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Daniel Brown’s mystery thriller novel The Da Vinci Code was published in 2003. Brown’s work Angels & Demons, published in 2000, was the first to include the character Robert Langdon. After a murder in the Louvre Museum in Paris, Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu become embroiled in a struggle between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the possibility of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene having a child together.
The fundamental storyline element of the novel is that the Merovingian kings of France are descended from the lineage of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene, based on themes from Clive Prince’s The Templar Revelation (1997) and Margaret Starbird’s novels. The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (1982) is mentioned in the novel, though Dan Brown has said that it was not used as research material.
The Da Vinci Code sparked widespread curiosity about the Holy Grail legend and Mary Magdalene’s significance in Christianity’s history. Many Christian denominations have decried the book as an attack on the Catholic Church, and it has been roundly attacked for historical and scientific mistakes. Despite this, the novel became a worldwide bestseller, selling 80 million copies by 2009 and being translated into 44 languages.
The story revolves around Robert Langdon, a symbology professor at Harvard University. After being suspected in the murder of the museum curator at the Louvre in Paris, he is awakened by the authorities in the middle of the night. He sets out on a mission to cleanse his identity and uncover the real killer, with the help of police cryptographer Sophie Neveau. Although the book is a work of fiction, Dan Brown has done extensive study into the history and development of Christianity, as well as the sacred ‘Holy Grail.’ Before reading, readers usually pick up the book as a mystery thriller, but it opens a plethora of knowledge for them.
The story is well-written,seamless and flows well. From Paris, the two travel to London and Rome. The scenes are well-crafted, putting you right in the middle of the action. The plot moves at a breakneck speed throughout, with only a few moments to catch your breath. Because of the way this book is written, it encourages and even drives you to read for longer periods of time. The chapters are short, and they frequently conclude with a hook that encourages you to read “just one more.” The plot’s twists and turns leave you guessing about what will happen next.
However, for those who read The Da Vinci code as their first read of Dan Brown, they will find the concepts in the novels very unique and captivating. But the ones who have read Brown’s former work, Angels and Demons, might find the tale of The Da Vinci Code predictable as they are able to predict the plot twists and surprises a bit early on.
What follows in The Da Vinci Code is an extraordinary story that includes the Mona Lisa, raises religious problems, and challenges many historical facts we thought we understood. In this book, Dan Brown takes his theories and contentious stories to a new level, questioning significant Christian personalities and proposing some fantastic explanations to some extremely renowned (as the title suggests) works of art. Langdon is also charged with investigating a secret society that previously featured members such as Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and Leonardo da Vinci. It will grab the readers by the collar and force them to turn the page over and over.
After its release in 2003, The Da Vinci Code sparked debate and criticism. Many of the criticisms focused on the book’s hypotheses and misrepresentations of fundamental components of Christianity and the Catholic Church’s history. Furthermore, the book’s erroneous depictions of European art, history, architecture, and geography were criticised.
Brown’s novel begins with a page headed “Fact,” which asserts that certain aspects of the narrative are true in reality, and a page on his website reiterates these and other concepts. Dan Brown repeatedly said in early promotions for the novel that, while it is a work of fiction, the historical facts in it are completely authentic and well-researched. These claims in the book and by the author, combined with the presentation of theological notions that some Christians find offensive, sparked a firestorm of debate and controversy, which eventually made its way into political debate in the media.
Nevertheless, anyone who enjoys a thrilling tale and fast-paced drama will enjoy The Da Vinci Code. Regardless of whether the conspiracies are true or not, the characters are intelligent, and the conspiracies are beautiful. This book is a really good treat for conspiracy theory lovers, The story is fast paced and has simple words for better comprehension. There is a main focus on its intriguing plot and storytelling, rather than choice of words. After all, Dan Brown is Dan Brown. It’s an entirely other universe from the way he writes. With his unique storytelling style, he understands how to bind a person into the story. The readers won’t feel any less than watching a movie. This book was converted into a film with the same title in 2006, and to be honest, that movie did injustice to the book. The movie doesn’t even come close to the novel, therefore I strongly recommend people to get it and go on a binge reading spree!
