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Leo/Quant is back in this blend of mythology, quantum theory, mysticism, and art history. The cat lives in two worlds—that of the living and that of the dead. He sets things right when something goes wrong or gets off course in either world. And he tries to teach that human nature is ever the same, no matter what the time period.
Angelos picks up where Ms. Williams’s last book, Jerome and the Seraph, left off (see my review). When there’s a cave-in in the famed Minotaur labyrinth, Brother Jerome—who keeps forgetting he’s dead—is hurled through space and trades places with the Minotaur, a creature with the body of a man and the head of a bull. Neither is happy to find himself in unfamiliar territory.
Once Jerome gets over his initial fear, though, he becomes curious about the Minotaur’s world, so Leo/Quant reluctantly allows him to explore ancient Crete, where he encounters King Minos, Deiphobe the Sibyl, Androcles, St. Jerome and his lion, and a host of other ancient characters.
Meanwhile, at the friary, in the land of the living, Father Fidelis is replaced with Father Aidan, who’s going through a spiritual crisis, wandering in the wilderness of his soul and enforcing all kinds of rules against any form of pleasure—to the great annoyance of the Brothers.
Angelos is one of the most distinctive novels I’ve ever read. The blend of Christianity, mythology, philosophy, and mysticism makes you think outside the box. Things in the story aren’t as customary as one might believe, and the nature of time isn’t quite as linear as once supposed.
If your high school mythology has grown rusty—like mine—fortunately, there’s also a handy-dandy reference at the end of the book. It provides a quick refresher course while teaching you a little bit about each of the characters Brother Jerome encounters in ancient Crete.
I highly recommend Angelos—and the rest of this unique series—to anyone who wants an escape into a fantasy world of fascinating creatures and people.
