The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2) in The Complete Idiots Guide to the Ultimate Reading List

Mar 11, 2008 Gina rated it it was amazing

I, for one, am Catholic, so this book should have been like, I don't know... Blasphemy, maybe? All I can say is awesome, awesom, awesome! Although this book is fictious, it's based on a lot of facts, facts that I already knew, and a whole whack more I didn't. If I had the time and money, I'd bury myself in this kind or research. Brown's descriptions are unbelievably accute, the novel is fast paced, there's no time to slow down. An unbelievable page-turner, I'd recommend this book to everyone, no ...more

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Mar 15, 2008 Rosieface rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Over the last few years, many delightful children’s series have come out which, although geared towards younger readers, deal with more or less “adult” themes: His Dark Materials questions the possibility of intelligent design; A Series of Unfortunate Events acknowledges that human beings don’t necessarily have control over their own fates; and the Twilight series gives us a window into the frustrations of being a sexually abstinent teenager who is torn between the love of a vampire who sparkles Over the last few years, many delightful children’s series have come out which, although geared towards younger readers, deal with more or less “adult” themes: His Dark Materials questions the possibility of intelligent design; A Series of Unfortunate Events acknowledges that human beings don’t necessarily have control over their own fates; and the Twilight series gives us a window into the frustrations of being a sexually abstinent teenager who is torn between the love of a vampire who sparkles and a werewolf who will totally do you.

Dan Brown makes an interesting attempt to join these ranks with his The Da Vinci Code, but although his good intentions are evident, his finished product falls short of the mark. His first mistake is huge: typically books for younger readers feature young characters, but the main character of the Da Vinci Code, rather than being juvenile, is a mature professor of occult symbology, to whom few children will find it easy to relate. As a matter of fact, there are no characters in the book under the age of thirty, and the most childlike character, a giant, self-flagellating albino named Silas, is more likely to give children nightmares than to inspire their empathy.

On the positive side, Brown’s writing is certainly not above a fifth or sixth grade level, and the “puzzles” his characters need to solve within their quest are simple enough for any bright kid who may have taken an extra-curricular art course, or passed a junior high school history unit on the Renaissance. Children will have little trouble following the main thrust of the plot, even though Brown’s explanatory asides tend to be clumsy and occasionally patronizing towards the reader. But again, the content tends to be poorly chosen--a youngster who picks up this book out of an interest in art, or Leonardo da Vinci in particular, will probably be driven away by the vast sections of theological speculation, no matter how dumbed down they may be, and parents will be horrified to let their children read this book when they discover how poorly researched Brown’s descriptions of the Great Works are.

I wish I could say that I appreciate what Mr. Brown was trying to do with this book, because I would like to think that he meant well. But unfortunately, he wrote a book that is too mature for young readers, and too simple for intelligent readers. It goes nowhere.

I just don’t see The Da Vinci Code ever finding much of an audience.

PS- If you like my book reviews, see more at http://mousebed.blogspot.com ...more

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Jun 22, 2008 Sarah rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-in-2010, books-i-own

This book lacked something for me. I felt that the narrative could've moved along at a faster pace, wih all the unnecessary suspense and subsequent disappointments easily avoided. The two stars I've given it are for the informative content on the Priory of Sion, Opus Dei, Leonardo Da Vinci and The Knights Templar. The use of ancient pagan symbology in modern media, especially in fairy tales and cartoons, was especially interesting. I just regret not having gone with my instinct and read "Demons ...more

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Nov 11, 2008 Madi rated it it was amazing

I really liked this book. I was a little leery just because of the controversy that surrounded it, but after reading the book i'm not quite sure what all the fuss was about. This was a great FICTIONAL book. This book is not claiming anything. It has some real groups incorporated into the story, but the story it self is just that, a story. It was a great book, and Dan Brown is a phenomenal author! ...more

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