forces and mind-numbing revelations. Vittoria Vetra is the CERN scientist who had developed anti-matter, a breakthrough energy source which she was protecting from falling victim to PR fiascos and political envy. As the story unravels, it is found that a vial of antimatter had been stolen by a secret group called “illuminati” and even I the minutest proportions it was capable of doing far more damage than nuclear weapons. At this stage, the story delves deeper into dark alleys of the intersections of literature, science and religion. What follows is a journey- nothing short of an epic, interspersed with descriptions of the “papal conclave” due to the sudden death of the pope. Langdon attempts to retrace the steps of the "Path of Illumination", a process once used by the Illuminati as a means of inducting new members; aspirants to the order were required to follow a series of subtle clues left in various landmarks in and around Rome. The clues indicate the secret meeting place of the Illuminati. Langdon sets off on the Path of Illumination in hopes of delivering the Preferiti (the most likely candidates of the papal elections) and recovering the antimatter canister. So he has to decipher the ambigrams, that is with help from Vittoria Vetra. They make deduction regarding the site and manner of death of each of the cardinal. Since its human tendency to be intrigued by matters of life and death, that explains my proclivity to make it true. Here, the W-H-O-L-E Vatican City is at stake. The following quotes are thought-provoking at one level and poignant at another; they work to enrich the text and infuse it with emotions. ü “Nothing captures human interest more than human tragedy.” ü “Skepticism has become a virtue. Cynicism and demand for proof has become enlightened thought. Is it any wonder that humans now feel more depressed and defeated than they have at any point in human history? ” ü “Fear cripples faster than any implement of war.” ü “Religion is flawed, but only because man is flawed.” ü “If it wasn't painfully difficult, you did it wrong!” ü “…Our sunsets have been reduced to wavelengths and frequencies. The complexities of the universe have been shredded into mathematical equations. Even our self-worth as human beings has been destroyed.” ü “Even the technology that promises to unite us, divides us. Each of us is now electronically connected to the globe, and yet we feel utterly alone.” These sum up the theme too. So its obvious that I would yearn for this novel to come true (but there’s a twist, I would yearn for this novel to come true with myself in it as Vittoria Vetra. I would love to experience the thrills and travails, the shocks and adventures myself.) Although while reading too, I got obliviously into the book, yet I’d like to experience all this in three-dimensions- the ecstasy and exhilaration, the adrenaline rush, the earth-shattering revelations. The plot is based in Rome, Italy, which adds to the appeal (and the yearning for it to come true) Then there’s no single aspect of Vittoria Vetra that makes me wish to emulate her in three-dimension. The fact that she is passionate about her work, brilliant in it too, and all the more considerate about its implications. She possessed an analytical mind, which once calmed was a powerful force, which came useful throughout the various twists and turns of the novel. Her approach towards her work is exemplary. Her deployment of the Buddhist philosophy Remembrance – how creative and yet infallible. Her erudition has an unfailing appeal. Her undying optimism, perseverance and thoughts of pristine clarity endears her all the more to me. Without her the book wouldn’t begin, let alone proceed or end. Well there has to be something about the book that the aforementioned lines still reverberate in my mind- “From Santi's earthly tomb with demon's hole, 'Cross Rome the mystic elements unfold. The path of light is laid, the sacred test, Let angels guide you on your lofty quest.”

