Angels and Demons is a perfect narrative for those readers who love fast-paced storylines and drama. Imperatively, this is a fantastic thriller by Dan Brown, the same author who wrote Da Vinci Code. The story has a protagonist, Robert Langdon, who is an iconology professor. In addition, the narrative is set in the cobbled street of Europe and Vatican City. Analytically, one can decipher that Angels and Demons grips the attention of a reader very quickly even without reading an entire single chapter. However, a reader can easily confuse the storylines in the two books since both novels have similar characters and settings. Critical evaluation of Angels and Demons is crucial in understanding the relationship between science and religion.
The story is set in CERN (European Council for Nuclear Research) which is one of the biggest physics centers of the world based in Geneva, Switzerland where a physicist working on antimatter is killed with the words “Illuminati” stamped on his torso. As a matter of fact, antimatter is one of the most expensive substances costing more than $50 trillion to make a single gram. Moreover, it must be preserved in cases where it cannot get into contact with any matter or the process of destruction would cause a blast higher in strength than any atomic bomb. The story is a detailed account of the happenings of one day.
The clash between religion and science is a prevalent theme in Angels and Demons. This intricate relationship is symbolized by the existence of two organizations of the Catholic Church and the Illuminati who advocates for free thought and science. Despite the differences between the two organizations, the author has shown that it is possible for the two methods of knowledge seeking to find a peaceful agreement within a single soul. Brown shows his readers this concurrence through his usage of Leonardo Vetra and his daughter. Nevertheless, camerlengo’s whole-hearted acquiescence to science in the war shows how unusual and unlikely such a decision is. The camerlengo enunciates the case for unadulterated faith, largely because he can see the powerful works of God in his life. In essence, the reader is informed that religion plays an important role in human life and how virtues are inseparable from faith.
Despite the story being captivating, the narration is sometimes a bit loose and has too many details. Additionally, problems take longer to solve as compared to Brown’s Da Vinci Code. As a reader goes from one chapter to another, one discovers that the book is a description of one day in over 500 pages of enthralling storyline where each chapter leaves a reader hanging by a thread. Therefore, anyone who has started reading this piece of literature has a strong desire to continue reading from the first to the last chapters without interruptions. Overall, it’s highly recommended to anyone who loves a great thriller. The fact that the book has emphasized secret societies, alternative interpretations of history, and conspiracy theories makes it be regarded as a mere fantasy rather than a fact-based thriller. For staunch Catholics, Angels and Demons is a smear campaign that is aimed at discrediting their doctrines at the expense of other religions. As a result, some individuals view Dan brown as an individual with a biased stance against the Catholic Church.