Rating: 
Summary: Doesn't live up to its namesake
Review: I picked this book up with no knowledge about it; I just saw everyone reading it. I found it horrible; I had to make myself finish it.Basically, the leaps of logic made in the book are far out and unrealistic. I found the book to also be very anti-Catholic, and, being a Catholic, I found much of the text to be offensive and inaccurate. Anyone with a basic knowledge of Christian and Catholic history can punch holes through the plot so large that it becomes worthless to continue reading. This is not an accurate book or a historical expose as many believe it to be; it is at best a poor fictional story. My only regret is that many people pick up the book and read it, believing, as the author represents it to be, as a storyline imposed on a factual basis.
Rating: 
Summary: Completely engrossing when you need a distraction
Review: I picked this up at a time when I depressed and grieving. It was engrossing from the first page and gave me exactly the escape for which I was thirsting. I disagree with previous reviewers: I think it is well-researched. There is an afterward, and alternative histories of Mary Magdalene's life have abounded for years. Dan Brown wasn't the first to give life to them, just one of the first to end up on the best seller list. I admit, as a former catholic school teacher, it did make me question exactly what the early Church had covered up. And that's exactly why it's so fascinating: could it be true? Could anyone ever prove it indefinitely? These questions are wrapped up in a tight plot that entertains as well as enlightens. I recommend this book to folks who want or need to escape from the world for a little while. And if it inspires anyone else to read a more academic book about the early Church, or DaVinci, or art history, or the holy Grail, than all the better. For that reason alone, I think high schoolers would enjoy this book as well as adults. One note regarding the review about the inaccurate portrayal of Leonardo's LAST SUPPER. In The DaVinci Code, I thought the protagonist, the Harvard symbologist, made it clear that DaVinci was a bit of a prankster. Thus, it's entirely plausible that he would accurately label the apostle to the right of Jesus as John, but also, keep the painting obtuse enough to also be plausibly Mary Magdalene. After all, in DaVinci's time, who would get away with portraying Mary Magdalene that way (which begs the question, would it be easy to get away with it now? ).
Rating: 
Summary: Fun read but right wingers beware...
Review: I picked this up to pass time during a recent flight and found it an enjoyable read. The plot is fun and easy to understand and the writing style is easy to read. I can see this being made into a fun movie. For those of you offended by it's claims, it is a fiction book. Sure some of it's historical claims are just wrong. But there is enough truth that it's readers may just be driven to investigate the "facts" and learn some actual history along the way.
Rating:
Summary: A Dreadful, Dreadful Book
Review: I picked up this book after hearing a lot of hype about it, and it proved once again that you should not believe everything you hear. While the book has an intriguing premise, it is one an altogether original one nor does Dan Brown make it very interesting. His characters are not very interesting, and they don't seem especially bright for people with supposedly "brilliant minds" (when the reader is a few chapters ahead of the characters in a suspence...things are pretty bad). All in all, this was a poorly written book with poorly drawn characters with a plot we've all read before. Find something else to read.
Rating:
Summary: Page-turner to the end!
Review: I picked up this book at an airport as something to bide the time while I was sitting in a plane. What a great find. It held my interest completely. From beginning to end - it would not let me put it down! I highly recommend this novel!!
Rating:
Summary: Dan Brown does it again!
Review: I PICKED UP THIS BOOK BECAUSE I HAD READ SEVRAL OTHER DAN BROWN NOVELS. THE DA VINCI CODE STARTS OFF STRONGLY, WITH A PLOT THAT REALLY CAPTURES YOUR ATTENTION. IT MOVES ON TO A HISTORICAL SCAVENGER HUNT, WITH INTRUIGING CHARECTERS AND UNEXPECTED PLOT TURNS. THE BOOK DOES LOSE ALITTLE GROUND IN THE MIDDLE, ONCE WE KNOW WHAT THE QUEST IS ABOUT. BUT IT ONCE AGAIN GRABS THE READER'S ATTENTION AND COMPELLS YOU TO READ JUST ONE MORE PAGE...
DAN BROWN WEAVES A PLAUSABLE, INVENTIVE STORY THAT IS INTRESTING AND CAPTIVATING. HIS TOPICS(THE HOLY GRAIL, SOCIETY OF SION, ECT) ARE ALL VERY INTRESTING AND LEAVE YOU WANTING MORE. EVEN THE WAY HE TIES HIS IDEAS TO PAINTINGS AND CLUES IS MASTERFULL. THIS BOOK IS A REALLY GREAT SUSPENSE NOVEL, FULL OF MYSTERY, INTRIGUE AND FACTS THAT WILL LEAVE YOU WANTING MORE. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN!
Rating:
Summary: Could it be more pedestrian?
Review: I picked up this book because it came highly recommended by several people who know that I have done quite a bit of studying on the esoteric. I am now looking these friends and wondering what they really think good literature is? This book could not be more poorly written if it tried. Not a single character is even remotely unpredictable..I can tell you that I can virtually mouth the words that they are going to say at least 3 paragraphs before I read them. The only saving grace is that some of the art and science is sortof interesting. However, I keep putting down the book in order to check my library for the truth of some the claims that are made. A whole bunch have no factual basis. Why wouldn't people just read the real stories of DaVinci and the Knights Templar? The truth is so much more interesting than this book. For those folks who are in uproar about the religion part of this book, get over it. There are some really good books that make more valid, well researched and damaging claims. If I was sitting on a beach drinking something tropical on a balmy summer day and I didn't want to think at all, maybe I would like this book but I think not.
For a much better written book that also contains a lot of estoric information and weaves a better and more haunting tale, try "The Angle Quickest for Flight" by Steven Kotler.
Rating:
Summary: OVER REACTORS NEED NOT APPLY...
Review: I picked up this book one day not ever knowing what it was about or what people thought of it before. From the moment i picked it up i couldn't put it down. It was grasping my imagination to see these paintings as something else. I don't believe that any of it was true, but it was some body elses imagination at work. This book was nicely done. All these other people who look to into it to see that it's fiction and that it's not real need to calm down. Just cause things in here are not accurate does not mean it was not a good book. Not just a good book, an excellent book. I recommend it to everyone who loves to read those types of books that you just can't put down.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing You Read Is True.
Review: I picked up this book thinking it would be a simplistic and unfulfilling mystery. I was surprised to find it a clever and very well thought out page-turner. The first 100 or so pages are a little slow, but after that it is hard to put the book down. Unlike some books (I'm looking your way Eco), this book doesn't have to pretend about how smart it is. Is everything in the book true? Of course not, but the book does suggest a dozen or more areas which readers can divert to if interested. I think the greatest power a book has is to inspire more reading, and this book does that perfectly.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting page turner
Review: I picked up this book with a little bit of skepticism because of all the hoopla surrounding the book. Two days later I was glad I read it. It is a well written and researched book. It grabs the readers from the very beginning takes them on a wonderful journey. A well designed balance of historical facts propels the book and never lets up. The ending is well thought out and worth the effort to get there. I really enjoyed this book and now understand why others do too.
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