She looked nothing like the bookish physicist he had expected. Lithe and graceful, she was tall with chestnut skin and long black hair that slurred in the backwind of the rotors. Her face was unmistakably Italian – not overly beautiful, but possessing full, earthy features that even at 20 yards, she seemed to exude a raw sensuality.” Well, does this description make you wish it were yours? I am sure it did. Because so was the case with me. To put simply, this character is Vittoria Vetra from the celebrated author Dan Brown’s bestseller work, the immaculately sublime novel “ANGELS AND DEMONS”. It is incontrovertible that all the characters he etches so deftly are worth going under the skin of, for as long as it is about the epicsome rhetoric, enigmatic miens, panoramic venues, sequential mysteries and startling plots that he creates, it hardly matters which character, all characters are etched by him with flawless precision and meticulous perfection that wins any and every reader’s heart. His plots are all peppered with a mind-boggling volume of symbols, cryptography, mythology, code-deciphering, surreptitious rendezvous with strangers, et al. Robert Langdon, the protagonist of the novel who is a strict Harvard professor, a scintillating symbologist who “relishes recreation with an infectious fanaticism”, is no less of a dream character. Yet, I’d rather prefer to accompany him in his quest, and though Vittoria Vetra's character is subsidiary to Langdon, it is so indispensable to the plot, bereft of an iota of doubt. Now talking about the story, Langdon and Vittoria Vetra are called up by the Vatican to deploy their brilliance and expertise to a situation. And the situation is nothing short of a murder- an excruciatingly nauseating one, at that. The journey is characterized by bone-crunching forces and mind-numbing revelations. Vittoria Vetra is the CERN scientist who had developed anti-matter, a breakthrough energy source which she was protecting from falling victim to PR fiascos and political envy. As the story unravels, it is found that a vial of antimatter had been stolen by a secret group called “illuminati” and even I the minutest proportions it was capable of doing far more damage than nuclear weapons. At this stage, the story delves deeper into dark alleys of the intersections of literature, science and religion. What follows is a journey- nothing short of an epic, interspersed with descriptions of the “papal conclave” due to the sudden death of the pope. Langdon attempts to retrace the steps of the "Path of Illumination", a process once used by the Illuminati as a means of inducting new members; aspirants to the order were required to follow a series of subtle clues left in various landmarks in and around Rome. The clues indicate the secret meeting place of the Illuminati. Langdon sets off on the Path of Illumination in hopes of delivering the Preferiti (the most likely candidates of the papal elections) and recovering the antimatter canister. So he has to decipher the ambigrams, that is with help from Vittoria Vetra. They make deduction regarding the site and manner of death of each of the cardinal. Since its human tendency to be intrigued by matters of life and death, that explains my proclivity to make it true. Here, the W-H-O-L-E Vatican City is at stake. The following quotes are thought-provoking at one level and poignant at another; they work to enrich the text and infuse it with emotions. ü “Nothing captures human interest more than human tragedy.” ü “Skepticism has become a virtue. Cynicism and demand for proof has become enlightened thought. Is it any wonder that humans now feel more depressed and defeated than they have at any point in human history? ” ü “Fear cripples faster than any implement of war.” ü “Religion is flawed, but only because man is flawed.” ü “If it wasn't painfully difficult, you did it wrong!” ü “…Our sunsets have been reduced to wavelengths and frequencies. The complexities of the universe have been shredded into mathematical equations. Even our self-worth as human beings has been destroyed.” ü “Even the technology that promises to unite us, divides us. Each of us is now electronically connected to the globe, and yet we feel utterly alone.” These sum up the theme too. So its obvious that I would yearn for this novel to come true (but there’s a twist, I would yearn for this novel to come true with myself in it as Vittoria Vetra. I would love to experience the thrills and travails, the shocks and adventures myself.) Although while reading too, I got obliviously into the book, yet I’d like to experience all this in three-dimensions- the ecstasy and exhilaration, the adrenaline rush, the earth-shattering revelations. The plot is based in Rome, Italy, which adds to the appeal (and the yearning for it to come true) Then there’s no single aspect of Vittoria Vetra that makes me wish to emulate her in three-dimension. The fact that she is passionate about her work, brilliant in it too, and all the more considerate about its implications. She possessed an analytical mind, which once calmed was a powerful force, which came useful throughout the various twists and turns of the novel. Her approach towards her work is exemplary. Her deployment of the Buddhist philosophy Remembrance – how creative and yet infallible. Her erudition has an unfailing appeal. Her undying optimism, perseverance and thoughts of pristine clarity endears her all the more to me. Without her the book wouldn’t begin, let alone proceed or end. Well there has to be something about the book that the aforementioned lines still reverberate in my mind- “From Santi's earthly tomb with demon's hole, 'Cross Rome the mystic elements unfold. The path of light is laid, the sacred test, Let angels guide you on your lofty quest.”

The pacing is really good. Felt like reading Enid Blyton for adults in the best way. I also really enjoyed how ridiculous amounts of historical information were so easily passed on to the reader without it feeling overwhelming. It's a fun read.

The fact that it was girthy scared me but I couldn’t put this book down. I found all the historically accurate details on the vatican city really interesting and made me really want to visit. All the plot twist’s were so entirely unexpected i couldn’t wait for the next one. Quite gruesome though. Wouldn’t recommend if you’re not good with that stuff.

This book really went into the depth of the conflict between religion and sience, and left me with a lot to think about. It hooked me from the very first chapter and it was the perfect mix of thriller, mystery and action, with a spark of comic-relief. Absolutely would recommend this book!

I could not put this book down! I had read The Da Vinci code first, since it was the only Dan Brown novel and I had, and this book (despite being a prequel to The Da Vinci Code) was so incredible I bought all of Dan Brown's other books! I loved this novel and it was hard to pry myself away from it. The short chapters, constant actions, twists and turns that were unpredictable, lovable characters, and interesting information that changes your view on life made this book one of my top books ever. While I would say it wasn't as good as The Da Vinci code, it is maybe 0.0001% less awesome as The Da Vinci Code. The novel is not a let down and should be read by anyone who loves a good mystery or science/religion epic! There isn't many bad things I can say about the novel, except that I want more Dan Brown books hitting the shelves! This man needs to read more books! Five out of five stars! A truly amazing epic novel!

