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Summary: Bic Mac w/fries
Review: The DaVinci Code sparked my interest with the fabulous reviews and information relating to the ancient symbols, the art world and secret societies. The first three hundred pages were engaging providing historical references and some interesting ideas. By the time I got to the last hundred pages the author had played through the history and the lore and the conclusion is based on just the characters. The problem is the characters, thin at best, don't elicit emotion from the reader. I'm left thinking about some of the issues the book raised but completely let down by the conclusion. I think the book was clearly written with a movie in mind and is geared toward that type of reader. Yes, at times, it was fun to read, but it could have been so much better.
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Summary: The search for the Holy Grail...!
Review: I decided to read "The Da Vinci Code" after I thoroughly enjoyed reading a novel based on the end times prophecies of the Bible: Britt Gillette's "Conquest of Paradise". That book totally blew me away, and I read reviews about this book tackling the secrets to uncovering the Holy Grail, so I figured it would be an intriguing topic. Like "Conquest of Paradise", "The Da Vinci Code" is set in the present. A murder one night in the Louvre provides evidence of a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ. The murder victim, a member of this secret society, leaves clues at the scene of his own murder that can only be unraveled by his daughter and symbologist Robert Langdon. Working together the two set out one a wild adventure that leads them all over Europe. Dan Brown does an excellent job of entertaining the reader. His descriptions of religious history remind me a lot of Tom Clancy's work in the military thriller genre, and pound for pound, Dan Brown holds his own with any other writer in the thriller genre. For those who enjoyed the heightened suspense of "The Da Vinci Code", I highly recommend "Conquest of Paradise" as another great read. It's like few books I've ever read, and I couldn't put it down. Either way, both books are fascinating entertainment.
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Summary: Simplistic rehash of half baked theories
Review: The writing was sophomoric and simple. If you know anything about Art History, you'll be bored at this simplistic re-hashing of half baked theories. The story line is overwhelmed by the incessant background information, and the real places and activities in those places used in the book are described incorrectly.
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Summary: Supremely Entertaining
Review: I cannot believe that so many people were worked up about the content of this book. Take it for what it is - a mystery thriller. This is not a reserach on theology or religion. All Mr Brown did was to collect what were out there and tied themm into a damn entertaining novel. He did not make up any of the stuffs - Opus Dei, Da Vinci, Priory Sion, Phi... They were all out there. Alternate explanation of Bible is, well, as old as Bible. Granted, all the puzzles and plot twists and historical anecdotes did not leave much room for real character development, but this is undoubtedly an interestinig yarn. Don't you find this type of thriller refreshing amongst all the stories about serial killers, homocidal cops, super lawyers and forensic medical examiners?
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Summary: Disappointing and Prosaic at Best
Review: When my AP English teacher recommended this book to me, she reminded me that it was not literature level material, but nonetheless, good. There are plenty of books that aren't at the level, but astounding, i.e. The Virgin Suicides, Requiem for a Dream. The first few chapters were tolerable, but it soon worsened after that. The writing is at an eighth grade level to speak purely in semantics, the book is terribly researched (i.e. the feminist argument: First of all, Europe was always a man's world, pre-Christianity. The Greco-Roman societies were perhaps the most male-oriented. Second, certain members of the Inquisition, such as Queen Isabella of Spain, were women. Third, it is right brain thought that is considered irrational, and left was associated with evil long before Christianity. Fourth, there were never female Jewish religious leaders, not because of Christianity. There's much more). The author spends half his time explaining little phrases in French that anyone with an elementary education in the language, or anyone cultured, would understand. (Deranger, anyone?) This occurence is not alone, as he proceeds to explain the Fibonacci sequence, the fact that Da Vinci wrote backwards (I learned this in second grade from a National Geographic World magazine cartoon), the size of the Mona Lisa, and the controversey of the Louvre pyramid. I cannot believe that anyone who bothers to read anything is so lacking in a common knowledge of culture that these things must be thoroughly iterated for them. The plot is weak, the ending is easily predicted and cliched. The only redeeming quality is its hooks at the end of each chapter...those were successfully executed, but that was all. This was a very disappointing book.
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Summary: Do Not Miss This Book
Review: I just finished reading this book, and I could not put it down. This is one of the few books that can truly make a person think about the world. Mr. Brown's writing is so intelligent, and intuitive, that a reader can truly have an enjoyable experience. Thank you Mr. Brown for restoring my faith in the literary world.
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Summary: Good research but way too many twists in the plot
Review: I'm not a Grail devotee, but it looks to me as if Brown's research on the subject (as well as on cryptography and symbology) is pretty accurate. But he needs to take lessons on thriller writing from the late Robert Ludlum. Although Ludlum's characters were larger than life his story and plotlines were always logical - you could pick up any of his books and trace out what happened and why. "The Da Vinci Code" relies far too much on coincidence and inference, and when the villain's identity was actually revealed the story and its author lost a great deal of credibility. Even more credibility was lost in the climax and anti-climax that followed. I can see how this book became so popular because of it's main subject (the mystery of the Holy Grail) and the obvious research that the author did on that subject. But as a thriller or mystery writer Brown falls far short of the mark.
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Summary: Another Catholic Cover-Up?
Review: Man! Dan Brown must have some beef with the Catholic Church. But I must say, his beef makes for a good read. I've never learned so much from reading fiction in the whole of my life. Brown's research is meticulous, so much so that you start to believe his books should be in the non-fiction section. I truly enjoyed this book. Breaking codes and following clues...Brown has presented an engaging mystery that takes you from point A to point Z before you know it and teaches you something along the way. Even though I'm sure he's not too popular with the Vatican, I hope Brown keeps it up.
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Summary: Religion and mystery combined
Review: This was the ultimate read for me. Religion and symbology combined to make an exciting cluefinding adventure...and I even figured out some of the clues! This book contains so much information from books that I have studied over the years; I commend the author for his obvious extensive research and fact-finding. It's always a pleasure to read fiction based on fact. Read it yourself and enjoy.
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Summary: A great mystery thriller with lots of twists
Review: This book's plot twisted and turned and as I got more and more engrossed in the story, I realized that not everything was as it seemed. I love mysteries and puzzles and this book wove both together flawlessly. I also checked out the Davinci Code's website after I finished reading the book and was delighted to solve the puzzles that led me into the site. You can't enter the site without solving them first. I was impressed that finally an author knew how to offer more to his readers on the web than the typical author bio and reviews of the book! I couldn't put this book down and would recommend it for anyone who loves a good mystery, and a good puzzle.
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