Reading The Da Vinci Code
I read the book and the book about it...So I finally got around to reading Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code after much pressure for a review from my mother and my girlfriends mother. They wanted to know what I thought about the book and whether or not things talked about in the book were true due to the fact that Brown bases the book on facts. Since I'd already read Breaking the Da Vince Code by Darrell Bock I already knew that according to scholars the book was only based off of loosely tied points of history. I went into ready the book with all the skepticism of a person going in to try and buy a car from a used car lot from a guy named Honest Pete. So here's what I thought about the book... |
The Da Vinci Code is an excellent book!
I've never read any piece of fiction so quickly. Notice I say fiction because even though Brown bases the book on facts it is indeed a piece of fiction meant to draw in the reader and steal their imagination away. It does exactly that drawing a steady stream of "what ifs" from your mind about Christian history. I can see why this book rattles the imagination of people who've been brought up Christian but without reading scientific study of history because the book presents actual theories about things that may have transpired many of which historians agree are unprobable.
One of my favorite things about the Da Vinci Code is that the book uses the device of quickly swapping between many points of view concerning the same story. Short chapters concerning whats going on with Silas, The Bishop, The police and whats going on with Robert and Sophie makes for the story never getting old. Many books I've read were tiresome because they told much of the story from one point of view with conjecture concerning whats going on in other aspects of the story. Had the story left out what was going on with Silas and only told of his deeds and his appearances with our main characters the book would've become dry and I might not have made it through the text.
Christian Facts, Leonardo Da Vinci, pagan beliefs, Astrology and Cryptology
I very much enjoyed all the references to facts of how certain things have projected through history. Plays off of the source of the word rose, the rose line and its use in old Roman society were very interesting. Talking about Leonardo Da Vinci presented facts about a prominent person in history while twisting it for the purpose of the book. Cryptological riddles kept you thinking all through the book. The author gave you interesting facts and then twisted them for the purpose of the book as was necessary. Mr. Brown obviously had to do a ton of research in order to produce this book.
Reading Breaking The Da Vinci Code Improved My Experience
I've never read any piece of fiction so quickly. Notice I say fiction because even though Brown bases the book on facts it is indeed a piece of fiction meant to draw in the reader and steal their imagination away. It does exactly that drawing a steady stream of "what ifs" from your mind about Christian history. I can see why this book rattles the imagination of people who've been brought up Christian but without reading scientific study of history because the book presents actual theories about things that may have transpired many of which historians agree are unprobable.
One of my favorite things about the Da Vinci Code is that the book uses the device of quickly swapping between many points of view concerning the same story. Short chapters concerning whats going on with Silas, The Bishop, The police and whats going on with Robert and Sophie makes for the story never getting old. Many books I've read were tiresome because they told much of the story from one point of view with conjecture concerning whats going on in other aspects of the story. Had the story left out what was going on with Silas and only told of his deeds and his appearances with our main characters the book would've become dry and I might not have made it through the text.Christian Facts, Leonardo Da Vinci, pagan beliefs, Astrology and Cryptology
I very much enjoyed all the references to facts of how certain things have projected through history. Plays off of the source of the word rose, the rose line and its use in old Roman society were very interesting. Talking about Leonardo Da Vinci presented facts about a prominent person in history while twisting it for the purpose of the book. Cryptological riddles kept you thinking all through the book. The author gave you interesting facts and then twisted them for the purpose of the book as was necessary. Mr. Brown obviously had to do a ton of research in order to produce this book.
I picked up Bock's book first because I'm not a big fiction fan. I love facts and learning so most every book I've read about in the last few years has been history, science, philosophy, etc. Bock's book addresses the primary claims of concern in the Da Vinci Code regarding Mary Magdalene, Jesus's relationships and in general the role of women in the history of Christianity. So going into reading the Da Vinci I had a good background of facts so as not get lost in any claims of fact regarding these area in the Da Vinci Code especially in regards to who Mary Magdalene was and the spin concerning the gospels and the council of Nicea.(the biggest thing being that she wasn't a prostitute) This was also very good for me because I would've gotten caught up on these issues and had to lay the book down, research those points and then pick it back up again.
I can understand the media buzz around The Da Vinci Code
I can understand why so many people take issue with the Da Vinci Code because it takes facts and presents them with fictional twists that many readers might not be able to pick through. One moment Teabing is presenting historical facts and the next he's giving the twist for the sake of the book. What less educated everyday person would know the difference? I'm well educated and I have a hard time telling the facts apart from the devices. Questioning the fundemental beliefs of one of the major religions in such a way seems almost wreckless. The church might even argue it as libel since it promotes questions of faith with no real forward about how factual the story is. I have even heard that Brown is
The Da Vinci Code Movie
I've got to say casting of Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon in The Da Vinci Code movie was the only disappointment I had. Really he doesn't look anything like I imagined Robert looking as you can judge for yourself in the pictures. Sophie is also supposed to be burgundy headed with green eyes? Really Ron Howard how hard is it to get basic aspects of characters right? I suspect the movie will be a hit but it would be nice for once to see the characters casted as you imagined. I would like to note that I'm quite happy with the casting of Bezu Fache, Silas and Sir Leigh Teabing. Their characters are exactly as I imagined and Jean Reno is literally the guy I imagined for the part before seeing the cast.
Well thats my 15 minutes on The Da Vinci Code. It probably deserves more and I may revise this but I start simple and work my way up. Great books and I look forward to picking up other stories by Dan Brown.
Jerry Wayne Odom Jr. April 6, 2006
I can understand the media buzz around The Da Vinci Code
I can understand why so many people take issue with the Da Vinci Code because it takes facts and presents them with fictional twists that many readers might not be able to pick through. One moment Teabing is presenting historical facts and the next he's giving the twist for the sake of the book. What less educated everyday person would know the difference? I'm well educated and I have a hard time telling the facts apart from the devices. Questioning the fundemental beliefs of one of the major religions in such a way seems almost wreckless. The church might even argue it as libel since it promotes questions of faith with no real forward about how factual the story is. I have even heard that Brown is
The Da Vinci Code Movie
I've got to say casting of Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon in The Da Vinci Code movie was the only disappointment I had. Really he doesn't look anything like I imagined Robert looking as you can judge for yourself in the pictures. Sophie is also supposed to be burgundy headed with green eyes? Really Ron Howard how hard is it to get basic aspects of characters right? I suspect the movie will be a hit but it would be nice for once to see the characters casted as you imagined. I would like to note that I'm quite happy with the casting of Bezu Fache, Silas and Sir Leigh Teabing. Their characters are exactly as I imagined and Jean Reno is literally the guy I imagined for the part before seeing the cast.
Well thats my 15 minutes on The Da Vinci Code. It probably deserves more and I may revise this but I start simple and work my way up. Great books and I look forward to picking up other stories by Dan Brown.
Jerry Wayne Odom Jr. April 6, 2006