Book Review: Origin (Robert Langdon #5)

Title: Origin
Author: Dan Brown
Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery
Pages: 544
Publisher: Bantam Press (Penguin Random House)

Rating: 4/5


Although I wasn't the first ones to pre order this book, I had Origin on the top of my TBR since I knew of its publishing date. I got it on time and the sight of the large hardcover stirred up my reader's appetite and before I knew it, I was head on into its exciting, deep labyrinth.

Robert Langdon is back to what he does best. Solving a mystery. Only this time, it doesn't involve religious symbols or codes. Langdon is invited to an event in Bilbao by Edmond Kirsch, a friend and former student, where shocking discoveries would be revealed by him. Edmond claims that these discoveries would change the course of mankind and especially affect the religious institutions all over the world. People from all over the world watch as the presentation goes live, when Edmond is shot dead just before he reveals his discoveries. Shocked and enraged, Langdon along with the future Queen of Spain, race against time and unknown patriarchs who try their best to keep the discoveries under wraps.

Origin has all the usual Dan Brown signatures -  intrigue, famous landmarks, descriptive mentions of art and artists and of course, Langdon. The book is 544 pages long and some would hesitate but trust me, you can't get enough of it! In fact, I found the length of the book a promising prospect, more to indulge in! The story is captivating right from the start, as is always the case with Brown's books. Narrative and character description - excellent. Writing style, well, mesmerizing, once again!

I find myself comparing Origin with Inferno, most of the times. In this book, Dan Brown revels Spain for us all to admire. The art works of Antoni Gaudi, the many strange works in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Sagrada Familia. Just as with Inferno, the readers this time are taken for an in depth tour of Bilbao and Barcelona, which is fantastic, to say the least. 

The argumentative topic in the book is this - Will God survive Science? By the end of the book, many secrets are revealed giving a much needed closure to the readers after the adventurous journey. Just like in the previous book Inferno, here too, Brown leaves us readers to ponder on our current state as mankind and to contemplate on our centuries old prophecies and the deep impact it has on us.

Needless to say, I most definitely enjoyed Origin, but I did miss Langdon's symbol deducting skills this time. Nevertheless, Dan Brown has proved himself again as a wonderful, adventurous writer and gives us a fantastic experience with this new book. 

Definitely recommended.

Read my review of Dan Brown's previous book, Inferno, here.