Angelology: A Novel

By Danielle Trussoni
Publisher:Viking Adult, (3/9/2010)

Average Rating:
Unleash it
3.71 out of 5 (7 Clubie's ratings)

Buy Now From
buy it now from Amazon
buy it now from Barns and Noble
buy it now from Indie Bookstore


Genesis 6:5





Alice_Wonder's thoughts on "Angelology: A Novel"
updated on:5/29/2010

I have mixed feelings about this book. It was off to a slow start. I feel that too many things were unexplained or too quickly explained. I was more than half way through the book before the background ended and the story reall began. I don't always mind that in a book but this time I did. The existence of the Nephilim left too many questions unanswered for me. If there are so many of them in powerful positions, shouldn't they be more noticible? They don't look or act like 100% humans. People should notice that. The book did lead me to contemplate the nature of good and evil. But, more often I contemplated the lack of understanding of the motivation of many characters, how much the author was writing for selling movie rights, and how would it end so that I would buy the next book in the series.

Unleash it

Sam's thoughts on "Angelology: A Novel"
updated on:5/5/2010

Steeped in historical facts, biblical passages and mythology, this twist on history will have you reevaluating what you know about angels and again (a la Divinci Code) questioning whether we are revisionists of history and religious belief. According to Trussoni's book, angels are no longer are they sweet and compassionate, but have the ability, desire and sinister ways to kill with no remorse. Which is just what the Angelologist are fighting against. Spanning generations, Angelology follows the lives and quest of several existing, and two possible new, Angelologists. The fight between the Angel Niphilim and the Angologists gets heated up as, innocent bystander, Verlaine, offers the Nephilim a key piece of information over looked by both parties for years. That is all that is needed to endanger his life and throw him into the search for the Lyre with the all important Evangeline, a young Franciscan sister, who's family ties put her in the center of it all the mystery and intrigue. The Lyre that could save the Nephilim and possibly alter the world as we know it. Despite a slightly predictable ending with no closure (I smell sequel), the book is sure to capture your attention and provide several good discussion points. 

Very Unleashable

Ceci's thoughts on "Angelology: A Novel"
updated on:5/1/2010

So it turns out there really are guardian angels, but they aren’t exactly looking out for us humans. Instead, these “Gibborim” are modern day bodyguards and mercenaries, protecting the interests of the “Nephilim” – angel/human hybrids – that walk among us.  No golden halos here, apparently. Angelology takes whatever comforting, sweet, protective images you may have of angels and casts them in a whole new light. The characters are vividly drawn, appealing, and they develop over the course of the entire story (Dan Brown, take note!). It is a serious page-turner, even though it sometimes relies fairly heavily on academic lectures and medieval manuscripts. In fact, there is so much gripping action (or just plain weirdness), it is tempting while reading to just focus on the question of, “what happens next”. But, there is also much in this book – including questions of faith, science, redemption, religion, and class – that made me pause and ponder. There is, quite honestly, a ton of stuff packed into this book, and you do have to pay attention. If not, you’ll start confusing your Nephilim with your Gibborim, or embarrass yourself with your friends by swearing that Orpheus’s lyre is in the Bible. 

Very Unleashable

Reese's thoughts on "Angelology: A Novel"
updated on:5/1/2010

A golden halo…a celestial being bathed in light…an angel watching over me….an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other…these are the more common thoughts, views and depictions of angels in our world.  However, Angelology takes us into another realm of history that puts a spin on...there are Angels among us. A thriller that sends you into the world of the fallen angels, shows us the chilling possibilities and makes you question what you think about angels. A book that brings questions to humanity, faith, religion, mythology and science is always worthy in my opinion and this one fits the bill.  Get ready for the Watchers, Nephilim, Gibborim and the angelologists and the hierarchy of it all.  The historical plot seems to run along the lines of good vs. evil, angels vs. human, but when they all become inbred in our world, who is actually who. There is a ton of back story and narration related to this history and while somewhat necessary and entertaining - oft long winded and yet still left me with a lot of questions. The thriller part of the plot was also exciting based on finding the “lyre” that could save the “angels” yet change the very essence of the world.  It seemed as an afterthought sometimes amidst the storytelling until the last part of the book. All in all…with a final twist that obviously leads this towards a sequel…it was a very good read.

