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November 11, 2003
Mini-Review: 'The Da Vinci Code' by Dan Brown
I just finished The Da Vinci Code by "Bestselling Author" Dan Brown. Eh...whatever.
Don't get me wrong, there are some nice aspects to the book. I'd like to think that a lot of the lore and mythology surrounding the Holy Grail (that's no spoiler...keep reading) contained in the story is true -- if not, well then the book's pointless.
The characters are about 3mm deep and rather generic -- there's nothing all that compelling about them at all. The plot takes many twists and turns, but it's based only on a single plotline -- there's nothing else going on that might help develop the context and enrichen the storyline.
Like his earlier novel, Digital Fortress, Brown leads the reader along a path rich with mystery and totally dependent on completely unforseeable events -- it's like you're driving down a road at night without your headlights on.
Unlike better authors, Brown only creates anticipation in the reader in little spurts. Mostly these brief periods of anticipation happened when I was waiting for the characters (supposedly PhD and genius individuals) to figure out something fairly easy. This type of tedium happened also in Digital Fortress, where I fast-forwarded through about 20 electronic pages to get to the point where they finally deduce the answer to a scientific riddle that was, at least IMO, completely obvious.
To sum up, I think the most valuable and interesting aspects of this book center around the science and history that Brown uses as a back-drop. The characters and the actual plot aren't nearly as compelling. To paraphrase an old saying, when it comes to The Da Vinci Code, fact really is more interesting than fiction.
Posted by Craig in Movies & Books
Comments
My wife noticed a code embedded in the copy of the dust jacket for this book. Notice how some of the letters in the text are printed bold? Line them up one after another and you've got a message.
Bruce
"Drink more Ovaltine"
Posted by: Bruce at November 12, 2003 5:28 PM
I was once a member of Opus Dei.
Posted by: Sam at November 13, 2003 9:53 AM
Oh, stop it, Sam. ;-)
Posted by: Craig at November 13, 2003 1:41 PM
No, it's true. I was a member of Opus Dei, recruited about twenty years ago. I'm no longer a member.
The truth is that it's an ultraconservative organization dedicated to service in the name of the Church and doctrine - but that's all. At least, that's all I knew.
Dan Brown has a vivid imagination.
Posted by: Sam at November 13, 2003 4:38 PM
Hey, I am darn confuse now! Is the book really true? I mean, the Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene thing? Sorry, I am a lousy Catholic.. :(
Posted by: Don at February 22, 2004 10:18 PM