Inferno

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Frog Blog. To finish off the year, I’ll be reviewing the 2013 mystery thriller novel Inferno by Dan Brown and the fourth entry in his book series surrounding main character Robert Langdon. Inferno was number one on the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover fiction, and a movie adaptation released three years later.

In Inferno, Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon wakes up in a hospital in Florence, Italy, with no memory of how he got there. Even more confusing, he quickly realizes he's being hunted. With the help of a doctor named Sienna Brooks, Langdon escapes and starts to piece together clues left behind by a mysterious figure obsessed with Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. As their journey deepens, Langdon and Sienna discover that a genius but dangerous geneticist, Bertrand Zobrist, has created a deadly virus that could change the future of humanity forever. Zobrist is convinced that overpopulation will destroy the planet and designed the virus as a way to “save” the world, by drastically reducing the human population. Traveling across historic landmarks in Florence, Venice, and Istanbul, Langdon follows a trail of symbols and hidden messages inspired by Dante’s Inferno. Every step brings them closer to the virus’s release, and a moral dilemma about whether preventing it is actually the right thing to do.

Dan Brown’s Inferno is a fast-paced thriller around the world with lots of art, history, science, and danger. It reads like a treasure hunt with the highest possible stakes: the fate of humanity. Brown’s detailed descriptions of real-life locations make the setting feel authentic, and the use of Dante’s classic poem adds more intellect. The plot twists keep the reader guessing, and the mystery unravels unexpectedly.

However, some parts of the plot aren't the most believable, and the characters can feel a bit like tools for the action rather than fully developed people. Despite this, the story’s urgency and high concept ideas make it difficult to put down. A thrill through art and science with global crisis at its core, I recommend Inferno for readers who enjoy puzzles, history, adventure, and suspense.

Philip