fun story, but what crappy writing!

[Eileen]

Sorry, but this guy must have a cliché reference book on his desk. And he might as well just call his characters Barbie and Ken for all their depth.

And if you think the subject matter was a big deal, go read Jose Saramago's The Gospel According to Jesus Christ.

That said, the story was still fun, and yes, the movie was somehow a huge yawn.

[Erica]

Oh I agree. The writing was terrible, although the story could have been very interesting. I think first graders could write more developed sentences and characters.

[Olivia]

I went into it with no negative preconceptions. I had never read a best-selling paperback like this, and actually was chiding myself for being a snob. "Give it a try!" I told myself, "it's a best-seller for a reason, right?"

But once I started reading it, I couldn't figure out what the reason was! The writing was so bad that it distracted from its so called "page-turner!" qualities. I became so bored that I had to put it down for a week or two...and then pick it up again just because I hate not finishing books...

I just felt pretty blank once I'd finished it. Glad that I had read it so I could at least have conversations with people who had...but also feeling like I had gotten dumber in the process.

[Kecia]

Most best-sellers don't really qualify as literary powerhouses IMO. Exciting plots and stories? Certainly. Compelling, unforgettable characters? Sometimes. Something that will show up on college reading lists 50 years from now? Not so much.

(And that's perfectly okay. There's room for all kinds of books: the seminal, the stereotypical, and the schlocky.)

I don't normally read thrillers but the reason my friends pushed this book on me was because of the concepts driving it. Jesus might have been married? He might have been married to Mary Magdalene? He might have descendants? There's goddess-worship in Christianity? Woo-hoo! (lol) We were spiritual seekers at the time (and still are to some extent) so this book -- or rather, its concepts -- fit. But yeah, the writing wasn't that great.

The book Holy Blood, Holy Grail (which I haven't read) goes into much more detail on the concepts presented in Brown's book.

[Ericopey]

Dan Brown has now moved up to number 3 on my list of people whose asses I would like to kick.

[Alex]

"Dan Brown has now moved up to number 3 on my list of people whose asses I would like to kick."

ROTFLMAO!!!

The thing that cracks me up about this book is how every single chapter ENDS IN A CLIFF HANGER!!!

[Saidu]

I still wonder what generated the controversy about the book that is making the cathlic go crazy, to start with the catholic has always been seen as a cult, so there was no big deal to me on the issues of membership of the grail and other things ascribed to them in the book unless they are onlyn trying toadmit to the entire world that what DAN writes is true

[Lindsey]

My friends and family make fun of my literary disdain for this book. They say, enjoy the story why do you always have to analyze the writing! I say, when someone reads a lot of good literature it is impossible not to realize how badly this book was written. The story was alright but I really dislike this book because so many people who aren't avid readers think Dan Brown is a great author with good grasp on literary concepts. It's so sad that a magnificently written book couldn't have gotten this type of popularity.

[Daniel]

You know, I read a lot of "pop" writers, and you are all correct, Dan Brown just doesn't stand out in any way. He made a mint off this book and probably as a result Angels & Demons sold better (after Davinci Came out), but in the end he made money because he wrote on a controversial topic. I will gladly admit that this is the only reason I read it.

As far as stories go, Angels & Demons was much better but still is only good for a few hours of distraction. Nothing to make you think.

[Frances]

First, one must take this for what it is: absolute fiction. The first half was very entertaining and truly a "page turner." However, the second half became more and more tedious as it continued.

I can understand why devout members of the Roman church find it offensive, but I fear they take it much too seriously.

Better read it first if you intend to see the film.

[Saidu]

i think i quite agreed with frances, the contreversy that trail the book actuallr prompt a lot of readers to want to see the book, i in particular had to spend a fortune to acquire a copy as it was very scared in my country Nigeria, though not too impressed as said in my previous comment,i believe it only help to create wave for the author as well as swell his bank account.
saidu

[Kendra]

couldn't agree with you More!... and to think it actually was a long list to get a hold of it. Not to mention by the way made upon millions.

[Alex]

Man I am SO with you on this. And he actually makes his own story LESS fun due to his crappy writing. Do they not employ editors where he publishes? (Perhaps, I am thinking of editors of yore, though.)

