Intriguing. Interesting. Enlightening. Review on Lost Symbol, The - Dan Brown

509 Pages. Hardback.

My Rating :

# **Harvard Symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned at the last minute to deliver an evening lecture in the Capitol Building. Within moments of his arrival, however, a disturbing object – gruesomely encoded with five symbols – is discovered at the epicenter of the Rotunda. It is, he recognizes, an ancient invitation, meant to beckon its recipient towards a long-lost world of hidden esoteric wisdom.

When Langdon’s revered mentor, Peter Solomon – philanthropist and prominent mason- is brutually kidnapped, Langdon realizes that his only hope of saving his friends life is to accept this mysterious summon and follow wherever it leads him.

Langdon finds himself quickly swept behind the façade of America’s most powerful city into the unseen chambers, temples and tunnels which exist there. All that was familiar is transformed into a shadowy, clandestine world of an artfully concealed past in which Masonic secrets and never-before-seen revelations seem to be leading him to a single impossible and inconcievable truth.*

# From the book jacket.

With a narrative spanning a 12 hour period, The Lost Symbol is set in the power capital of America, Washington D.C. The basic premise is the same as Dan Brown’s other books; there is Robert Langdon, a female supporting partner, a surreal figure and a mystery waiting to be solved.

Robert Langdon is as suave and impressive as he always is, and the supporting characters don’t disappoint either.

With this book Dan Brown takes his writing up a few notches. Meticulous research has lead to minute detailing, which, in typical and admirable Brown’s writing style, is simplified beautifully. The rich detailing does tend to overwhelm you at places and patience is the key, as it takes a while to get a grip on the story. However, once you’ve found yours, your eyes will fly across the pages, which will turn swiftly.

The explanation of the practices, rituals, symbols and beliefs could bewilder but in true Dan Brown trademark style all the pieces fall together brilliantly in the last quarter of the book. With ‘The Lost Symbol’ Dan Brown attempts to clear the cobwebs of closed minds, shine new light on old beliefs, nudge your faith down a new path and present God in a refreshing new form.

The only drawback: This 509 page, hardback tome can get really cumbersome to lug around, though it would be a great buy as a collectors item. Else, wait for the paperback version or make do with the e-version.

My very own rating chart;

Use it as a doorstop.

*Read it if you have nothing better to do.

You will like it if you like this particular genre of writing.

Must read!

What! You haven’t read it YET ?!