The Lost Symbol Book Review: Secrets, Science & D.C. Thrills

The Lost Symbol Book Review: A Thriller With Hidden Layers (and Real Locations)

The third book in the Robert Langdon series, Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol brings our favorite professor and symbologist to Washington, D.C. for his most personal and American adventure yet. As a longtime fan of the Robert Langdon series—and someone who lived and worked in D.C. for eight years—I was especially excited to revisit this installment.

This novel offers all the hallmarks of Brown’s writing: a chilling global conspiracy, a kidnapped mentor (Peter Solomon), and deadly puzzles based on history, symbols, and secret societies. But what makes The Lost Symbol stand out in the series is how much of it is real. The settings, the monuments, even the fresco in the Capitol dome—it’s all drawn from actual places you can visit.

I’ve hosted events inside some of these buildings (like the Library of Congress—no red wine allowed!), and I still learned new things from reading this book. If you’re curious about what lies beneath D.C.’s most iconic buildings—or just love a smart thriller—this book delivers. Although I have a full list of books set in Washington, D.C., The Lost Symbol was one of the first I (re)read when I moved there.

Keep reading The Lost Symbol book review to find out more about the book, why I liked it and how it fits into the whole Robert Langdon series.

(I also have a review of The Lost Symbol TV series and a book club guide for The Lost Symbol if your book club is working your way through the Robert Langdon series—which you totally should be.)

Key Washington, D.C. Locations in The Lost Symbol

One of the main reasons I love the Robert Langdon series is that each one highly focuses on its setting, not just mentioning various buildings, parks, and other locations, but sharing lots of fun facts about its history and what’s inside. And, Brown is very proud to always proclaim at the beginning of his books: “all rituals, science, artwork, and monuments in this novel are real.”

Here are some real-world locations featured in the book:

• U.S. Capitol Building – including the Rotunda, Crypt, and National Statuary Hall
• Library of Congress – one of my favorite places in the city (and yes, it hosts events!)
• House of the Temple – a stunning replica of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
• Washington Monument – Langdon makes a point about how rarely people visit the top. Fun fact: it reopened in 2019 and only costs $1 to visit the top—just be sure to book early!
• Washington National Cathedral – I helped with an event here but never spotted the Darth Vader gargoyle
• U.S. Botanic Garden – dubbed “The Jungle” in the book
• Smithsonian buildings – including the Castle and the Museum Support Center
• George Washington Masonic National Memorial – located in Alexandria, VA, and open for occasional tours

Want to go deeper? I’ve got a full list of D.C.-based books and tours that pair perfectly with your Langdon reading journey.

The Lost Symbol Characters: Familiar Faces & New Threats

While Brown’s novels aren’t typically character-driven, he does give readers vivid archetypes to follow—and a few surprises in this book:

• Robert Langdon – Our Harvard symbologist returns, ever the reluctant hero.
• Peter Solomon – Langdon’s kidnapped mentor and Secretary of the Smithsonian
• Katherine Solomon – Peter’s sister, a noetic scientist whose research fuels the book’s central theme
• Mal’akh – One of Brown’s most disturbing antagonists: tattooed, brilliant, and obsessed with ritual; it takes awhile before we learn more about him and his motivations
• Inoue Sato – Director of CIA’s Office of Security; no-nonsense and mysterious
• Warren Bellamy – Architect of the Capitol and a Freemason brother to Peter Solomon
• A few others that help along the way including Katherine’s assistant Trish Dunne, tech analyst Nola Kaye, security guards Trent Anderson and Officer Nuñez, and Reverend Galloway

Themes and Impressions

After the controversy with the church that the first two books in the series (see my Angels & Demons book review and The Da Vinci Code book review to learn more), Brown took a different turn with this one: there’s still a discussion on faith, science, and the mind, but in this book, the focus is on noetic science, the power of the thought, and what is the “secret of the Universe.” 

In fact, secrets are their own theme in the book—how do we define a secret? Who keeps them? Why do we keep them?

In The Lost Symbol, some of the keepers of those secrets are brotherhoods, especially the “secret” society of the Freemasons.

Brown is able to weave in all of the interesting facts and history into short adventure-filled chapters that keep the pages turning (although his books are all quite long, they don’t feel long and can actually be pretty quick reads).

To explore these themes more, be sure to check out my Book Club Guide for The Lost Symbol—there are some suggested questions that will definitely spark discussion and even some ideas for fun activities to bring the ideas to life.

The Lost Symbol Book Review: Final Thoughts

The Lost Symbol may not be the tightest Langdon novel, but it might be the most fun—especially if you have any connection to Washington, D.C. For me, I love how it brought out the city’s hidden corners and strange histories.

If you’re a fan of smart thrillers, hidden codes, or books that make you want to Google every other paragraph, this one’s for you. It’s a fast read despite its length.