Twice I've been to Washington D.C. and each time I've been in awe. From the emotionally powerful memorials to the jaw-dropping displays in the Smithsonian, it's as if Washington D.C. holds a power that keeps people in a state of amazement time and time again. So I felt a special kind of closeness when I discovered that The Lost Symbol takes place almost entirely in Washington D.C., and Dan Brown does a marvelous job at illuminating us with the capital's history, architecture, and symbolism, which are all heavily influenced by ancient philosophies and religions. 
 The story itself is a thriller that tries to keep one reading as puzzles and clues are carefully laid out and spread throughout the book. Cryptologists and historians can rejoice as these puzzles, at least in my opinion, are incredibly well thought out. The crux of the puzzle is trying to figure out the secret of a small Masonic pyramid with a cryptic message. As the puzzles are slowly solved, it is revealed that the Masonic pyramid holds puzzles within puzzles, with the ultimate puzzle revealing the location of the Lost Symbol which is said to have the extraordinary power to change the world by bestowing infinite wisdom to everyone on the planet. 
 Besides the fantastic allusions to works of art and architecture, what I really liked about this book was the philosophical and spiritual wisdom that some of the characters expound. At least two of the main characters are brothers of the Masonic Order, so they have a very interesting understanding and view of the world. In the past few years I've developed a strong interest in spirituality and it seems no coincidence that out of dozens of religions and philosophies spread throughout history and time, they all point to the same truth. That the power of God is within us. 
 Perhaps science at this time cannot explain this strange phenomenon, but one character in the book Katherine Soloman is studying the implications following the thought that our thoughts hold mass and thus can make an impression on the world. In essence, our thoughts can change the world simply by us forming them and through the power of belief. Apparently this science is very real, at least in the eyes of many individuals, and its called Noetic Science. Currently, the standard view of Noetics is that it is a pseudoscience hardly worthy of any merit; however, if we recall, those who believed the Earth was round and the solar system was heliocentric were considered wacky and heretical. Not that this is proof that Noetics is real, but it does lead room for the possibility, and science is constantly coming up with new discoveries and theories that completely redefine our perception of the Universe. 
 Overall, the book is quite good, hence the 4 stars, but I should probably mention that it has its own flaws. I find it disconcerting that the book put so much emphasis on a character being African American that the book calls him that several times. Isn't it strange that the book doesn't describe other characters as caucasian? It's as though we assume everyone is white unless stated otherwise. 
 "an elegant African American whom Langdon had never seen before in his life." 
 "The African American man leading Langdon through the Capitol's subterranean maze was clearly someone of power." 
 "Officer Nunez," the African American man said. 
 The whole thing leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I'm not saying that Dan Brown is a racist, but I think most of us do things that are racist without us even being aware of it. 
 In the end, I wouldn't recommend this book to just anyone. I think one has to have a fondness for mysteries or thrillers to be interested in this sort of book. Also, a person of scientific mind or anti-religious mind might be put off by the spiritual text and allusions to God. At one point the book even expounds the heavy importance of the Bible as a tool to reach spiritual enlightenment, which I feel might offend some people. But if you can get past those things, and realize this isn't high literature, than I would recommend reading it because it was a very fun and even somewhat inspiring read. :)