Review

This piece may NOT be freely reprinted. Please contact the author for re-print rights.

 

No doubt, the publication of The Da Vinci Code has been great success. On the cover of this book, the blurb reads as follows:

While in Paris, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is awakened by a phone call in the dead of the night. The elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum, his body and the floor around him covered in baffling symbols. As Langdon and a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, sort through the bizarre riddles, they are stunned to discover a trail of clues hidden in the words of Leonardo Da Vinci – clues visible for all to see and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Even more startling, the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion – an actual secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, among others – and he guarded a breathtaking historical secret. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle – while avoiding the faceless adversary who shadows their every move – the explosive, ancient truth will be lost forever.

If one is already familiar with books like Bloodline of the Holy Grail: The Hidden Lineage of Jesus Revealed, the theories explained in this book will not be anything new. Certainly, it will never be described as a ‘breathtaking historical secret’. However, what is impressive about this book and makes it stand apart from the others is the fact that these very theories are weaved into a storyline that is so readable. A perfect example of this is the conversation between Teabing and Sophie:

“At this gathering,” Teabing said, “many aspects of Christianity were debated and voted upon – the date of Easter, the role of the bishops, the administration of sacraments, and, of course, the divinity of Jesus.”

“I don’t follow. His divinity?”

“My dear,” Teabing declared, “until that moment in history, Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal prophet … a great and powerful man, but a man nonetheless. A mortal.”

“Right,” Teabing said. “Jesus’ establishment as ‘the Son of God’ was officially proposed and voted on by the Council of Nicaea.”

This information, that Christ was mortal and made Divine some three centuries after he died, is not something new. However, in revealing this fact through dialogue, the author has imparted this information in a very clever and appealing way.

Reflecting on the creative process involved of this book, it is clear that extensive research has been carried out.  Thereafter, crafting a story that has clearly appealed to the masses is very commendable. Classified as a thriller, The Da Vinci Code is certainly a page turner. The plot is so well structured that the story flows from beginning to almost the end without a hiccup. There are many twists and turns along the way and if one is already familiar with thrillers, it will not be difficult to guess who the villain is. The manner in which the story concludes, however, makes the previously fast and furious pace of the novel come to a grinding halt, especially the part about Sophie’s real identity. Maybe, she could have remained as nothing more than a cryptologist. Still, this is fiction, and certainly, the conclusion the author chose, adds drama to the tale; but one is left wondering if another conclusion might have worked better.

Perhaps, the biggest problem with this book is that the language used is not evocative enough. For instance, the author has written, ‘Fache frowned inwardly at the delay.’ This sentence, in very simple terms, seems illogical. Is it possible to frown inwardly? Adverbs that end with the letters ‘l’ and ‘y’ – for example, ‘noticing Langdon sweating slightly’ – are used in abundance and spoils the narrative somewhat. That said, there are moments when the descriptions of characters raise the quality of language; for instance, Teabing’s bushy eyebrows arched with intrigue. Needless to say, while the narrative sometimes leans toward too much telling, it is the dialogue which helps to improve the quality of writing and the element of ‘showing’ necessary in fiction. For instance, Teabing says. “Good heavens, no! I would not wish a British chef on anyone expect the French tax collectors.” It is through this character, Teabing, that the element of humour is evident and adds that light-heartedness to a very complicated subject matter.

The lasting memory of this tale is that you will find yourself looking at all of Da Vinci’s paintings searching for the clues Dan Brown has mentioned in his book. It might even leave you wondering about what else has been hidden. Certainly, it is a book that makes you admire how clever Dan Brown is: he has taken one of the world’s worst kept secrets and has created a story that has such wide-spread appeal and entertained millions all over the world. Surely, this is something that any storyteller can aspire to achieve.

Reviewed by Aneeta Sundararaj

22 February 2009

Aneeta Sundararaj can be contacted at editor@howtotellagreatstory.com.