January 4, 2004
The Da Vinci Code
I flew through this book with such relish that I was done within 24 hours of cracking the cover. At its core, The Da Vinci Code is a mystery, but it's such a smart one that I didn't get my usual "I hate mysteries" heebie jeebies. The story is packed full of unique keys, secret codes, hidden hiding places and secret societies. And who doesn't love a good secret society?
Dan Brown clearly did some hefty research for this novel, but I think it shows (off) a little too often. There's a bit too much, "Hey, look what I learned!" mixed in with the fiction. Sometimes it's even hard to tell the two apart — but that's not a horrible thing, this is not meant to be a textbook, after all. It was deliciously decadent to slip into the role of questioning the motives of one of the most firmly-rooted establishments in the world; the Church.
The plot is intricate and fast-paced, which draws your attention away from the one-dimensional characters. And the cliffhangers, admittedly transparent gimmicks, do what they're supposed to do — they make you want to read the book faster.
The Da Vinci Code is fantastic for what it's meant to be... an entertaining read. Anyone who criticizes it for being plot-driven or inaccurate is just being pompous and biased against popular fiction.
Comments
Nice book review--I've been waffling on whether to pick this one up or not (not being a big mystery fan myself), but after reading your entry I think I'm gonna have to go get it. Thanks!