Very Unleashable

Book Junky's thoughts on "Angelology: A Novel"
updated on:4/30/2010

When you pick up this book to start reading, make sure you have a good chunk of time set aside. First, because it will help everything to make sense and gel in your brain. Second, because you will not want to put it down! Totally sucked me in and I could not wait till I had a free moment to pick it up again. Tied so well to real life facts, this novel will really leave you thinking, "Is it real?" The only thing that slows it down is a little excessive visual descriptions, but that is easy to skim and get to the good stuff! And there is a LOT of good stuff. Interesting story and back stories, not to mention a good little twist at the end. One part thriller, one part religion and spirit, a smidge of a couple love stories, a secret society, throw in some history, combine that all with great writing and you have one FABULOUS book! 


Nick's thoughts on "Angelology: A Novel"
updated on:4/29/2010

In her new novel, Angelology, author Danielle Trussoni presents a unique and engaging mythology. It is inspired by a passage in Genesis implying that, soon after creation, a brigade of angels interbred with human women and spawned a race of human/angel hybrids called the Nephilim. The Nephilim live for hundreds of years, have unnatural power and strength and have been waging war on human society for thousands of years. Their powers weakened by centuries of interbreeding and sloth, the Nephilim seek an ancient relic and hope to regain their might. The heroes of the story are a young nun and a hipster researcher from New York's East Village who are pulled in with a secret society of angelologists (those who study angels, as the name implies) to help in their struggle against humanity's ancient foes.

The mythology of the novel is very interesting and I felt this might have worked better as a straightforward telling of the stories and legends of the Nephilim. As it is, much of the book is spent in flashback exposition, giving the backstory of these angels and angel hybrids and the story itself becomes a somewhat feeble frame built to carry the story of the Nephilim. That frame story does have its moments, but the real star of this book is the mythology. Fans of "The Da Vinci Code" and books like it will find lots to like here. For my part, I wish the story around the myths would have been stronger and given us a more distinct character or team of characters to get behind. Still, a very worthwhile and interesting read.

Unleash it

Steph's thoughts on "Angelology: A Novel"
updated on:4/27/2010

I sense that angels might be the new vampires.  Angelology explores a fascinating subject, angels, and ups the interesting by presenting us with a world where angels live among us.  These are not, however, your halo-sporting, Christmas-tree topping angels.  Trussoni navigates us through the uneasy (to say the least) existence of two groups with interests on opposite sides of the celestial line.  Her story spans decades (WWII - modern day) and continents (Europe and North America), which in this case added to the enjoyment of the story.  The intrigue escalates as the book progresses and culminates in a battle of good and evil, but neither the outcome nor the events leading up to that moment are predictable.  A very enjoyable and captivating read throughout.   

Unleash it

"Angelology: A Novel"
By Danielle Trussoni

Average Rating:
Unleash it
3.71 out of 5 (7 Clubie's ratings)

The Gentleman
The Gentleman
By Forrest Leo


Spoiler Alert - Caution: Several questions contain "spoiler" info.

Discussion Questions provided by BookBundlz:

QUESTION 1: Protection or Training
Evangeline was brought to the convent at age 12. Did her father do that to train her in Angelology in a safe setting, or protect her from it?

QUESTION 2: To Abolish or Not to Abolish
Most of the Angelologists view the Nephilim as dangerous and evil and therefore need to be abolished. Why is this? Does power and the desire to level the playing field have anything to do with it? Or Justice? The Nephilim were born with more natural (or supernatural) abilities then humans. We don't condemn our talented athletes and intellectuals, what right do the Angelologists have in trying to want to abolish or diminish the natural abilities of the Nephilim? Yet, the Nephilim have committed unspeakable crimes. Should they be stopped by any means?

QUESTION 3: Can You Blame Them?
The Watchers seem to want forgiveness and to be freed. The Nephilim merely want to live and live without disease. Can we blame either group for their wants? 

QUESTION 4: Lyre Pendant
What was the significance of the lyre pendants that both Gabriella and Evangeline wore?

QUESTION 5: Proof of Angels
p. 115, Celestine posses the question, "What would happen, do you suppose, if the material existence of angels could be verified?" What do you think?

QUESTION 6: Are They So Different?
p.120 Celestine educates Evangeline that the Nephilim, "With all their power, they have one remarkable flaw: They are sensual creatures, wholly blinded by the pleasures of the body. They have wealth, strength, physical beauty, and a ruthlessness that is hardly believable." How does this compare to humans and the desires of most people today?

