The Lost Symbol reviewed (spoiler free)
The Lost Symbol is the fifth novel from bestselling author Dan Brown, and the third of his popular mystery-thrillers centred on Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon. This time around though, Langdon isn’t dashing between exotic locations in Europe. Instead, his latest breakneck race against time takes place in Washington DC as he is forced by a brutal kidnapper to solve a centuries’ old mystery or be responsible for the death of his close friend and mentor Peter Solomon.
Fans of The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons should be happy with The Lost Symbol. The novel doesn’t veer much from Brown’s tried and tested formula. There’s the deadly, physically imposing villain; the usual mix of science, religion and mysticism; the genius science babe at Langdon’s side; pursuing authorities who may or may not be on the side of good; endless puzzle solving and code breaking; multiple plot twists, as well as an assortment of museums, churches and famous historical buildings that form a backdrop for the action.
There is much that is flawed in The Lost Symbol – and I’ll discuss that in a minute – but at the same time you can’t dismiss what does work in the novel. There’s one excellent action sequence in particular, and the villain, Mal'akh, a hulking but hyper-intelligent brute, is an especially interesting character. Obsessed with occult ritual and transforming himself into a demon in the afterlife, the tattooed, self-mutilated Mal'akh exists as something of a cross between Hannibal Lecter and The Tooth Fairy in Thomas Harris’s Red Dragon. He’s almost always one step ahead of the heroes, is a master at trap setting – and the reader is invited directly into his fascinating, unhinged psyche.
For a change too, Brown strips out a forced romance between Langdon and the female lead to instead concentrate, admittedly superficially, on the complexities of father-son relationships.
The Lost Symbol’s narrative – centred on finding the Ancient Mysteries, potentially world changing texts hidden by the Freemasons – is also enjoyable, although, disappointingly, it culminates 60 pages before the end of the novel. The remainder of the book feels largely tacked on, as if Brown suddenly remembered he needed to inject some controversial religious concepts into the tale in order to anger staunch fundamentalist Christians.
These last few chapters are quite dull and talky in comparison to the first three quarters of the book. However, although the ending is problematic, your enjoyment of The Lost Symbol ultimately hinges on your acceptance of Brown’s highly artificial writing style as a whole. Brown’s Langdon books flaunt their “intelligence” – they seem to be designed to make the reader feel simultaneously smart and smug, as if they are now initiated into an elite, secret club and have had their eyes opened to the Truth, unlike the ordinary pleb on the street.
Never a writer of nuance (as demonstrated by his obvious character descriptions alone), Brown doesn’t subtly integrate the massive amounts of information into his text. Rather, the reader is continually lectured, sometimes literally, as Langdon recalls addressing his classes. Brown’s lack of naturalism also comes through strongly at several key moments in the novel. Faced with death just seconds away, characters start pondering etymology and historical anecdotes, which doesn’t ring true at all.
The Lost Symbol is unlikely to convert new or previously dismissive readers to Dan Brown fandom, but it’s a solid page-turner nonetheless. Accept the book for what it is, try not to question too hard what you’re presented as fact, and you’ll have a pretty good time.
Fans of The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons should be happy with The Lost Symbol. The novel doesn’t veer much from Brown’s tried and tested formula. There’s the deadly, physically imposing villain; the usual mix of science, religion and mysticism; the genius science babe at Langdon’s side; pursuing authorities who may or may not be on the side of good; endless puzzle solving and code breaking; multiple plot twists, as well as an assortment of museums, churches and famous historical buildings that form a backdrop for the action.
There is much that is flawed in The Lost Symbol – and I’ll discuss that in a minute – but at the same time you can’t dismiss what does work in the novel. There’s one excellent action sequence in particular, and the villain, Mal'akh, a hulking but hyper-intelligent brute, is an especially interesting character. Obsessed with occult ritual and transforming himself into a demon in the afterlife, the tattooed, self-mutilated Mal'akh exists as something of a cross between Hannibal Lecter and The Tooth Fairy in Thomas Harris’s Red Dragon. He’s almost always one step ahead of the heroes, is a master at trap setting – and the reader is invited directly into his fascinating, unhinged psyche.
For a change too, Brown strips out a forced romance between Langdon and the female lead to instead concentrate, admittedly superficially, on the complexities of father-son relationships.
The Lost Symbol’s narrative – centred on finding the Ancient Mysteries, potentially world changing texts hidden by the Freemasons – is also enjoyable, although, disappointingly, it culminates 60 pages before the end of the novel. The remainder of the book feels largely tacked on, as if Brown suddenly remembered he needed to inject some controversial religious concepts into the tale in order to anger staunch fundamentalist Christians.
These last few chapters are quite dull and talky in comparison to the first three quarters of the book. However, although the ending is problematic, your enjoyment of The Lost Symbol ultimately hinges on your acceptance of Brown’s highly artificial writing style as a whole. Brown’s Langdon books flaunt their “intelligence” – they seem to be designed to make the reader feel simultaneously smart and smug, as if they are now initiated into an elite, secret club and have had their eyes opened to the Truth, unlike the ordinary pleb on the street.
Never a writer of nuance (as demonstrated by his obvious character descriptions alone), Brown doesn’t subtly integrate the massive amounts of information into his text. Rather, the reader is continually lectured, sometimes literally, as Langdon recalls addressing his classes. Brown’s lack of naturalism also comes through strongly at several key moments in the novel. Faced with death just seconds away, characters start pondering etymology and historical anecdotes, which doesn’t ring true at all.
The Lost Symbol is unlikely to convert new or previously dismissive readers to Dan Brown fandom, but it’s a solid page-turner nonetheless. Accept the book for what it is, try not to question too hard what you’re presented as fact, and you’ll have a pretty good time.
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