Book Review: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

The Da Vinci Code

Robert Langdon #2

Dan Brown

Genre: Mystery-detective

An ingenious code hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci. A desperate race through the cathedrals and castles of Europe. An astonishing truth concealed for centuries . . . unveiled at last.

While in Paris, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body covered in baffling symbols. As Langdon and gifted French cryptologist Sophie Neveu sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci—clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Even more startling, the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion—a secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci—and he guarded a breathtaking historical secret. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle—while avoiding the faceless adversary who shadows their every move—the explosive, ancient truth will be lost forever.

This is my nth time reading this book since I've first read it back in college. Probably because the things written here were interesting, controversial and thought-provoking.

I remember that time when it was first published when I was in first year college, 16-years-old. It was all my dorm mates talk about and I was curious as to what they were discussing and the resulting backlash of outraged people (mostly religious ones) and criticisms.

I didn't read it that time since I took one look at the book cover and dismissed it. I was still in that make-believe world of pretty cover equals good book. It wasn't until my stepfather bought himself a copy of that book that I labored to read it. I was the first to read it in the family since they were wary of reading it.

To my surprise, it was really good and I quite actually enjoyed it. This kind of books, which I count with Robert Ludlum's and Michael Crichton's, were not usually my cup of tea. I only was the Harry Potter/Lord of the Rings/Little Women/Midnighters/Mills & Boon type of reader. But reading this book made me branch out of my comfort zone and acquaint myself with "manly books". Well, it is not politically correct to name them "manly books" but I usually equate them with the men in my family because they're the only ones who read them.

I will not bore you with details of such and such things from the book because, I dare say, you may know already what the contents are since you would have read them or most probably heard them on the news, the internet, and from someone from the pulpit.

When my mother asked if the book was really that damaging to the Church and one's religious beliefs, I just shrugged and told her that people, once again, had a major overreaction. 

"Mom, whether the book spews the truth or not; whether it undermines the Church's authority or enlightens the masses; whether it tempts people like the devil or not, it all boils down to the fact that it's a [fiction] book. Frankly, I don't understand all the hullabaloo about. It's up to you what or who you believe in and no one and nothing should tell you that."