QUESTION 7: Which Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?
p.120 Celestine says, "But what they do not have is the intellectual prowess, or the vast store of academic and historical resources, that we [the Angelologists] do. Essentially, they need us to do their thinking for them." So why don't the Angelologists, just stop looking for the lyre? If the Nephilim are slowly developing more human characteristics and frailties, why not just wait it out for their eventual extinction?

QUESTION 8:  Angelmorphism and Jesus
p.180, Dr. Seraphina said, "but there is a whole area of angelological study... called angelmorphism, and it deals strictly with the idea that Jesus Christ was not even human, but an angel. After all, the Virgin Birth occurred after the Angel Gabriel's visit." What are your thoughts on this statement?

QUESTION 9:  Fight or Pacifism?
The nuns debate, with Philomena wanting to fight and Perpetua and Celestine wanting to maintain their pacifism. Who's side of the argument would you fall? 

QUESTION 10:  Percival
Percival Gregori was sick and looking for a cure for himself, he was also known to have killed several people. Did you sympathize with him or did his demise seem fitting?

QUESTION 11: Does this Change Anything?
SPOILER ALERT: In the end, Evangeline turns out to be a Nephilim. How do you think this will change the Angelologists's mindset?

QUESTION 12: Verlaine's Future? 
Verlaine is sucked into a world beyond his imagination, only to never be able to turn back to his old life. What kind of life do you foresee for Verlaine going forward?

QUESTION 13: Acceptance
Evangeline seems to go along with whatever life is telling her to do at the moment. First her father puts her in the convent, then she becomes a nun to please him, yet says, "faith seemed like a precious but unattainable substance, one possessed by many but denied  to her." (p.29) Once she finds out her lineage as an angelologist she readily accepts her new role. After her transformation at the end, she seems to accept her new fate. What do you think of Evangeline's unwavering acceptance of all the changes in her life?

  1. Do you agree with the angelologists' decision to withhold knowledge of the Nephilim and their schemes from the general human population?
  2. The Bible's descriptions of angels are very different from the winged cherubs that have grown to dominate the public imagination. Why do you think we're drawn to the idea of angels while, at the same time, we've chosen to play down their fearsomeness?
  3. Celestine seems to lead a half-life after descending into the gorge. In what ways do you imagine mortals would be changed after contact with the divine?
  4. Why do you think the Nephilim have chosen to let their forefathers remain imprisoned?
  5. If you were Evangeline, would you be able to forgive your parents and grandmother from hiding so much from you? Were they really acting in her best interests?
  6. Does Verlaine have the wisdom and courage it takes to be an angelologist?
  7. Were the nuns of St. Rose Convent betraying or upholding their vows in battling the Gibborim?
  8. Should Gabriella have been cast out from the society of angelologists after begetting a child with Percival?
  9. Have you ever visited any of the disassembled lyre's four hiding places? Do you feel that Abigail Rockefeller did a good job of hiding and protecting it?
  10. *Spoiler Alert* Did you suspect that Evangeline might be Nephilim? What do you think she intends to do with her newfound powers?

Clubie Submitted Discussion Questions

-Time Magazine 

-People Magazine 

-New York Times Book Review 

--STARRED Library Journal 



--Kirkus Reviews 

--Lincoln Child 


--Kate Mosse, author of Labyrinth 



--Brunonia Barry, author of The Lace Reader


Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

December 23, 1999, 4:45 . .

