Book Review: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

 

              

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“By its very nature, history is always a one-sided account.”

I first heard of the famous The Da Vinci Code when I was around nine years old from my father, and I finally took up reading it a while earlier. Having sold 80 million copies worldwide by 2016(second only to Harry Potter) and having been on the New York Times bestseller list for a whopping 162 weeks, there is a reason why it was the talk of the town over ten years ago, and still draws praise today.

The Da Vinci Code blends themes of religion, culture, history, conspiracy and feminism in a way that is truly unique. Part of the reason behind its immense popularity is how it seamlessly portrays itself as a work of action and thriller as well as a historical and religious fiction. 

Quite controversial were its conspiracy theories on the religious events in Christian history, including the theorized and biblically deviant story of Mary Magdelene, an apostle of Jesus and, as any good thriller needs, a secret society. In fact, these conspiracy theories were planted so well into historical fact and religious myth that it is actually possible to believe that they are true.

When Robert Langdon, a Harvard Symbology professor is in danger of being framed for the murder of the prominent curator of the Louvre Mueseum, he finds himself implicated in an impending religious catastrophe that only he and a quite brilliant cryptologist Sophie Neveu can divert. It is up to them to solve the intricate riddles left behind by the dead curator and find the answers they need. But with dangerous individuals close on their tails, it's not just a fight for the protection of religious truth, it's a fight for their lives.

I was initially hesitant to read this book since I was aware of the vast troves of historical and cultural information that the book contains. I started reading worried that I would be overwhelmed by the intricate analysis of concepts such as the Holy Grail and the backstory of the now media-popular Knights Templar. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to find that Dan Brown has made such events very easy to comprehend despite the vastness of religious context. He has quite impressively connected religious events to draw large conclusions in a way that can be understood by the general public. 

I was impressed by how the characters were depicted in the series. While the book centered mostly on religious history, Dan Brown successfully integrated his characters into the plot without giving undue emphasis to their roles. Langdon and Sophie felt like important chess pieces. However, they never took my attention away from the heavily historical based narrative; in fact, they supplemented it. Langdon proved to be as morally just as anyone could hope, and Sophie's quick thinking and cool temperament kept the duo alive more times than I can count. 

The plot was quite interesting with a seamless blend of modernity and history, depicting the effects of the past on the present. The chapters were fast paced and highly engaging, making this novel perfect for fans of high stakes reads.

The Da Vinci Code sheds light on how religious history is quite often shaped by those in power, causing old truths to get buried for the sake of greed. I found it to be an excellent guide on the evolution of Christianity through the centuries since its advent. I would recommend this novel to anybody interested in a compelling take on one of the most dominant religions in the world.