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laurajordensharris's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
peachani's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Gun violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse and Abandonment
iris_jv's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Hate crime, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Abandonment
ricksilva's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
The pacing (another specialty of Brown; the entire novel takes place over twenty-four hours, aside from some flashbacks) is used to obscure a whole range of plot holes, eventually leading to a big disappointment of a climax, followed by about four more chapters of philosophical debate on hidden meanings in the Bible and the power of positive thinking.
The noetic science that's a huge plot point in the story isn't really a science. It's repackaged new-age pseudoscience. The massive threat to national security that has the CIA involved in the case turns out to be
An early murder in the story, one of those "just to make sure everyone knows the villain is a really bad guy" killings reads like incel fanservice (the only things we know about the victim are that she's smart, she's overweight, and a computer nerd can't figure out why she possibly would have turned him down for a date).
Potentially world-changing discoveries that are referenced don't end up changing anything, and the story's teased revelations about the secrets of Freemasonry don't really amount to much in the way of revelations at all.
But I do now have some ideas of places I'd like to visit and take photos next time I'm in DC. So there's that.
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Kidnapping and Injury/Injury detail
katrinarose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
marianneiriss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Infertility, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
librariangeorgia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I loved the codebreaking side of the story and the little mysteries throughout the book. Again, like in ANGELS AND DEMONS, I didn't care for the religion elements.
There are 2 books left in this series but I feel like I may be getting bored of these books. I may have to take a break before picking up the next book.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Drug use, Torture, Transphobia, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
lilybuddy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Sometimes I just skipped entire paragraph because Langdon was waxing poetic about a building that didn't matter for the plot.
I get now why I could hardly follow it the first 2 times. I could barely follow it now. The story gets buried beneath the author's apparent need to prove how much research he did, which is an impressive amount, it has to be said.
All in all, I'm glad I read it again but I'm less enthused than I thought I'd be.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
emmiekay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
meganpbennett's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Lost Symbol isn't as good as The Da Vinci Code. It's a fast-paced run though the District, exposing Masonic symbols, and it's interesting enough to be a page turner, but the way everything falls together is a bit rushed. It doesn't have the smoothness of The Da Vinci Code.
Graphic: Torture and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death
I have no idea how to tag this, but a major character drowns on the page, only for the reader to discover that it's a modified torture chamber with hyperoxygenated water, so he's still alive. A minor character is drowned.