Review: Angelopolis by Danielle Trussoni

When I reviewed Danielle Trussoni's first book about Verlaine and Evangeline, Angelology, in August 2010, I noted that the novel was "a literary and intelligent tale of good and evil." Trussoni's follow-up novel, Angelopolis, out on March 26, is a little more thriller and a little less literary but still made me think. In the following review, I assume you've already read Angelology.

Angelopolis begins a decade after Verlaine saw Evangeline unfurl her wings and take flight from the Brooklyn Bridge, leaving him confused and alone. Now an accomplished angel hunter, Verlaine has mixed feelings when he finally crosses paths with her in Paris. With her life in danger, Evangeline has only enough time to slip Verlaine a package before she is captured by an enemy angel.

The story takes us from Paris to St. Petersburg and from there to Bulgaria, the Black Sea, and finally Siberia as Verlaine races to save Evangeline. Meanwhile, he and his fellow angelologists search for the meaning behind the beautiful Fabergé egg she gave him, hoping it will help them discover a means for defeating the nephilim once and for all.

Drawing on biblical and apocryphal writings, Trussoni creates a world in which angels have never forgiven humankind for supplanting them as God's favored beings. Angelology supplies the background to this millennia-long conflict and introduces us to the Society of Angelology, which is devoted to the study of angels. In Angelopolis the focus shifts to archaeology, genetics, and history and tells us more about the angels who live among us and who have shaped human beliefs and politics through the ages.

I loved Trussoni's alternate interpretation of history—especially of Fabergé, Rasputin, and the European royal families—and the way the angelologists pooled their knowledge and research in their quest to understand Evangeline's heritage and to develop a weapon to kill or subdue their enemies. I was pleased that Angelopolis retained the thriller elements I enjoyed in the first book while dropping what I think of as the "Dan Brown ending."

On the other hand, the novel wasn't without some flaws. In particular, I believe there were some inconsistencies and far-fetched luck in the final scenes, and I'm confused about some of Verlaine's actions and thoughts on the last pages. Still, the book ends just as the world is about to change, and I'm looking forward to the next installment in the series.

I listened to the unabridged audiobook (Penguin Audio, 9 hr, 38 min) read by Edoardo Ballerini, who did a wonderful job keeping me engaged in the story. His pacing and characterizations fit the text, and to my untrained ears, his accents and pronunciations of foreign words were believable. Usually I'm thrown off when a series changes narrators, but I wasn't bothered here, probably because it's been a few years since I listened to the first book.

Buy Angelopolis at an Indie or a bookstore near you. This link leads to an affiliate program.
Published by Penguin USA / Viking, March 26, 2013
ISBN-13: 9780670025541
Rating: B
Source: Review (see review policy)
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