Dan Brown writes enjoyable works of fiction. Chapters play like scenes in a summer blockbuster movie. Before you start reading, just remember, as with cinema fodder, disengage your brain and let the story carry you to the end.
The Lost Symbol follows our favourite symbolgist on an adventure around Washington. This time we’re chasing the secrets of the Masons. At first glance the plot outline sounds like a refreshing change – no mention of the Catholic church whatsoever. However, the story quickly dives into religious history and we’re again being told we should be questioning our faith. DB goes further and ends up calling us gods ourselves.
Sigh. By the final 10 pages I was rolling my eyes so much I was experiencing motion sickness.
It’s not the subject matter I take issue with, it’s that Dan Brown’s novels combine fact with fiction as though they are the same. It feels like he wrote the book with one eye on Wikipedia and the other on random conspiracy websites. And yet, the book opens with a statement that this is based on fact.
It’s a shame really. This will make an enjoyable film when it is inevitably released. But I get the feeling the audience will feel like we’ve seen this all before…
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