The Da Vinci Code

Rating:
Summary: Best Thriller of the Year
Review: Really is an enjoyable and suspenseful read. I couldn't put it down at times.

Rating:
Summary: Stilted language, inelegant writing, great marketing agent
Review: My husband and mother-in-law raved about this book, so I plodded through it, but found the language stilted...it read like a bad romance novel to me. I found his writing embarassing. If you are looking for great literature, pass on this. If Barbara Cartland is your hero, have at it.

Rating:
Summary: Good book, but there are better in this genre
Review: This was a good read and held my interest throughout, but a far better book in this genre is THE LAST DAY (Warner Books), which is also fact-based fiction, but far more harrowing and weighty in subject matter. It's been out for several years and was a cult hit before the millennium, still strikes at the truth today. If you liked DaVINCI, LAST DAY is even more fascinating.

Rating:
Summary: Smartly written suspense thriller!
Review: I like my suspense fiction with a healthy dose of history, so THE DaVINCI CODE is right up my alley. Lots of interesting, well researched info on both the worlds of religion and art history...well woven into a fun action story sure to make that cross-country plane ride pass quickly!

Rating:
Summary: Spielberg's next
Review: El libro está diseñado, escrito y editado sin otro interés que el de convertirlo en película. Es casi un screenplay y sus cortos capítulos no son más que las escenas pre-editadas de una película. Dicho esto, el libro es bastante divertido y se puede disfrutar ampliamente siempre que el lector no sea un "fan" del Opus Dei o tome muy a pecho el nuevo testamento. La interpretación que Brown hace del Santo Grial no es nueva y el hilo que une todos los elementos del libro es bastante débil desde el punto de vista de congruencia historica. El final es desastrozo y falto de imaginación. La conclusión final es que, este es un libro interesante que se disfruta leyendo, aunque no aporta mucho.

Rating:
Summary: Dan Brown has mastered the art of page-turning stories!
Review: A dead body in the Louvre leads to a chase through France and England, moving from one clue to the next. The DaVinci Code will leave you questioning how you look at art and history as it plunges you into a world of secret societies and secret agendas. A fantastic read!

Rating:
Summary: Are you kidding?
Review: You'd have to be fool to think this is a good novel. As pure fiction it's badly written and unimaginative. But, of course, it postures as "possible history." As "possible" as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion! It's a pure play at widely held prejudices. Nothing more.

Rating:
Summary: Da Vinci Disappointment
Review: Does overrated mean anything? I actually paid retail for this much hyped book only to discover a poorly researched tome that bashed the Catholic Church (I am not a Catholic) as well as Christianity in general. If feminist goddess religion is your bag, you might like it, but don't count on its historical accuracy.

Rating:
Summary: Da Vinci Code
Review: Dan Brown has written an excellent book. His research is extremely well done. However, the book tries, but does not, engage the well educated reader. If one knows the history and the mythology surrounding the Medieval Templars and the Grail story, one is disappointed by the outcome of the book. Otherwise, the book is well written and exciting. There are a few things the book lacks but it is worth a read. He could have carried some of his research into ancient Near Eastern history and archaeology and built a stronger foundation for his premise.

Rating:
Summary: The worst part is...
Review: The worst part is: some editor actually thought this guy could write. I stopped on page 50 after 50 pages of annoying writing. I gave the guy the benefit of the doubt, but he just can't write. If you like pulp fiction and are not annoyed by bad writing, you may enjoy this for the plot. I still like the plot and wish someone with talent had written the story. ew. ew. ew! This book reads like a freshman writing workshop project gone bad (and there's no such thing as a freshman writing workshop).