Evangeline woke before the sun came up, when the fourth floor was silent and dark. Quiet, so as not to wake the sisters who had prayed through the night, she gathered her shoes, stockings, and skirt in her arms and walked barefoot to the communal lavatory. She dressed quickly, half asleep, without looking in the mirror. From a sliver of bathroom window, she surveyed the convent grounds, covered in a predawn haze. A vast snowy courtyard stretched to the water’s edge, where a scrim of barren trees limned the Hudson. St. Rose Convent perched precariously close to the river, so close that in daylight there seemed to be two convents—one on land and one wavering lightly upon the water, the first folding out into the next, an illusion broken in summer by barges and in winter by teeth of ice. Evangeline watched the river flow by, a wide strip of black against the pure white snow. Soon morning would gild the water with sunlight.
Bending before the porcelain sink, Evangeline splashed cold water over her face, dispelling the remnants of a dream. She could not recall the dream, only the impression it made upon her—a wash of foreboding that left a pall over her thoughts, a sensation of loneliness and confusion she could not explain. Half asleep, she peeled away her heavy flannel night shift and, feeling the chill of the bathroom, shivered. Standing in her white cotton briefs and cotton undershirt (standard garments ordered in bulk and distributed biyearly to all the sisters at St. Rose), she looked at herself with an appraising, analytic eye—the thin arms and legs, the flat stomach, the tousled brown hair, the golden pendant resting upon her breastbone. The reflection floating on the glass before her was that of a sleepy young woman.
Evangeline shivered again from the cool air and turned to her clothing. She owned five identical knee-length black skirts, seven black turtlenecks for the winter months, seven black short-sleeved cotton button-up shirts for the summer, one black wool sweater, fifteen pairs of white cotton underwear, and innumerable black nylon stockings: nothing more and nothing less than what was necessary. She pulled on a turtleneck and fitted a bandeau over her hair, pressing it firmly against her forehead before clipping on a black veil. She stepped into a pair of nylons and a wool skirt, buttoning, zipping, and straightening the wrinkles in one quick, unconscious gesture. In a matter of seconds, her private self disappeared and she became Sister Evangeline, Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration. With her rosary in hand, the metamorphosis was complete. She placed her nightgown in the bin at the far end of the lavatory and prepared to face the day.
Sister Evangeline had observed the 5:00 a.m. prayer hour each morning for the past half decade, since completing her formation and taking vows at eighteen years of age. She had lived at St. Rose Convent since her twelfth year, however, and knew the convent as intimately as one knows the temperament of a beloved friend. She had her morning route through the compound down to a science. As she rounded each floor, her fingers traced the wooden balustrades, her shoes skimming the landings. The convent was always empty at that hour, blue-shadowed and sepulchral, but after sunrise St. Rose would swarm with life, a beehive of work and devotion, each room glistening with sacred activity and prayer. The silence would soon abate—the staircases, the community rooms, the library, the communal cafeteria, and the dozens of closet-size bedchambers would soon be alive with sisters.
Down three flights of stairs she ran. She could get to the chapel with her eyes closed.
Reaching the first floor, Sister Evangeline walked into the imposing central hallway, the spine of St. Rose Convent. Along the walls hung framed portraits of long-dead abbesses, distinguished sisters, and the various incarnations of the convent building itself. Hundreds of women stared from the frames, reminding every sister who passed by on her way to prayer that she was part of an ancient and noble matriarchy where all women—both the living and the dead—were woven together in a single common mission.
Although she knew she risked being late, Sister Evangeline paused at the center of the hallway. Here, the image of Rose of Viterbo, the saint after whom the convent had been named, hung in a gilt frame, her tiny hands folded in prayer, an evanescent nimbus of light glowing about her head. St. Rose’s life had been short. Just after her third birthday, angels began to whisper to her, urging her to speak their message to all who would listen. Rose complied, earning her sainthood as a young woman, when, after preaching the goodness of God and His angels to a heathen village, she was condemned to die a witch. The townspeople bound her to a stake and lit a fire. To the great consternation of the crowd, Rose did not burn but stood in skeins of flame for three hours, conversing with angels as the fire licked her body. Some believed that angels wrapped themselves about the girl, covering her in a clear, protective armor. Eventually she died in the flames, but the miraculous intervention left her body inviolable. St. Rose’s incorrupt corpse was paraded through the streets of Viterbo hundreds of years after her death, not the slightest mark of her ordeal evident upon the adolescent body.
Remembering the hour, Sister Evangeline turned from the portrait. She walked to the end of the hallway, where a great wooden portal carved with scenes of the Annunciation separated the convent from the church. On one side of the boundary, Sister Evangeline stood in the simplicity of the convent; on the other rose the majestic church. She heard the sound of her footsteps sharpen as she left carpeting for a pale roseate marble veined with green. The movement across the threshold took just one step, but the difference was immense. The air grew heavy with incense; the light saturated blue from the stained glass. White plaster walls gave way to great sheets of stone. The ceiling soared. The eye adjusted to the golden abundance of Neo-Rococo. As she left the convent, Evangeline’s earthly commitments of community and charity fell away and she entered the sphere of the divine: God, Mary, and the angels.
In the beginning years of her time at St. Rose, the number of angelic images in Maria Angelorum Church struck Evangeline as excessive. As a girl she’d found them overwhelming, too ever-present and overwrought. The creatures filled every crook and crevice of the church, leaving little room for much else. Seraphim ringed the central dome; marble archangels held the corners of the altar. The columns were inlaid with golden halos, trumpets, harps, and tiny wings; carved visages of putti stared from the pew ends, hypnotizing and compact as fruit bats. Although she understood that the opulence was meant as an offering to the Lord, a symbol of their devotion, Evangeline secretly preferred the plain functionality of the convent. During her formation she felt critical of the founding sisters, wondering why they had not used such wealth for better purposes. But, like so much else, her objections and preferences had shifted after she took the habit, as if the clothing ceremony itself caused her to melt ever so slightly and take a new, more uniform shape. After five years as a professed sister, the girl she had been had nearly faded away.
The Adoration Chapel opened around her, bursting upon her vision. Its walls glittered golden, as if she had stepped into the center of an enameled Fabergé egg. The private chapel of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration had a high central dome and huge stained-glass panels that filled each wall. The central masterpiece of the Adoration Chapel was a set of Bavarian windows hung high above the altar depicting the three angelic spheres: the First Sphere of Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones; the Second Sphere of  Dominions, Virtues, and Powers; and the Third Sphere of Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. Together the spheres formed the heavenly choir, the collective voice of heaven. Each morning Sister Evangeline would stare at the angels floating in an expanse of glittering glass and try to imagine their native brilliance, the pure radiant light that rose from them like heat.
Sister Evangeline spied Sisters Bernice and Boniface—scheduled for adoration each morning from four to five—kneeling before the altar. Together the sisters ran their fingers over the carved wooden beads of their seven-decade rosaries, as if intent to whisper the very last syllable of prayer with as much mindfulness as they had whispered the first. One could find two sisters in full habit kneeling side by side in the chapel at all times of the day and night, their lips moving in synchronized patterns of prayer, conjoined in purpose before the white marble altar. The object of the sisters’ adoration was encased in a golden starburst monstrance placed high upon the altar, a white host suspended in an explosion of gold.
The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration had prayed every minute of every hour of every day since Mother Fr... --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
 Apple iTunes


