Book review: Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol

I’ve read a lot of books and have enjoyed most classics, but I used to be closed-minded about certain types of books, namely anything that was ’contemporary’ and ‘popular’. I’d pre-judge and criticize books without anything to back it up. Citing no more than random reviews (and usually the negative ones), I’d condemn and refuse to read certain mainstream novels. A conversation I had with a peer at work cured me of this ailment.

One day the topic was the Harry Potter sensation – this was after book The Goblet of Fire (buy from Amazon) was out. My friend wanted to discuss it and all I could do was spew my ignorance, calling the series “kids’ books” and “poorly-written by an amateur”. He asked the simple question, “Have your read them?” I have to admit that I hadn’t and he simply told me, “Read one and then let’s talk. The first one is short; you’ll get through it in no time.”

Out of respect to him, I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (buy from Amazon), hoping to be able to come back and say, “See – I told you so…” But this wasn’t the case and I learned a valuable principle. I’ve since read all of the Harry Potter novels recognizing why they’re so popular, and many other books (most great) that I would have avoided without this lesson.

The old me would have never read Brown’s The Da Vinci Code (buy from Amazon), but having a newly-opened mind, I read and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a non-stop adventure through discovery and history artfully assemble by a talented story-teller. There’s no doubt why it’s been a record-selling title since its release in 2003. Now, six years later, Dan Brown has provided us a new installment in the adventures of his Harvard historian Robert Langdon.

The Lost Symbol (buy from Amazon) picks up not long after the events of The Da Vinci Code, but reading the older books isn’t a requirement to enjoy the newest episode. Set mainly in Washington DC, the action takes place through the course of a single night, and Brown uses his standard formula to unfold a series of mysteries, puzzles, historical lessons, and suspense. This recipe includes a female counterpart, a villain with baffling ideologies and motivations, and the authorities in hot pursuit of Langdon as he uses his education and wits to solve a series of dilemmas.

Rather than provide spoilers or even an overview of the story, I’ll just say that The Lost Symbol is a page-turner worthy of the short time it should take to read it through. Some of the reviews out there cite a specific blemish in the novel: The ending of the book drags on for about 40-more pages than necessary getting a bit too preachy and poignant. I would agree with this; it took me one week to read the first 460 pages and another to read the last 40. This doesn’t take away from the novel as a whole though, and it is easy to understand Brown’s motivation behind the verbose finale.

Overall, like The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown’s latest is a fast-paced and riveting story with plenty of action and historic information. I’m sure Washington DC’s tourist travel will increase as a result of the many revelations found in The Lost Symbol.