Before the Da Vinci Code was cracked, the world was indeed at the mercy of Angels and Demons…

Stylish literary elements, secret societies and their conspiracies, the Catholic Church and much more-Angels and Demons by Dan Brown is a riveting thriller fiction with great research, intricate detailing, amazing symbology, pristine attention to historical facts as well as superb characters. A thriller not only worthy of your best seller collectable but a title you ought to not miss at all

Symbolism exists to adorn and enrich, not to create an artificial sense of profundity.

Symbology and cryptic symbols have always been a point of fascination for me since I have always felt that they are icons much beyond simple depiction and always hold more information than they primarily show. Yes, not also merely a piece of iconography, they hold much more between their lines. Indeed, symbols can be so beautiful sometimes. It is like you pull a thread here and you will find it attached to the rest of the world.

I must confess that I have always had a soft spot for Dan Brown sort of a partially biased corner as far as his books are concerned and indeed, even though Da Vinci code which is one of his highly acclaimed best sellers(anybody who has ever read thriller fiction knows that this one was a cult back in the 2000s, the craze for it I mean!), this particular book by Dan I feel was acclaimed for after Da Vinci became popular. Reason? Well, I call it the ripple effect. Albeit, I will be honest, with a crackling storyline, amazing characters and cast, a breakneck speed, symbology out of the world and a never expected kinda climax, this is definitely one of the best books I have read to date in the thriller genre.

THE PLOT AS IT GOES

When CERN Director Maximillian Kohler discovers that one of the facility’s top physicists Leonardo Vetra is murdered, his chest having been branded with an ambigram of the word “Illuminati” he knows that lots are at stake and thus employs the help of famous Harvard symbology Professor Robert Langdon who is a highly acclaimed expert on the subject.

When it becomes clear that the Illuminati, the secret society in question have also stolen a canister containing the anti-matter-a potentially hazardous substance with the lethality of a nuclear weapon, Leonardo’s adopted daughter Vittoria is called upon for help by Kohler. Together, she and Langdon must find their way to it inside Vatican City where the canister is believed to have been smuggled to. There is also the fact that with the Pope having died, the four “Preferiti” aka the most likely eligible candidates are missing and it is now upon these two to search for them as well as the anti-matter before catastrophe befalls the Vatican and the Church too.  They are being assisted in this by the Pope’s closest aide Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca and Commander Olivetti, the Swiss Guard Chief. Will they be able to do so or will they fail?

THE CHARACTERS

So, for starters, Langdon was as usual “regularly splendid as I like to call him. Yes, this one being his first big adventure, this one was breathtaking and how!  It was an amazing learning and discovering all the secrets the plot held alongside Langdon, musing and understanding the intricacies of it all, with a guided expert like him. I mean, yes, it was as if I was really alongside him, onto this adventure, riveting and getting lurched here and there, being throttled head first into this breakneck adventure of sorts.

And the way he explained each and everything, Vittoria and her complimenting presence, each of these aspects seemed to keep me glued to this thriller in an altogether different manner. 

Camerlengo Carlo too, for me, was a brilliant persona. And so was Commander Olivetti. Leonardo, the man whose wondrous persona and ties were the subject matter of delicate nature yet wisdom beyond space and time too, was a unique PoV adding a lot of oomph for me in this one.

MY THOUGHTS

Religion is like language or dress. We gravitate towards practices with which we were raised. In the end, though, we are all proclaiming the same thing.

Yes, indeed faith is a universal thing albeit our methods for understanding it, believing in it and its portrayal are arbitrary. Yes, some of us pray to Lord Shiva, Ram, and Jesus, and some to Allah, some of us go to the Kedarnath and there are some who even study subatomic particles. In the end, we all are simply searching for that truth, the one which is much greater and higher than us.

I am especially stoked with how Dan has chosen not to pass any kind of a bias or judgement or take sides as far as religion or science are concerned, leaving the readers free to take their side and choice of their own accord. 

With such brilliant intricate detailing, a razor-sharp plot and characterization, super speed to the story, potent drama, suspense and twists throughout, the entire experience of this one are completely addictive I’d say. 

The detailed architectural descriptions add on and compliment the narrative beautifully and for me at least in no way did they slacken the progress of the main plot, adding more colour and brilliance to the narrative.

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One of the greatest thriller fiction I have ever read, don’t even wait for me to recommend you this one officially you guys. Go read it now! And if you are gonna tell me that you haven’t read it yet, well I can only say I feel sorry for ye’!

So hope you guys liked my thoughts on Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. Stay tuned with us right here at Booxoul for the best in the field of lifestyle, finance, fun, fashion, education, travel, tech and gadgets as well as all things bookish.

Adios Amigos!