I just finished "Angels and Demons" this past weekend and I agree with Mary's analysis. It was captivating in parts, but often I felt like I was on a merry-go-round, reliving the same scene/plot over and over. Brown's ideas were interesting, but I felt a bit too fantastic in parts (Langdon jumping out of a helicopter without a parachute and actually surviving? Not to mention being able to get right back up and run back to the Vatican...). And certain aspects were just overwhelmingly gruesome or sexual.
An interesting read, but definitely not stellar literature.
P.S. My husband and I just watched the movie. This was one of the rare times that I felt the movie was actually better than the book. They deleted ALL the sex (thank heavens!) and it was actually very entertaining. I might even go see it again. :)
living life through books
a love affair with books
reading quotes
"Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home."
— Anna Quindlen
"All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you: the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and
- Ernest Hemmingway
— Anna Quindlen
"All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you: the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and
- Ernest Hemmingway
6 comments:
Oh goodie, someone else did read it! Thanks Jaclyn for your comment.
I am in complete agreement with everything you said. I too thought the part where Langdon jumps out of the helicopter and survives (with nothing but a tarp which he used to steer himself in midair- please!) was completely absurd. I'm so glad they left that part out of the movie!
I also agree with your "merry-go-round" statement. It was basically the same sequence of events unfolding over and over. I don't know if you've ever read "The Da Vinci Code," but it basically does the same thing. In fact, there were a lot of plot and character elements that were identical to "Da Vinci Code."
What enjoyed about this book was being immersed in all the art and architecture of Rome. I'm an art history geek, so I thought that was cool.
Still, I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who is easily creeped or grossed out.
Mary, you're so right! I read "The Da Vinci Code" years ago, so I decided to pick it back up this week after finishing "Angels and Demons". I've already had to put it right back down because I feel like I'm reading "Angels and Demons" all over again! So much for prequel/sequel. The two are just too similar to read back-to-back; they need a nice break between them unless you like reliving the same plot time and time and time again.
But I agree with you-- I really enjoy the architectural and art aspects of Brown's writing. It's fascinating! I wonder how much of it is really the way he describes it? Still, his books do have me dreaming of a trip to Europe...
Oh my, I forgot to mention my very favorite aspect of the book! How delinquent am I?
Being a science geek, I absolutely identified with Leonardo Vetra's ideas regarding science and religion. Vetra stated "Science and religion are not at odds. Science is simply too young to understand." Hundreds of times during the course of my college studies, when we discussed evolution and creation or the history or neuroscientific knowledge, my own heart whispered the exact same thing. And so often I have told people that the number one thing I learned from my scientific studies is that God is real. As Vittoria Vetra said, "Science tells me God must exist. My mind tells me I will never understand God. And my heart tells me I am not meant to." How true! I loved that Brown explored this idea so largely and discussed it so eloquently.
Yes that is definitely true. I've always been of the opinion that science and religion don't have to be at odds with one another- it shouldn't be an "either/or" debate. I think God works through science and many of His miracles are witnessed through science. I think to make peace with this notion you have to be ok with not knowing all the answers, as you said in the quote, because maybe we aren't "meant" to.
I've always been curious as to what Dan Brown's religious affiliation is. At times as a writer he seems like a man of faith, other times he seems cynical of the catholic church.
I did TRY, Mare, but it took me forever to get the book from the library (too many competing holds) and then I was throwing up and then I was moving back to Oregon! But what I DID read....well, most of it was just YUCK (I never made it past him leaving the fancy lab in Switzerland)...gruesome descriptions of the dead body, the less than savory assasin and his free-time pursuits. Yeah. Anyway. :)
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