BOOK REVIEW: DA VINCI CODE BY DAN BROWN

BOOK REVIEW: DA VINCI CODE BY DAN BROWN

”Can you keep secrets? Can you know a thing and never say it again?” -Dan Brown

DA VINCI CODE is an intriguing novel by Dan Brown. It is a mind-boggling and exhaustively page-turner fictional history book. It is one of the most controversial books ever written in history. As it light-up the considerable possibilities against religious history, yet a well-detailed researched work counted in fiction. This novel followed the author's earlier book (Angles and Demons). It explores the different dimensions that people are not allowed to even think about.

 After reading Da Vinci Code, I can now see why millions of copies were sold rapidly. It grips you from the very first page and hangs you over a cliff at the end of every chapter. Each chapter ends with suspense and thriller to crave for what will happen next. It's likely to experience as a reader is taken in a spaceship on an adventure. It is also a treasure quest to me where I don't get money or gold but lots of information as a reader. Though it is a fictional novel it tells the history of Christianity, the sacred Holy Grail, ancient cover-ups, secret religious societies, and savage vengeance. It's inevitable to see how this novel influences the literature. So, if there are some more words than gripping Like engrossing, enthralling, captivating – all these words describe The Da Vinci Code and why it’s been read by so many readers across the world. 

There are two protagonists, Robert Landon and Sophie Neveu -- Robert is an expert on religious symbology and a Harvard professor, while Sophie is a cryptologist and Parisian police agent. A murder took place, at louvre museum, of the Grandfather of Sophie, Jacques Sauniere. He was a Grand Master of the Priory of Sion, and also a keeper of an ancient secret. A historical secret that if revealed- will be lost forever. But before death, Jacques left a coded message for her granddaughter. The real adventure begins then, Richard and Sophie had the skills to solve puzzles. Yet each puzzle leads to another puzzle that needs a solution. This journey of readers with both of them reveals more mysteries and hidden historical secrets, as after 200 pages it's hard to put the book down. 

“Life is filled with secrets. You can’t learn them all at once.”

Over time, the plot turned out to be more suspenseful. The best technique, story flow is seamless. The story traveled deeper into past things, it pictured a history unidentified to us.  It is the author's ingenious talent and intellectual writing style that he told us how much knowledge about history he has, also makes the mind question the things and see the possibilities of events that may never happen in history. It also compels the reader to reconsider everything he/she has been taught about historical fact and whether it has maybe some ulterior logic. Dan Brown blurs the line between reality and fiction so that everything looks logical to the reader and he puts a burning fire in the reader's heart.

“History is always written by the winners. When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated, and the winner writes the history books-books which glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe. As Napoleon once said, ‘What is history, but a fable agreed upon?”

Robert Langdon is a hero who succeeded in his quest for solving riddles. Even enemies were travelling beside. He completed the last puzzle with his knowledge of symbology to know the mystery behind Holy Grail. I thought highly of how the author tied symbology into his novel. I learned things that I was not expecting much. It provides me with knowledge about things I never read before. Despite many religious and historical controversies about the novel, I read and see how I am rewarded. I loved it and enjoyed reading it. Always grateful to my friend, who introduced me to this masterpiece and classic read. 

There are many themes in the novel but the main ones are the false conflict between Faith and Knowledge, the subjectivity of History and the Intelligence of women, the development of Christianity, etc.

"Every faith in the world is based on fabrication. That is the definition of faith-acceptance of that which we imagine to be true, that which we cannot prove." 

Sometimes, few books shake us hard and drag us to the point where we ask more questions and we dig deeper. That's how I felt. I searched for many things mentioned in the novel, such as Holy Grail (which turns out to be a different story), Ancient Societies, Leonardo Da Vinci,  Hieros Gamos, Mary Magdalene, Issac Newton, Victor Hugo, Mona Lisa, and many other paintings. 

When I discussed it with a few colleagues, they say you shouldn't read such a thing which is against beliefs, facts and will implant rebellious/evil thoughts in you. Then I quoted Dan brown, “What really matters is what you believe.”

I highly recommend The Da Vinci Code to any who loves mysteries or who wanna have an adventure, but must be a bit open-minded and bold to deal with 593 pages of a historical fiction novel.