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With The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown masterfully concocts an intelligent and lucid thriller that marries the gusto of an international murder mystery with a collection of fascinating esoteria culled from 2,000 years of Western history.
A murder in the silent after-hour halls of the Louvre museum reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ. The victim is a high-ranking agent of this ancient society who, in the moments before his death, manages to leave gruesome clues at the scene that only his granddaughter, noted cryptographer Sophie Neveu, and Robert Langdon, a famed symbologist, can untangle. The duo become both suspects and detectives searching for not only Neveu's grandfather's murderer but also the stunning secret of the ages he was charged to protect. Mere steps ahead of the authorities and the deadly competition, the mystery leads Neveu and Langdon on a breathless flight through France, England, and history itself. Brown (Angels and Demons) has created a page-turning thriller that also provides an amazing interpretation of Western history. Brown's hero and heroine embark on a lofty and intriguing exploration of some of Western culture's greatest mysteries--from the nature of the Mona Lisa's smile to the secret of the Holy Grail. Though some will quibble with the veracity of Brown's conjectures, therein lies the fun. The Da Vinci Code is an enthralling read that provides rich food for thought.
Average Customer Rating:
Much More Than A Super Suspense Thriller!!
Once I began this extraordinary book, I could not put it down. "The Da Vinci Code" is so much more than a gripping suspense thriller. Dan Brown takes us beyond the main plot and leads us on a quest for the Holy Grail - a Grail totally unlike anything we have been taught to believe. With his impeccable research, Mr. Brown introduces us to aspects and interpretations of Western history and Christianity that I, for one, had never known existed...or even thought about. I found myself, unwillingly, leaving the novel, and time and time again, going online to research Brown's research - only to find a new world of historic possibilities opening up for me. And my quest for knowledge and the answers to questions that the book poses, paralleled, in a sense, the quest of the book's main characters. What a trip! What a read!
A violent murder is committed in the Louvre Museum. The museum's chief curator, who is also the head of a remarkable secret society that has existed since the death of Christ, is found dead and gruesomely positioned on the floor near The Mona Lisa. In the minutes before he died, this very complex man was able to leave clues for his daughter to follow. The daughter, a brilliant cryptographer, along with a famed US symbologist, follow her father's codes and leads, hoping that he will, through his death, finally tell her what he wanted to confide in her while he lived. The secret society included members such as: Leonardo Da Vinci, Boticelli, Gallileo, Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, Jean Cocteau, etc. These folks really Did belong to this society, which Really existed! This is when I first began my online search.
The mystery, or mysteries, take us through England, France and far back in time. We learn about the secret of the Knights Templar, and the symbolism in many of the world's most treasured paintings, as well as architectural symbolism in some of history's most sacred churches. Of course, we also learn who committed the murder and why - although this is almost secondary next to the real epic mystery the novel uncovers.
If there are flaws in the plot, I was too busy reading to discover any. That is probably the sign of a terrific book! The writing is excellent and the characters are a bit on the super-hero/heroine side, but who cares? Is what "The Da Vinci Code" proposes true? Well, the research is correct. The historical events and people explored in the book are real. But no one knows the Truth...nor will we ever, probably. I think that some things are meant to be a mystery. With all the world's diverse religions and each individual's belief in what is Divine - the Truth would have to destroy the beliefs, hopes and lives of many of the world's population. So, perhaps, in the divine scheme of things, there are many more Truths than one. Don't take the book too seriously. Just read it and enjoy!
Secret Societies RULE and Make for a Breezy, Fun Read
Anyone who has read Brown's first Langdon novel, "Angels and Demons" will recognize the familiar formula used again in "The Da Vinci Code." The murder of a celebrated personality entwined with the bizarre use of a symbol that only Robert Langdon, noted Harvard symbolist, can decipher, let alone fathom, links the unassuming Langdon with a beautiful girl related to the victim and embarks him on an intellectual chase that unlocks the door to history's most guarded secret societies and the treasures they protect. Since this equation obviously worked for Brown before, he does not hesitate to use it again, but leaves a few loose strings in particular Langdon's affection for Vittoria from the previous book which is not-so-neatly dismissed and substituted by his relationship with French cryptologist, Sophie, in this one.
In spite of its similarity to the first Langdon adventure, the reader cannot help but get involved in this story full throttle. The insight into some of the historical characters intrigues and delights; the knowledge of secret societies, their roster of historical luminaries and their interplay with age-old adversaries like the Vatican boggles the mind. Dismiss Langdon and the other characters who are not fully fleshed out--- its important to realize that they are mere conduits who provide speech and action for the true main characters--the puzzles and ciphers that account for the page-turning effect that you will experience once you start this novel. True conspiracy theory aficionados will guess many of the puzzles, but honestly, that just adds to the smug fun---the final resolution is one that I never guessed and yet fully enjoyed.
"The Da Vinci Code" provides at least 24 hours of mind stimulation that anyone who wishes a fully engaged break from today's reality will appreciate. Brown documents his work with a sprinkling of book citations mentioned through the dialogue; he should have provided a bibliography for those who want to separate fact from his imagined fiction. The novel's format--short chapters told third person from the different vantage points of the police, the religious operatives, and the hero and heroine, Langdon and Sophie move the plot along at a breakneck speed that is reminiscent of Michael Crichton's style in Jurassic Park and Timeline. I recommend this book to anyone who indulges in escapist fiction with that hint of reality that keeps you wondering if what you believe in is really valid or simply propaganda.
Reading at a 12th grade level
This book is actually quite depressing, because its popularity is based upon a readership fairly unfamiliar with Western history (and Western art history). A few other reviewers are right on target in bringing up the fact that St. John is always portrayed as a "feminine" looking youth and that it is a real rookie move in art class to say "is that a girl in the painting with Jesus?". Folks with any regard for St. John or Mary Magdalene or Leonardo or the Knights Templar or Constantine or Isaac Newton or Victor Hugo shouldn't read this book unless they are looking to raise their blood pressure.
Material in this book that hasn't been lifted from a legitimate source like "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" appears to have been copied from Fundamentalist comic books ("Constantine worshipped the sun god, and was not a Christian!"). Other parts are strangely New Age, touting the human nature of Christ and the pairing of the feminine and masculine in the Deity. This book has the capacity to make almost every reader angry. Why is it so popular?
If you want make-believe "conspiracy theory" history, read Ishmael Reed's "Mumbo Jumbo", which is at least presented as a joke.
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DVD's
Much More Than A Super Suspense Thriller!! 
Secret Societies RULE and Make for a Breezy, Fun Read 
Reading at a 12th grade level 
