Monday 12 August 2013

Review ~ Inferno ~ Dan Brown

And so as of May 2013, Inferno, the fourth instalment of the Robert Langdon series by Dan Brown made its way into the shops and into our psyche. Even as I type I understand plans are under way for the movie version. whoop. Can't wait.   

As you know we at Midnight Reads have decided to broaden our horizons a tad and so it was the task of our blogging newbie Genevieve to seize the book by the covers and to review it for all it was worth.  For those unfamiliar with the premise, here's the blurb:

‘Seek and ye shall find.’

With these words echoing in his head, eminent Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon awakes in a hospital bed with no recollection of where he is or how he got there. Nor can he explain the origin of the macabre object that is found hidden in his belongings.

A threat to his life will propel him and a young doctor, Sienna Brooks, into a breakneck chase across the city of Florence. Only Langdon’s knowledge of hidden passageways and ancient secrets that lie behind its historic facade can save them from the clutches of their unknown pursuers.

With only a few lines from Dante’s dark and epic masterpiece, The Inferno, to guide them, they must decipher a sequence of codes buried deep within some of the most celebrated artefacts of the Renaissance – sculptures, paintings, buildings – to find the answers to a puzzle which may, or may not, help them save the world from a terrifying threat…

Set against an extraordinary landscape inspired by one of history’s most ominous literary classics, Inferno is Dan Brown’s most compelling and thought-provoking novel yet, a breathless race-against-time thriller that will grab you from page one and not let you go until you close the book.

Sounds intriguing no?  But what did Genevieve think? I now hand you over to our newest reviewer:

"I don't really know where to start, and clearly Dan Brown didn't either (or when to finish for that matter!).

This was easily the worst book I've ever read. I was determined to finish it and not be defeated by Mr Brown, but rapidy wished I hadn't bothered. The plot was woefully lacking. The descriptions of Florence were so boring I now never want to visit it (and this from an Italophile!), and the characters were mind-numbingly awful.

The first two thirds were standard blockbuster fare - amnesiac prof and leggy, young woman go on the run from mysterious and nefarious organisations, while trying to save the world.

Even with all that the last third was just completely unfeasible; going from blockbuster to the realms of science fiction. It was like Dan Brown's publishers suddenly said, "Finish it quick and jazz it up while you're about it, so we can get some cash in the bank!"

Quite frankly, if Tom Hanks can make even an egg out of this turkey he deserves another Oscar!"

So there we have it.  One summer read to leave in the hotel room perhaps? Better luck next time Mr Brown...





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