The Da Vinci Code

Rating:
Summary: Not Your Ordinary Mona Lisa
Review: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Have you ever left a movie, limp, exhausted and just wrung out? Were you on the edge of your seat the whole time? The Da Vinci Code left me that way. Everytime I relaxed a little, "Okay, they made it through THAT crisis", up would come another.
Author Dan Brown takes his major characters, symbologist Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu through a harrowing search/journey that leaves you with more information than you probably want to know about art history, symbolism, ancient religions, cults, architecture and much more.
Although the flashbacks are too long, wordy and at times intrusive, the plot, the use of modern technology and the sheer speed of the action make this a book you will find hard to put down.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Suspense
Review: I wouldn't give this book a blanket recommendation, because some of the theology/history discussions and elements present might be a bit too controversial for some. But for those of us who like to question even our most firmly held beliefs, this book revisits some interesting themes and gives room for some deep thought.

I thoroughly enjoyed it myself. It had a good mix of suspense and history and art and theology. Kept me strung along til the end, too, with a complex, twisty plot and characters that I cared about.

However, I did feel a little let down with the ending, just seemed like he had to try to hard to end it. Too much happened too quickly in the last five-ten pages.

None the less, I plan to read some more of Dan Brown's books--and some of those listed in his bibliography too!

Rating:
Summary: Stuning!
Review: I started reading this book on Tuesday - what a mistake, because I had to go to work the next day and wasn't able to put it down until very late at night! It was absolutely amazing! Suspense is enormous, and the chapters are short, so you just read them one by one without being able to stop... On the other hand, if you come to think of it, maybe it was not the plot that attracted me the most, but some supplementary information on symbolism, art, history etc - when reading, I just kept on promising myself I will look this stuff up on the internet - so astonishing it was to me (and I never thought I might be interested in that field).

Read it and share it with your friends!

Rating:
Summary: Wow...I Have A New Book For My Top Five List
Review: Yes, "wow" is the word. I was literally hooked by the 7th page. Having never read a word of Mr. Brown's previous work, I was turned on to this marvelous piece from listening to WFAN's Chris Russo, accomplished writer of the "Mad Dog 100," and his reviews of recent books he'd read. I liked his review, I liked the title, I liked his book. Took a chance and, though I despise hardcovers, I wouldn't trade the experience of this read for anything. Many Catholic and Christian loyalists will be shocked, others will be amazed. I was changed forever. Brown manages to mix intrigue and fiction with religion and fact. A murder takes place in a famous Paris museum and reknowned historian Robert Langdon is implicated. With the help of a female code-breaker, he spends the night running from the law, desperately trying to clear his name with innovative puzzle-solving and a last ditch escape to London. There, his search for justice starts holding hands with a search for knowledge as his travels open unexpected leads toward the truth and location of the Holy Grail itself. All the while, Brown accomplishes wonderous character development with the code-breaker Sophie and fanatical killer Silas, almost shoving their individual plights ahead of lead character Langdon. Lots of eyebrows will be arched as many accusations of mortification and illegal activity from the Catholic Church and Opus Dei are spread with every turned page. Still and all, this is one novel that will make you rethink history. Open your minds to it and take it for what it's worth: a book of fiction. Personally, I am presently taking the time to confirm many of Brown's allegations via his personal sources and even a few of my own. "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" is particularly interesting.

Rating:
Summary: Fun and Interesting
Review: I found this to be a good book and while I have not changed my views on the interpretation of catholicism, history or christianity, it sparked some questions and made for some interesting conversations. The quest for the Holy Grail in this book was intriguing to read.

Any book that inspires me to do a little research online is well worth the time to me.

Rating:
Summary: More, please. Even though DaVinci was straight...
Review: The action, intrigue, and trail of puzzles in this book made The Da Vinci Code one of the best I've read this year. As long as you can willingly suspend disbelief when it comes to trails of "hidden" knowledge, this book will keep you turning pages all the way to the (not surprising at all by then) end.

Rating:
Summary: Intelligent thriller
Review: This was a great, quick read. Often when I read mysteries or suspense novels, I find them to be poorly written and glaringly obvious. Often they are so outlandish that you are unable to lose yourself in the fiction of the story. Not so here. This story is fast-paced but well-crafted and well-researched.