[happydog]

I guess I'll go against the grain. I am not always looking for superb writing skills, just an entertaining read. I found this a fun book that I could quickly read- and it kept me interested! I'm not embarrassed to admit that I liked the book! (although I'll admit I have not enjoyed any of his other books. Especially "Angels and Demons" yeech!)

[Cipto]

This is a controversy book, so why I read this book.

[Saidu]

if dan was crappy, the script writer was really floppy.
saidu

[Pandora]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who thought the writing was bad and very cliche. I did not enjoy this story at all. I also don't understand the whole controversy over this book. It is a NOVEL, not a non-fiction book for heaven's sake. Trying to prove any part of this book as fact is like trying to prove Harry Potter was a real person.

[Lucinda]

I am glad I am not the only one who thought this book was horribly written. Angels and Demons was much worse and I couldn't even finish it. The movie is indescribably bad.

[Ericopey]

OMG Harry Potter IS real!

[Abdulqadir]

Mr. Ericopey, i think rationality should be the basis of criticism for scholarly works.

[Superman The Six Hundred Sixty Third (Plus Pi)]

I myself don't think this book is horrible at all. However, the movie is, as quoted, "a huge yawn".

[Superman The Six Hundred Sixty Third (Plus Pi)]

Angels and Demons is quite a lot better though.

[Menoedh]

Though I dont like this book too, I think all of you giving comment because its against christian.
But I do think the story is REALLY REALLY boring.

I really like Angels and Demons though. More breath stopping and he is a genius to make arts as something to tell.

I read angels and demons first before Da vinci code, and I found how similar the way he created story and the plot. Maybe thats why it's boring.

[Mer]

I think all of you giving comment because its against christian.

Menoedh, I can assure you that I and many others who dislike this novel are skeptics, secular humanists, even diehard atheists.

Personally, The DaVinci Code's anti-Catholic subject matter doesn't offend me. However, I find the smug, pompous attitude of its author combined with the book's abysmal stupidity very distasteful.

[Superman The Six Hundred Sixty Third (Plus Pi)]

What smug, pompous attitude? I see nothing bad about the narration in this book. It is really quite good. Of course, it was nothing compared to its prequel, Angels and Demons, combining the religious beliefs of the Vatican with a bizarre coup with modern destructive technology.

[Menoedh]

Well, may bad perhaps. Forgive me. But we can not aside the fact that some people DOES dislike this book because the way it talks about christian. Maybe not you or your skeptics, secular humanists, even diehard atheists friends.

Lets just narrow my comments to "THIS BOOK IS REALLY REALLY BORING COMPARED TO ANGELS AND DEMONS"

=)

[Dave]

Read it on a single airplane flight. More than anything, reminded me of a low-rent version of Eco's The Name of the Rose.

[Alex]

I think that Ericopey was being sarcastic. :)

I thought that the book was excellent, but it could be very easy to anticipate at times. I have read most of Dan Brown's other books (Deception Point, Digital Fortress) since and I thought that DP was at least as good as Davinci Code.

I didn't find the anti-Catholic subject matter offensive at all. I think that it is an interesting theory, but I'm going to have to research the fact/fiction of much of the "history" of the subject matter.

[Adornable]

Just wanted to agree with this. I actually felt out of breath while reading this - it seemed that the characters were constantly on the run. It reminded me of the writing of "Celestine Prophesy." The subpar writing got in the way of a riveting topic in both cases. (There are many books like this. Perhaps we should create an acronym: GSPW (good story, poor writing).)

[Superman The Six Hundred Sixty Third (Plus Pi)]

Umberto Eco isn't bad. But that's off topic. The Da Vinci Code may have, perhaps, its weak points, I must admit. However, we probably can all agree that Angels and Demons is not a bad read at all.

[Penny]

The thing I liked about this book was the many riddles and historics references. I don't really pay attention to the writing style of the author, as long as he/she can get their point across, so the writing didn't bother me at all.

[Mer]

Food for thought:

http://dir.salon.com/story/books/feat...

[[deleted user]]

anti-Christian? This book was anti-readable! Wanna meet and discuss religion and how to dangle a participle?

Rita

[[deleted user]]

Ginnie,

I couldn't agree with you more...your review was better-written than Brown's book.

I just hope you know that you have offended turkeys world round! (And please note - I have NO problem with that!)

