Review: Origin by Dan Brown

Published: October 2017

Pages: 465

Synopsis: “Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend the unveiling of a discovery that ‘will change the face of science forever’. The evening’s host is his friend and former student, Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old tech magnate whose dazzling inventions and audacious predictions have made him a controversial figure around the world. This evening is to be no exception: he claims he will reveal an astonishing scientific breakthrough to challenge the fundamentals of human existence.

But Langdon and several hundred other guests are left reeling when the meticulously orchestrated evening is blown apart before Kirsch’s precious discovery can be revealed. With his life under threat, Langdon is forced into a desperate bid to escape, along with the museum’s director, Ambra Vidal. Together they flee to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret.

In order to evade a tormented enemy who is one step ahead of them at every turn, Langdon and Vidal must navigate labyrinthine passageways of hidden history and ancient religion. On a trail marked only by enigmatic symbols and elusive modern art, Langdon and Vidal uncover the clues that will bring them face-to-face with a world-shaking truth that has remained buried – until now.”

Rating: *

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With the last few Robert Langdon novels I feel Dan Brown has been flogging a dead horse somewhat. Inferno was particularly disappointing and for me, Origin was equally so. I don't think anything Dan Brown writes will ever be as a ground braking and divisive as The Da Vinci Code and I feel is unsuccessfully trying to recreate that hype with every additional Robert Langdon novel.

Origin was painfully slow, and rather than this building suspense, it gave me time to wonder how much of a disappointment this was going to be. I was 285 pages in and still had no idea what the revelation was, I was irritated by this which might have completely overshadowed the eventual revelation. Everything felt exaggerated and drawn out which irritated me and made me less inclined to read. The use of Spanish in the dialogue came across as cocky and conceited and detracted away from the novel as many readers may not be familiar enough with the language to know what was being said.

Finally! The revelation came! In chapter 94 no less! And I cannot tell you how little I was bothered. I felt cheated that I'd read the majority of the book and that was it.

Next time Dan Brown writes a book and I decide to pre order it, someone stop me.