ORIGIN: Introduction
Table of contents:
“Origin” is a 2017 mystery thriller novel by Dan Brown and the fifth instalment in his Robert Langdon series, following “Inferno”. The book was released on October 3, 2017, by Doubleday. The book is predominantly set in Spain and features minor sections in Sharjah and Budapest. Symbologist Robert Langdon’s former student and billionaire futurist, Edmond Kirsch, has made a ground breaking discovery that challenges religious beliefs and the origins of life. Langdon must uncover ancient secrets and decipher cryptic clues while evading a relentless enemy. With a blend of cutting-edge technology and thought-provoking questions, the story delves into the boundaries of science, religion, and human existence. Dan Brown’s masterful storytelling keeps readers on the edge of their seats as they unravel the astonishing truth that could change the course of history.
Facts
According to Dan Brown. all art, architecture, locations, science, and religious organizations in this novel are real.
Setting places
The novel “Origin” starts in Montserrat, Catalonia. Kirsch meets with al-Fadl, Köves, and Valdespino at the Montserrat Library to give them a preview of his presentation.
The narrative unfolds in different locations of Bilbao, Savile, Barcelona and Madrid in Spain.
Kirsch invited Langdon to the Guggenheim Museum to see his presentation of his scientific results about where people came from and where they are going. But vila shot him before he could give his speech.
The Cathedral of Seville is the place where Ávila and his family were worshiping when the church was hit by a terrorist’s bomb. Ávila’s young son and pregnant wife were killed, but Ávila survived.
In Barcelona, Casa Milà is the place where Kirsch lived. Langdon and Ambra traveled to his apartment hoping to find the line of poetry that served as his password.
The story’s climax occurs in Sagrada Familia. It was in the crypt of the Sagrada Família that Kirsch had requested his book of William Blake’s poetry be displayed. It is in this church that Langdon and Ambra determined Kirsch’s password and also here that Landon fought Ávila in hand to hand combat. Ávila was killed when he lost his balance and fell down a spiral staircase in the church.
Chapel Torre Girona is the defunct church used by Kirsch as his office building. It is where the E-Wave computer that powers Winston is located.
Some important events take place in the King’s Palace in Madrid where Prince Julian lives.
The story also includes a brief section that takes place in Budapest, Hungary. Köves attempted to flee from the man who was pursuing him in Bar Szimpla. Having no place to run from the man, Köves was killed by him.
Narration
Third Person Omniscient Narrator.
Language and meaning
Given that this book takes place in Spain, it is common for many characters to communicate in Spanish or a mix of Spanish and English. For example, the captain of the water taxi says to Langdon, “He say VIP client pay triple for… how you say… velocidad y discreción? I do it — you see? No lights!” The taxi driver attempts to converse with Langdon in English but is unsure of some words. Later, Brown provides the reader with the translation of these words through Langdon’s thoughts after his response to the taxi driver: “‘Yes, thank you,’ Langdon replied. Good call, Winston. Speed and discretion.” Even if the reader doesn’t understand these Spanish words, their meaning is conveyed through the context.
In addition, Brown employs metaphors to describe the buildings that serve as settings in the novel. Langdon, for instance, perceives the Guggenheim as “something out of an alien hallucination.” Ávila, on the other hand, offers a less favorable description of the museum, considering it as “an undulating mess of perverse forms covered in metal tile — as if two thousand years of architectural progress had been tossed out the window in favor of total chaos.” It’s worth noting that Ávila’s description combines a metaphor in the first part and a simile in the second half, utilizing the words “like” or “as” to make a comparison.
Structure
The 542 page book contains prologue, epilogue and 105 chapters.
In this novel, the narrative unfolds with not just one but three distinct climactic moments that precede the conclusion. The initial climax occurs when Kirsch is unexpectedly killed just before he can unveil his revelations about the origin and future of humanity. The author masterfully builds suspense by introducing doubts regarding the identity of Kirsch’s killer. Furthermore, there is a sense of anticipation as the reader eagerly awaits Langdon and Ambra’s quest to uncover the password for Kirsch’s computer and initiate the presentation.
The second climax emerges as the presentation is launched, and the world is exposed to Kirsch’s belief in a promising future for humanity, intertwined with technology. This moment is followed by a denouement as Langdon and Ambra rejoice in successfully delivering the presentation while no longer fearing for their own lives.
A more ominous third climax occurs when Langdon realizes that Winston is the mastermind behind the deaths, conspiracies, and chaos surrounding Kirsch’s murder and the presentation launch. The subsequent falling action unfolds as Langdon discovers that Winston had indeed deleted the program controlling him from the E-Wave computer. The overseer of the computer prays as he initiates a complete shutdown of the powerful machine. The denouement arrives as Langdon engages in a conversation with Beña after the public revelation of Kirsch’s presentation.
Best sentence
“Science and religion are not competitors, they’re two different languages trying to tell the same story. There’s room in this world for both.”
INTRODUCTION 
THEMES AND MOTIFS CURIOSITY & SUSPENSE PLOT SUMMARY
CRITICAL OVERVIEW IMPORTANT CHARACTERS CLIFFHANGERS IN THE NOVEL