Het Bernini Mysterie door Dan Brown 4.5 / 5 stars Het is vreemd om te denken dat het zolang heeft geduurd voordat ik dit boek heb opgepakt. Het is zoveel beter dan de film! Ondanks dat ik al wist wie diegene was die achter de moorden zat, was de opbouw naar de ontknoping niet zonder plottwists. Ik had tijdens het lezen soms geen idee waar het verhaal op dat moment naar toe zou gaan. Als Robert Langdon mijn professor was geweest, had ik spontaan beter mijn best gedaan tijdens de les.

Such an amazing book! There was so much going on and plenty of moments that kept me on my toes. The ending twists were so good!

I remember being thoroughly enamoured by this book as a 13/14 year old reading it. I must admit, it is not as good upon a re-read but the worldbuilding and story is still just as cool as it was back then. Used to be a favourite!

** spoiler alert ** This review contains some spoilers. Somehow I missed this series when it first became popular. I got The Da Vinci Code then I found it was not the first in the series. But Angels and Demons got pushed to the bottom of my list, and then I forgot about for a few years. So I just now got around to reading it. Angels and Demons was a very fast-paced thriller. It was an exciting combination of conspiracy theory, European history, religion versus science, and good ole get-the-bad-guy action. Since I am not a historian, theologian, or Italian, I do not know how accurate the details of the book are. To the untrained eye, it seems there was enough research done to make a believable back story. It was nice to have a slightly nerdy underdog for a hero. Langdon's primary weapon was his mind and his extensive knowledge base on symbology and history. He is also an accomplished swimmer which keeps the character from falling into the stereotype of all brains and no brawn. I liked that there was a strong female lead as well. Although, Vittoria Vetra falls into the sexy scientist category. While I liked her character in the beginning, she felt flatter as the story went on. She went from the intelligent scientist to side kick to damsel in distress. I wish she had more character development even though she wasn't the main character. It is a little dizzying to look back and realize that the entire book takes place over a twenty-four hour period. My head would probably pop if I went through that many traumatic/suspenseful events in such a short time. Yet Brown makes it work. At times it feels like there is an almost unbelievable amount of events crammed into one book/one day. There did seem to be a substantial number of chapters. With 137 chapters, this has to be one of the highest amount of chapters I have seen in a novel. Each chapter only a few pages and most of them end with mini cliffhangers. Normally, I don't get very absorbed in books with multiple points of view. But it was surprisingly easily to follow even with the constant switching. And there was almost no down time so I never got bored. It was definitely a page-turner. No, the writing was not very descriptive, but the story was good. I can see why it is such a popular series. (view spoiler)[I did get annoyed that they find three of the four Cardinals alive yet are unable to save them. Having finished, I understand that saving any of them would have ruined the big reveal at the ending. But it was frustrating for them to be on time yet still to late to say them. I had heard that this book took a lot of flack for anti-religious writing. Having read the story, it doesn't seem anti-religious. Rather it points out that the fields of both religion and science are comprised of mankind. And mankind makes many mistakes. (hide spoiler)]

I am going to try and write a coherent review for this super incredibly amazing book. But to be honest, most of it will probably just be me fangirl screaming. I'm already smiling like a loon over and giggling like a fool. That is what a good book will do to you. This book! This book, man! This is the series that really started my love affair for history. Fun fact that you may not know about me: I wanted to a historian. Before I found my calling, psychology, I fell in love with history. This incredible series started my love affair for all things old and dusty. I will forever hold this series close to my heart, right next door to Harry Potter and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Onto the review though because I'm pretty sure that is what you all are waiting for. This is the first adventure of Robert Langdon, a symbologist that teaches at Harvard University. He is an incredibly smart man that has study symbols and art history pretty extensively. He gets a call from Maximilian Kohler, director of CERN, to help solve a case of missing antimatter and the murder of a beloved scientist. What entails is sooo much more than what Langdon bargained for. This book also brings up the topic of science and God. Does science have a place in religion? It's a question that continues to bring problems everyday. I am a woman of science. There is just too much evidence for me to ignore what all science has proved. But I respect those that believe the Creation Story. I think that Dan Brown brings both sides to the argument very respectfully. (view spoiler)[ Antimatter is the opposite of matter. What the scientist and his daughter did was prove the story of Genesis. This is where God created the world and everything in. The antimatter made something out of nothing. Quite fascinating, really, but hard to wrap your brain around. (hide spoiler)] Did my review seem coherent? Probably not because I have a hard time expressing my love of a book into words. Usually I just shriek and point excitedly. Overall, I think that this a fantastic book. You can sure bet that I will be continuing on with the rest of the series considering I have them all with the exception of the latest one that hasn't come out yet. This is a book that isn't for everyone, though. It's quite dense at times and you almost got to have some knowledge of history and science. But besides that, it truly is an incredible book.

4.5

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