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Amazon.co.uk Review
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 esoterica culled from 2,000 years of Western history. A murder in the silent after-hours 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 not only for 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 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, Amazon.com --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Review
'An unholy mixture of cheese and corn, with all the twists and turns of a 12-inch ruler. Yet is wonderfully addictive.' (DAILY TELEGRAPH )
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
108 of 115 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Very enjoyable. However it should be noted that this is an abridged version. It dosen't tell you that in the details.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I've just finished reading the Da Vinci Code. Everyone persuaded me to read it but I found it extremely disappointing. It started out OK but it soon became bogged down in fictional trivia, plus it had so many "puzzles" to solve I felt like I was 10 years old and back at school on some sort of paper chase - it became boring! And because its pace almost slowed to a halt, I nearly dozed off several times trying to finish it, after which I wanted to toss it out of the window! Dan Brown also Americanised this novel - and they're suckers for "happy" endings - but I'm sorry, why would a stranger than fiction family reunion and a subtle hint of romance between the two main characters towards the end suddenly stop all that greed for world power, high Church corruption, hired hit men, killing and mayhem? Did all the baddies suddenly evaporate by a kiss and a promise of a nice little holiday in Florence??? Give a break!! Dan liked to play the teacher in this novel but as a woman I really didn't appreciate being patronised by the wide-eyed little girl scenario where Sophie had to suffer (and me with her) being "taught" not only by her Grandfather but then by 2 other self-satisfied men professing to hold all the knowledge and all the answers - while Sophie batted her eyelashes - but wasn't Sophie cleverer than all the men put together? Sorry Dan. I won't be wasting time reading any of your other novels, but I'm sure you'll still be happy laughing at us all the way to the bank.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
What is it, and what isn't it? It is easy reading and fast moving entertainment. The structure of the book allows the reader effortlessly to keep up with all the strands of the plot. If you want something light to while away a few hours, and like this sort of subject matter, this book will certainly do. And you will also be able to join in 'Da Vinci Code' conversations.
However, if you are looking for rounded characters, original ideas and an interesting plot, this book is probably not for you.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The characters are uninteresting and artificial beyond words. Robert Langdon's personality doesn't extend much beyond being brainy and rather cautious. Sophie Neveu first appears unconvincingly described as a Parisienne but behaving like a New York PA; but this fizzles in the second half and she ends up as little more than a conversational foil to Langdon and Teabing. Sir Leigh Teabing is the worst sort of 'I say old boy how about a jolly old game of croquet' Thirties Hollywood B-movie caricature of a Briton imaginable. Then we have the angry French detective, the bonkers Opus Dei monk, the financially dodgy Catholic heirarchy. All in all, a cast of tired, unimaginative, uninteresting stock characters. You might well be shocked by the prejudiced bad-guy stereotyping of the villain when this is finally revealed.
The basic idea behind the book, the astonishing secret concealed for centuries, has been widely researched and written about, and anyone wanting to read further might start by looking at 'Holy Blood Holy Grail' by Michael BAIGENT, Richard LEIGH and Henry Lincoln - get the anagram???!!?!! It's a great book for anagrams, incidentally. Also, a lot of the geography, police procedure and cultural milieu is either poorly researched or treated with great poetic licence.
The worst thing for me is the utter irrelevance of the whole thing. Even if the secret were to be revealed, it wouldn't actually prove anything. How would it add up to anything more than a few more questionable antique manuscripts, a box full of crumbling bones? And having reached the final page, would it really have made any difference who found the secret?
Oh, and the title above. On page 419, Teabing says "My heavens". I imagine Brown means "Good heavens", but got the idiom wrong. On page 440, Teabing says his new medication "gives me the tinkles". I've no idea what that means, but it certainly isn't any idiomatic British English I've ever heard.
So, as a piece of light entertainment, it is fast-moving, quite well researched though not very imaginative. For a book of its type, 3 stars out of 5.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
the davinci code
having seen the film, i wanted to read the book, and so glad i did, it really got my attention from start to finish, its very thought prevoking, held me
all the way thru! Read more
all the way thru! Read more
Published 2 days ago by Rebecca Woodley
The DaVinci Code
What an excellent read. So much better than the film. I'm glad I decided to listen to my son and buy it. Looking forward to reading Angels and Demons next.
Published 21 days ago by Mags
Fantastic
I recently begun reading again to improve my reading skills, i started with this book and i found it brilliant their are twists you dont see coming and also you are never left in... Read more
Published 22 days ago by Lee
Worst Book Ever
Can I give this book zero for being the worst I have ever read? I cannot think of one good thing to say about it. Read more
Published 28 days ago by Booknut
Oh dear
I read this purely out of curiosity. I thought, all those millions of people who've read it can't be wrong. But... they are. It's garbage. Read more
Published 1 month ago by stilllovereading
Enjoyed a change
This was a different kind of read for me and although I found some of the religious history hard going at times I did enjoy the depth of the book. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Good Read Hunter
Can only get better
I thought for Dan to attempt to write a novel was rather brave,hopefully his writing will improve by the time he gets to the sixth form.
Published 1 month ago by G. Rowland
"Mr. Brown, you gave me goosebumps . . . Several times."
The Da Vinci Code
Every single page had me staring at each word in awe ... and I literally mean every single page. Read more
Every single page had me staring at each word in awe ... and I literally mean every single page. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Kyle R. Evans
Written for the screen
I read the Da Vinci Code a couple of years before the movie (without any knowledge of the predecessor) I must admit I had some hopes for it, therefore the actual experience was a... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Cic
Fast paced, entertaining and engrossing
Dan Brown definitely knows how to write thrillers, he proved so with his first Robert Langdon novel, Angels and Demons and now he's done it again with The Da Vinci Code. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Sam
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