The story begins as Jacques Sauniere, the top executive of the Louvre, is murdered. Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of religious symbolity, is immediately suspected because of a note Sauniere left at the scene of his death. Sauniere's grandaughter, Sophie Nouveau, is a cryptologist with the French equivalent of the FBI,and becomes involved upon learning of the death message. The parties learn that Sauniere was actually grand master of the Priory of Scion, an ancient organization dedicated to keeping a secret about Jesus Christ that would devastate the Catholic Church and Christianity in general. Obviously, the Catholic Church is also seeking the secret kept by Sauniere--in order to destroy any evidence of it.

This novel features an elaborate cat and mouse game. Sauniere's killer is pursuing Robert and Sophie. Robert and
Sopie, meanwhile, are attempting to decipher code after code left by Sauniere which will ultimately lead to the secret.

Largely based on an actual alternate theory about Mary Magdalene and Jesus, I found this novel's research into Paganism and the Catholic Church to be fascinating. I am not sure how much of the novel is accurate, but prominent people throughout history have subscribed to this theory. I looked back at Leonardo Da Vinci's painting of The Last Supper after reading The Da Vinci Code. I was able to see the symbols and clues described by Dan Brown concerning Mary Magdalene and the Apostle Peter.

This is an intelligent thriller. I was never bored, and couldn't wait to plow through all 450 pages. The chapters are also very short, which I find annoying in some books but added to the novel's fast pace in this case. Surely this book is detested by the Catholic Church, but the controversial nature of the story makes it all the more interesting.

Rating:
Summary: Anti-Catholic Bigots' Delight
Review: If you are a radical feminist or an anti-Catholic bigot, you will love this book. Otherwise, stay away.

Rating:
Summary: Eye-opener
Review: In addition to providing the reader with an array of new possibilities to research on a seemingly endless variety of subjects, this estimable fellow has underscored what a crock organized religion is.

If ever we can wean people from the mindless belief in established religious dogma and open their minds to what is truly magnificent - the reality and mystery of the universe sans superstitious god-worship - what a truly wonderful gift they will receive.

Rating:
Summary: well... at least it goes by fast...
Review: I have to say, it was quite a read. Fast. To the point of my husband telling me to turn off the light and go to sleep already.

I must agree with the most of the reviewers that once you start, you can't put it down. Or if you do, you don't want to put it down. It does go by fast. For most parts.

But is it really factual? There are some vague factual-esque elements in the novel, but that's just it - it's a fictional novel. If you're a baby-christian or a non-believer, you can get suckered into what Dan Brown is trying to pass off as pseudo-fiction.

Okay, I had some issues and/or questions too. like, if da vinci was a homosexual man, what was he doing siring so many children? or how about Sir Isaac Newton being a Christian? Do you suppose one can be a Christian and have pagan beliefs? Can one man serve two masters?

The little tidbits of information that I read were quite interesting. The character development left much to be desired. What triggered me to the fact that this is nothing more than a fluffy no-brainer summer read is that the author - in lack of better words - [stinks].

Was it just me or was i the only one that knew immediately who the baddy was? (I won't say the name because that'd [stink] for someone else reading this review before purchasing it.) I felt like he was "chosen" as the baddy because Brown couldn't figure out anyone that really could be. It seemed too obvious and too simple. I mean, come on. In the plane, they're all talking about the . with Remy and Silas on board in the back!? Great way to be hush-hush.

Aringarosa was probably there to throw people off and give it a subplot but he was just a nuisance to the entire story's flow.

And honestly... Sophie saw her grampa doing the naughty. So what? Get over it. This really truly annoyed me to no end. She sounded more prissy American or English than French.

But what was really sad was how Brown ended the book. He wanted this ridiculous fairytale ending. with some warm embrace and some lip smacking. PLEASE leave the descriptive smut to the writers of authors of romance novels. I mean, in the beginning of the book, he's writing about how Langdon is thinking about Vittoria (the heroine from Angels and Demons, I assume, since I have not read that book) a few times. but - mind you, this entire story happens over a period of like 36 hours - he ends up hooking up with a chick he barely knows? Whiff of her perfume as he leans in and voila! Vittoria who? (By the way, she's not mentioned again for the rest of the book.) Dan Brown, please don't write romance. You obviously [stink] at it. And I read enough smut and chick lit to be able to state this as a fact, not an opinion.

So, in a nutshell, some wishy-washy factoid wannabes, obvious antagonist, quasi climax and a really bad letdown, an attempt at religious brainwashing, and soggy plot makes not a great novel. Fast read? yes. Great novel? hell no.