Book Review: Origin by Dan Brown

Rating: 4.5 stars

I think the best word to describe this book is: FUN. I have never picked up a Dan Brown novel before, but I am so glad that I now did.

Goodreads summary: Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao to attend a major announcement—the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist whose dazzling high-tech inventions and audacious predictions have made him a renowned global figure. Kirsch, who was one of Langdon’s first students at Harvard two decades earlier, is about to reveal an astonishing breakthrough . . . one that will answer two of the fundamental questions of human existence.

As the event begins, Langdon and several hundred guests find themselves captivated by an utterly original presentation, which Langdon realizes will be far more controversial than he ever imagined. But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch’s precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Reeling and facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced into a desperate bid to escape Bilbao. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch to stage the provocative event. Together they flee to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret.

Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon and Vidal must evade a tormented enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace itself... and who will stop at nothing to silence Edmond Kirsch. On a trail marked by modern art and enigmatic symbols, Langdon and Vidal uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery... and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us.

As someone who is interested in science, art, history, conspiracies, and schemes, I really felt like I hit the jackpot with this book! First off, I absolutely LOVED the descriptions of the architecture, art, and Spain, as a whole. Brown writes in a way that brought such a clear picture to my mind, that I immediately felt like I was there. The precise language he uses really brought the buildings and places he describes to life. Typically, I tend to read novels that evoke a strong connection to the character(s). However, I did not have that experience with Origin. I think Origin’s strength lies in the captivating atmosphere Brown has created, as well as the adventure and intrigue riddled throughout the story.

The main weakness of the book is the lack of character development. I was not particularly interested in Robert Langdon. There was nothing in his POV sections that really made me connect with the character. The same could be said with the other characters as well. None really captured my interest, besides maybe Edmond Kirsch and Prince Julian, but that had more to do with the suspicion and mystery that surrounded them. Granted, I have not read the previous four books of this series (I was told that I do not need to read them in order), so maybe there was more development of Langdon’s character that I have just missed. Besides Langdon, all of the other characters were new, and like Langdon, they all felt a bit… dry.

However, despite this, I still was quite gripped by the story. Especially as the main characters were on the hunt for the answers to two of the world’s biggest questions: “Where did we come from?” and “Where are we going?” I was very interested in how Brown intended to answer those questions, and I was not disappointed. Of course, we still do not have the answers to these questions, but the answer proposed in the story has real scientific backing that made it seem credible, and not ridiculous. This is actually one of the things that I truly enjoyed about this novel. Different academic concepts were explained in a very concise and straightforward way, so that throughout the story, I felt I was learning whilst being entertained - which is honestly the best way to learn. This, along with the great setting descriptions, gave the entire story an air of believability that was really exciting.

After this big scientific revelation, the ending became a bit lacklustre for me (especially compared to all the excitement that preceded), but I will still give this book an almost five-star rating for the breathtaking adventure it took me on.

#bookrecommendation #bookreview #origin #danbrown