The Da Vinci Code is one of my favourite books of all time. I read it about three years ago at the recommendation of my dad, and I sped through it so fast, it was like I was right there with Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu on that one long night the book takes place in. I’d been meaning to try out another Langdon adventure for quite some time now, but couldn’t choose. But I also saw my dad had Origin on his shelf, so…yeah. This is my second Dan Brown adventure, whereas I know there’s also Angels & Demons, Inferno and The Lost Symbol. Oh, and the new Secret of Secrets. But after putting Origin down, my enthusiasm for the other books has atrophied.
Taking place years after Da Vinci Code, Robert Langdon is still a renowned Harvard professor, and he’s a bit of a fish out of water in this specific predicament. A former student of his named Edmond Kirsch became a big tech entrepreneur dabbling in artificial intelligence and exploration of the secrets of the universe (this was written in 2017, before the big frightening AI bubble we’re now in). He’s now a billionaire, and invited Langdon to Spain where he’s having a big announcement at a local museum. But this announcement is not just some new cellphone line or anything. He apparently gave this presentation to a bunch of religious leaders a little while ago, and…let’s just say there’s some people who are terrified of this announcement going live. He says he could be a revolutionary like Copernicus with what he’s found. But then he’s assassinated, and Langdon runs off with Edmond’s assistant Ambra Vidal, fiancee to Prince Julian, next in line for the throne, and they try to find out not only who killed Edmond and why they wouldn’t want the story to go out, but if there’s a way to still broadcast his discovery.
When I first started Origin, I thought this would be a five-star book. A finding so world-shattering that it convinces some of the highest members of various faiths to organize a murder? We live in an age where those at the top will kill to avoid secrets from getting out, so a thriller about avenging the fallen and preventing them from being truly silenced? And one that could disprove centuries of religious talk? I couldn’t wait. I especially liked how the antagonists were the ones who didn’t want the world to catch up with itself – women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, acceptance – and the commentary about their hatred was refreshing to read. Cause that’s what the far-right is all about, returning to a time where society didn’t accept anyone in their narrow views of heterosexual, in a certain religion, and prescribed gender roles. Also known as the time when women weren’t allowed to practice law or own their own home. The best part about Origin is its discussions about what these people really want in the world, and how these kinds of people can end up back in power. Just look at Trump. Or Netanyahu. Or Franco from way back when, who the book gladly teaches us about, for those who don’t know. Man, was he a monster.
So, the book has a lot going for it at first. Then there’s the other things, like the action, the characters and the big climax we’re promised. And that’s where things began to fall short for me, especially as time went on. Brown is clearly passionate about history, religions, science and psychology, just like his protagonist Langdon. All of which are subjects I’m certainly not fluent in. He writes in this know-it-all way of bringing up not just facts about the different places the characters go, but huge side stories about them that we never asked for. Sometimes they work – in Da Vinci Code, I loved learning about Mary Magdalene, the Salem Witch Trials, where left-wing-right-wing came from, all of that – but I guess it was just a little too much here.
In The Lives of Puppets had a similar problem, choosing to focus on its humorous banter, but getting in the way of the thrills in the process. A lot of the pauses in the action to talk about all these fascinating displays…they’re best when they have something specifically to do with Kirsch, or just…not in the way of the action. I found some other discussions very…repetitive about how the church is outdated and fighting the younger generations. I understand that, but it’s brought up more than enough.
Also, I won’t give spoils, but the big climax I was waiting for ended up – kind of underwhelming. And I also felt the heroes didn’t actually go through very many big hardships, at least compared to the last Dan Brown adventure I read. And the big announcement I felt didn’t…lean into itself enough? I don’t know, it’s just, the whole book is centred around this big realization and getting us all hyped for a big payoff, and then it somehow doesn’t deliver. Like…this is the fiction shelf. You understand that, right? Not everything has to be so perfectly accurate. I also wish there was one additional action scene, one more obstacle for Langdon and Ambra to overcome. Also, and this isn’t necessarily criticism, but there’s an optimistic view of the future in this book, based on how humans are set to progress on technology, but it’s now nine years after this book was released, and in the current state of things…I can’t help but wonder if Dan Brown now wants to eat his words.
In the end, Origin is a good book in some ways, and a not-so-good book in others. It is filled with historical findings that actually get you interested, fascinating quotes, a good viewpoint of the positives and negatives of religion, and cool ideas about the mysteries of the world. It’s also a little too proud of itself, and sets everything up for an underwhelming climax. I’m still a fan of Dan Brown. Maybe when I’ve taken a break from him, I’ll try Angels and Demons next. I’ve heard it’s one of the better ones.
My grade: 2 and a half stars out of 5
William J. McGinn 
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