Author-Danielle Trussoni
Author of Angelology
Angelology is a thrilling epic that blends biblical lore, the myth of Orpheus and the Miltonic visions of Paradise Lost into a riveting tale of ordinary people engaged in a battle that will determine the fate of the world.

Also, Don't Miss BB's
Author News Page!


May 2010’s BB Book Club Book Pick:
Angelology By Danielle Trussoni

Before becoming a revolutionary Angolologist then a nun, Celestine was the daughter of a wine maker. (Oh, can you imagine!) Her mother came from a line of vignerons who harvested auxerrois blanc and pinot gris. So we have found some good pinot gris for you!

TASTING NOTE: All of these wines were much better if you let them warm up a bit, and the size of the glass really did make a difference. I'd recommend the small white wine glasses, as the larger red wine glasses let in too much nose. BIG problem for one of the selections.

J Russian River Pinot Gris 2008

J 2008 Russian River Pinot Gris - Pinot Gris/Grigio White Wine
(Was $17)
This lovely white opened with crisp green apple on the nose and a hint of honey butter. As it warmed up in the glass and we tasted this golden hued pinot gris there was evidence of melon and white peach. The mouthfeel was soft and layered with fantastic flavors with nice acidity and a balanced structure. This pairs well with seafood to a spicy asian dish. Enjoy!

Uncorking Rating:
"Very Uncorkable"

King Estate 2008 Signature Collection Pinot Gris - Pinot Gris/Grigio White Wine
(Was $20)
This wine came in a very close second and you really need to let this one warm up if you pull it straight from the fridge! The color is very pale (bottle glass is tinted in photo) and when cold does not produce much of a bouquet but as it warms up some peach and green pear aromas set forth. The taste produces more flavors of peach, pear and tropical fruits. This would go great with sushi or other seafood.

Uncorking Rating:
"Very Uncorkable"

Helfrich Pinot Gris 2007

Helfrich 2007 Pinot Gris - Pinot Gris/Grigio White Wine
(Was $13)
This French Pinot Gris was quite different than the first two but not in a bad way. On the nose this wine was fragrant of grassy hay. (DON'T drink this out of a red wine glass as the aromas become too powerful and distract from the taste.) It has a very nice mouthfeel with rich smooth flavors of sweet butter, apricot, melon and peach. There were hints of banana and quite a bit sweeter than the other two.

Uncorking Rating:
Check out our...

of the Month