Rita

[[deleted user]]

The Da Vinci Code a "scholarly work?" Thanks, you gave me the best laugh of 2008 so far!

Rita

[[deleted user]]

Nice comment - I also enjoyed Angels and Demons (slightly) until the last 40 pages. I then realized that not only could Brown not write, he was lacking a good - or any - editor.

Rita

[[deleted user]]

To Menoedh,

Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. When you post multiple (and occasionally offensive) comments about a book or other people, you can't just ask people to "narrow your comments to..." only one sentence. Reading a book requires thought - so does offering opinions.

[Phillip]

Mr. Abdulqadir
I must warn you, sir, that using rationality and criticism in the same sentence is against the law in the U.S.if referring to literary issues. And rightly so. As for describing the DvC as a scholarly work, I assume you are in jest. You rascal.
pej

[Joan]

I honestly thought I was the only person who hated this book because of Dan Brown's crappy writing. I'm glad to know I'm not alone. I didn't like the movie either. I didn't finish either the book or the movie and I tried to read the book twice.

[Norman]

When I read Frances' comment from a few days, I instantly recognized her reaction - I too enjoyed the first half of DVC and then found the second half annoying. And I hated the ending.

Let's credit Brown with his ability to build a story around an interesting concept, and its popularity shows the success he achieved. It was pulp fiction and never meant to be more than that, so it seems rather pointless to put his style under the literary microscope.

[Lisa]

Right on.

[Justin]

everyone i know had read this book and loved it. i tried to read it, i really tried.

not only was the writing dull but the dialog itself seemed force. dan brown has characters approach the protagonist with childish questions just so he can expostulate on psuedo-intellectual symbology.

and no, i don't have any problems with his clashes against mainstream religion. im an atheist and i was far more insulted but his mathematical naivety.

a fibbonacci sequence doesn't constitute a code. anyone who's gone through calculus would recognize it in thirty seconds.

i think i stopped reading right there... maybe i'll finish it one day just so i can say i did it.


p.s. someone mentioned harry potter. harry potter was a childrens series and still managed to be better writing than this.

p.p.s. no i dont much care for capitalization or punctuation on internet posts. it's really more effort than i care to go through. ill explain it sometime in my essay, 'a shift key too far'

[Gabi]

harry potter is fictional and the reason it is considered as one of the worst books to read is because people think it's real-even though it's a k.a. book!

[Priscilla]

I completely agree. It was an entertaining story but my GOD! Everyone was cheesing themselves over this book when in reality it's not really a very well written book. And can we talk about the completely awful Hollywood ending???

[Chuckell]

A five-letter word that has something to do with Isaac Newton . . . a red orb, with a seeded womb . . . what can it be? What can it be!?! Ah, the kind of mystery that would confound the sages of the ages.

I honestly and truly believe that reading this book made me stupider.

[[deleted user]]

Um, yeah. And was the story even that fun? Quick, we have to get to the museum! Oh no! A guy with a gun! Kick it out of his hand! Yes! We have to get to the other museum! Oh no! The albino with a gun! Slam the door in his face! Yes! To the Louvre! Oh no! The police! Let's shield ourselves with this painting! Yes! We're safe. Quick! Let's kiss. The End.

[[deleted user]]

The immateria?

[Andrea]

I enjoyed reading these posts far, FAR more than I did reading that sorry excuse for a book.

The biggest insult to the readers' intelligence (IMO) was the crazy "code" that it took the main characters 2 chapters to crack, when in just one glance, I saw that it was written backwards. I had to stop myself from hurling the book against the wall at that point.

... but I do so love Chuckell's point...

"A five-letter word that has something to do with Isaac Newton . . . a red orb, with a seeded womb . . . what can it be? What can it be!?! Ah, the kind of mystery that would confound the sages of the ages. "

**************

Well said, Chuckell.. well said.

[Chuckell]

I know, right? Seriously, this book is a piece of shit. I wonder what's taking him so long to write another--I mean, how hard could it be? Steal a puzzle or two from the Daily Jumble, crib a mystery from an old Encyclopedia Brown story, throw in a couple of historical names and references--say, Sun Tzu and the Battle of Hastings--I mean, hell, this thing writes itself!

[L]

I refused to read it and I always have to bite my tongue when someone lists it as one of their favorite books.