Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

“Science and religion were not enemies, but rather allies — two different languages telling the same story, a story of symmetry and balance . . . heaven and hell, night and day, hot and cold, God and Satan. Both science and religion rejoiced in God’s symmetry . . . the endless contest of light and dark.”

I was a little hesitant to read this book at first because I had already seen the movie adaptation, and I didn’t think it would be surprising enough. I was also fairly certain that the movie wouldn’t have captured everything from the book accurately, as Hollywood adaptations often simplify or alter key elements, which can impact the book’s reputation for those who haven’t read it. Having read Dan Brown’s other works, such as Deception Point, Origin, Secret of Secrets and Digital Fortress, I started reading Angels & Demons, knowing the story has more to it that the movie definitely wouldn’t have shown in full. Well, I was right!

“Each of us is now electronically connected to the globe, and yet we feel utterly alone. We are bombarded with violence, division, fracture, and betrayal. Skepticism has become a virtue. Cynicism and demand for proof has become enlightened thought.” — excerpt from Angels & Demons

This is not just a fictional, fast-paced mystery thriller; Angels & Demons’ core plot revolves around the lifelong war between science and religion. I know it’s not a history or philosophical book to gain a deep understanding of the relationship between religion and science. However, a good fictional book that explains a certain part of history, specifically how science was considered sacrilegious when a major breakthrough occurred in the field of science, laying the foundation for understanding the universe. This book contains a very nice debate on why religion is important, even in this modern world, which at a certain point makes sense to a rational mind (you can never convince an extremist).

When it’s a Dan Brown novel, I know I’m in for a perfect mystery thriller with a plot involving either science or religion or both. So I knew Angels & Demons was gonna be a fun ride when I started it. And yes, it was definitely a must-read one.