Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
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. --Jeremy Pugh |
Customer Reviews
1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
 Who Owns the Code?, May 2, 2023
First I thought the novel was well-executed and this is helped by the short viginette chapters. The wall paper of Europe and religious history is a nice decoration but the focus is on the myth. And that is all this is. Ther claim of truth at the beginning is misinterpreted in my view. The paintings are real as are the locations. The entities are real but in the case of the Priory of Sion is a debunked sham. Making it real for the novel is allowed though.
The problem is that this was already written in two other novels and all of the themes are indentical in the two books. Enough was changed to make the claim of originality in the form of character names and the title of the main thesis: Jesus married Mary Magdalene and they have descendants protecting her bones and legacy. From the looks of things and the attention this is the only declaration that separates the books in question. This one and "Daughter of God."
Is that enough? Who knows?
3 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
INTERESTING, Apr 28, 2023
Brown manages to turn beautiful artwork into something different. He suggests that there are hidden messages and unsolved mysteries behind the works of Leonardo Da Vinci.
Dan Brown's book, The Da Vinci Code, is deserving of a four-star rating, because he begins the book with quite a few suspenseful moments, and keeps the reader's attention. He also raises many interesting questions about Da Vinci and the Bible. There have been several newspaper articles, reviews, and even television shows, such as Dateline, that have discussed this book.
The story is very interesting. Robert Langdon, a notable symbolist, and Sophie Neveu, a cryptologist are trying to solve the murder of a much respected curator at the Louvre. Before the curator died, he left random clues to a secret that only he knew, a secret that he did not want to die with him. Now, Robert and Sophie must race against time and the police, while solving the puzzle. If they are too late the secret will fall into the wrong hands.
The book starts out well, but throughout the course of the story Brown tends to get carried away and seems to lose the interest of the reader with several confusing plot twists. The end is also very boring. With the way the story is built up, one would expect a more climatic ending.
This book remains a best seller almost two years after it was published. Brown raises some controversial questions regarding the Catholic Church and the Bible. Steven Spielberg is going to direct the movie and it will be interesting to see how it is portrayed on the big screen.
8 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
Very captivating, Apr 20, 2023
I don't think anyone who tryies to take this book as "gospel" will enjoy it. I don't think that is the intention of the book. I really enjoyed the story and found myself captivated by the plot. It was very well read. For those who enjoy a murder/mystery - you will enjoy this book.
5 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
 An Eye Opener, Apr 19, 2023
I'm glad I follow my friends' suggestion to read this book. It was a revelation for me :) The idea and statement forwarded in this book is the first for me. Although some people say that not all of the info is true but just the whole idea is provoking and plausible. I'm going to check them out on ther books. Well, you can not read the Bible (specially New Testament) with the same light now.
Dan Brown has managed to bring the data and not just made it in boring essay but into a thriller and mystery.
But this book is not perfect. Actually I want to give this book less than 5 because the main characters need to be worked up a bit because of their inconsistency response to problem at hand. Specially agent Sophie Neveu that I felt too slow at the beginning for a French CIA's agent but nearing the end, suddenly to self confident. If that was used to array the clue from Langdon, I think Mr.Brown could use another method than slowing her down.
14 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
"Unique Take On Da Vinci", Apr 18, 2023
First, I'd like to say what a huge fan I have become of this fantastic writer. Since Brown's first book actually. Brown is hard to top in this exciting genre, in my opinion.
THE DA VINCI CODE, is a fast-paced, roller-coster ride taking the reader on a historic journey they will think about for a long, long, long time to come.
Fantastic, unique, page-turning, thought-provoking, is what The Da Vinci Code is all about. I loved it. The story as written by Brown offers the reader a lot to think about (fiction or not), I, for one, couldn't put this book down, and I was sad when it ended.
I can hardly wait for Brown's next novel to hit the bookshelves!
(I give The Da Vinci Code My Highest Recommendation!)
|
Cart | 
Based on 3046 reviews.