Angels and Demons – Dan Brown

This book had been recommended to me for years! It sat on my TBR (To-Be-Read) shelf for at least two years. I admit, I was hesitant to read it because whenever a book is highly recommended, I tend to be the odd-ball who is not a huge fan of it. Despite my track-record, I was consumed by this book and read it in a few days. I thought the intellectual minds of Robert Langdon and Vittoria Vetra were captivating and I loved reading how Langdon uncovered the clues left by the “Illuminati” pointing to their hide-out. The dynamic between the Illuminati and the Catholic Church was one of power-based mentality. The idea/concept of the Illuminati was not as terrifying to me as I thought it would be. Of course, the term Illuminati is still a phrase tossed around today by people with hardly any knowledge of the history. Despite not knowing much about them, I learned a lot about them through this book and through numerous hours of research. I appreciate the concept of the Illuminati on a very basic standpoint—that which challenges beliefs held by religious organizations like the Catholic Church. I also appreciate their dedication to science and not allowing themselves or others to be controlled and manipulated by a religious organization. Being a Catholic myself, I have had troubles with the teachings and “rules” held by the organization. As a person with a very curious and open mind, the Church always baffled me. The way Christians just accept rules and teachings is an ability I sometimes envy. I envy it because it must make one’s view of the world and their ways of thinking and living much simpler. For me, I have questioned just about anything and everything I have ever learned in any religious Christian circle. Perhaps I am too emotional or am thinking too hard about things, but life is too complex, it seems, to explain by the select rules and teachings of the Church. Especially, when the history of the Church is complex in of itself. I say all this because this book represented a tug between science and religion, a dangerous battle that often leads one to believe in one over the other. Yet, there is a beautiful middle-ground that the priest and scientist Leonardo Vetra believed in. Even his adopted daughter Vittoria supported his efforts. I believe that there is a middle-ground. The way Langdon and Vetra traveled through Italy and uncovered hidden information is a simple way to show how much information we (as a society and human race) do not know due to organizations like the Church or the Illuminati hiding what they only wish insiders—sometimes, only certain insiders—to know. For instance, the Church’s archives are full of information that the Church does not want us to know, nor does it want all of its clergy members to know. Only certain people have access. What is the information they keep? Would it threaten their control of the portion of the population that wholeheartedly believe in them? Probably. This is why I am so skeptical of any organization. They restrict information by means of control and convince people that if they question, they are controlled by evil forces or are doing something wrong when people are merely being curious, seeking answers and understanding for issues they face day-to-day. Organizations only have as much control over you as you allow them to have.

On a lighter and, perhaps, more literary note, I did not see the ending coming! I am usually pretty good about guessing mysteries, but Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca’s role in the murder of the Pope/his father via IVF and the Cardinals was completely missed by me. In a way, it left me a little disappointed that Ventresca merely used the reemergence of the Illuminati as a cover up for his crimes. Not that I wish the Illuminati reemerged in real life, but I was really captivated by their supposed involvement in the story. On the other hand, it made the story more interesting in the sense that nobody, not even the other characters, suspected Ventresca. Since nobody feared him, he went unsuspected. Though, it was a bit anticlimactic when he lit himself on fire for what he did, in my opinion. Additionally, I have mixed feelings and thoughts when it comes to Maximilian Koher, the director general of CERN. I must admit, I got a bit lost within the story to fully understand what his involvement was once he arrived in Italy. I know that he was concerned about the antimatter and reputation of CERN, but I am not sure I completely understand his role and how the events played out between him and Ventresca. Overall, it was a phenomenal story with so many historical facts. I look forward to reading The Da Vinci Code.

Also, a complete side note: Which book did you read first—The Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons? Do you think it matters?