teaandbookshelves 's review for:

Illuminati by Dan Brown

3.0

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: N/A

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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The opening immediately piqued my curiosity – a mysterious murder, strange symbols and missing antimatter? It sounds like an exciting mix, and for the most part it was.

I particularly liked the combination of science, religion, history and symbolism. The settings – especially around the Vatican – are described atmospherically, and you can tell how much research went into the book. Nevertheless, I had the feeling at times that the plot dragged a bit. Some sections were too long-winded for me, while the ending then went by almost too quickly.

I warmed to the main character, Robert Langdon, to some extent – he's not a typical action hero, but rather a quiet puzzle solver. The story itself kept me hooked, even if it didn't completely grab me emotionally.

Overall, Illuminati is a solid thriller with exciting ideas, but also a few slow moments. If you're into secret societies, church power games and mysterious symbols, you'll definitely find something to enjoy here. For me, it was ‘okay’, not a highlight, but definitely worth reading.