Mar 31, 2010

Angelology - Book Review

Angelology
by Danielle Trussoni
Viking, March 2010

A young nun named Evangeline stumbles across a letter written to the mother superior of St Rose convent in 1944. it concerns a dangerous and mysterious expedition financed by Mrs. Abigail Rockefeller

Meanwhile Percival Grigori has asked the young scholar Verlaine to find out about the same Mrs Rockefeller and any connection she may have had St Rose Convent in NY.

Percival is one of the Nephilim, descendants of the Watchers, fallen angels who defied God and took human wives. While the Watchers were cast into a pit of darkness their offspring, throughout the centuries, walked the earth waging a war against humanity by instigating conflicts and taking control of earthly affairs through breeding with the most influential families.

One secret group of humans, the Angelologists, actively fight these creatures who, at their purist, have a physical beauty that echoes their angel ancestry.  Their vicious nature belies that beauty. It should come as no surprise that the Nephilim were instrumental in the rise of Nazism. Yet it was during the second world war that the expedition payed for by Mrs Rockerfeller led to the finding of an instrument that could end the struggle against this evil.

When Trussoni concentrates her attention on the angelologists and the mysteries they have uncovered about the fallen as well as the dangers they must face to unearth these findings, she is at her best. Her richly imagined history of the Watchers and Nephilim is riveting. Although readers of Urban Fantasy will not be strangers to the concept of fallen angels and their progeny, I cannot think of another novel that goes into the depth of their history and its consequences.

The ending of of Angelology leaves no doubt there will be a sequel. My hope is that the author will revisit the Watchers who were last seen pleading for their freedom.

I have some quibbles about certain scenarios, but they are minor and I enjoyed this book tremendously. I stayed up late many nights, fighting sleep because I had to know what happened next.

Patricia Altner March 2010

[Dear FTC, This book was sent to me by the publisher]

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great review, Patricia! I so want to read this book but as the mythology crosses with much of my own I'm not going to do it until I finish Mirnada's trilogy!

Patricia Altner said...

Hi Nicole

I absolutely understand that as a writer you need to keep a certain distance.

Miranda comes first!!

Vickie said...

I cannot wait to read this one!!

Patricia Altner said...

Hi Vickie

If you do read it I would like to hear your opinion.

Cherry said...

I really did not like the inconsistent story lines in this book, Pat. I like my story to make sense.

Patricia Altner said...

Hi Cherry

I was in awe of the mythology Trussoni created. There were some things I thought out of kilter, but basically I felt myself completely a part of Angelology.

I hesitate to say more because I don't want to mention any spoilers. It would be interesting to continue this discussion. If you like email me at patriciaaltner@gmail.com