Oh no - not another Da Vinci Code review I hear you sigh!
Oh no - still after 44 reviews - yet another!
Sorry but yes - another Da Vinci Code review!
I was very hesitant in writing a review for this novel because of the very fact that there are already another 44 reviews of this novel for the Ciao readers to go at, but no, I stopped and thought long and hard, and decided that I wanted to write this review if not for you - the Ciao reading public, then for me the Ciao writing individual.
I wanted to write and say I truly and utterly loved this novel, and there aren't that many that I would want to be so unequivocably vociferous about. I did want to write a little about why this is such a good novel and what I enjoyed about it, just because I want readers within the Ciao community to read an honest and forthright opinion of a very good book, if not to convince you to read, then just to let you know that this is a good book, that this is a thought-provoking read, that this is a hell-of-a rollercoaster journey of religion, mysticism, conspiracy theory and pure adventure with a wonderful and engaging plot to boot!
Enough - on with the plot!
The plot isn't all that simple - well, simply put, there is a man who is killed (Jacques Sauniere) because
he is the head of an organisation that holds the key to the identification and discovery of an ancient and important artifact that will turn the whole world on its head.
That's it on it's head - the grand-daughter of Jacques Sauniere joins with Robert Langdon to discover the identity of the murderer and unearth the important and significant artifact, they chase from France to England in search of this most significant of religious pieces, only to find what? Only to find the tomb empty? Only to find a killer bent on destroying the Catholic faith? Or only to find the answers to many, many historical and religious questions? Or simply to find their answers to their own personal questions - of love and family, loyalty and tradition?
I finished reading this novel at about 4 a.m this morning and I have already verbally recommended it to at least seven other people in one day, that's what I call a good read.
I have never read a thriller of this ilk before, I don't go for conspiracy theories, I don't go for espionage novels, I don't go for spy novels either, this is different. This is a thought-provoking and wonderfully rich novel, there is history here, there is religion here, there is action, adventure, there is art, architechture, Paris, Rome, conspiracies, double-crossing, elusive religious sects and a not-so dynamic hero who is more scientific than plainly physically heroic, we are given in Robert Langdon a hero who is intellectual, quick, resourceful but also - and more importantly I thought human, he doesn't always do everything right, he doesn't always trust the people he should, and sometimes he trusts the people he shouldn't, but he is a fine historian and to me a fine hero too.
Okay, so as I've read in the other review, the characters are not as fully developed as with other novels, but then this is like no other novel, as no other novel would dare to rock the whole of the Catholic church on it's head in this way.
There are a few ways to read this text, one simply as a novel, pure fiction, another is to read a little into the historical and religious significance of the plot and theories, and a third to accept and allow that although fiction, there are scientific theories and historical theories that are resonant within the society that we live in today.
I like to go a little between, I enjoyed, even revelled in the whole historical and symbological theories that the novel expounds and I permit it to be significant enough for me to question my beliefs a little.
There are religious ideologies within this novel which are questioned and I would advise and warn those who hold strict religious beliefs that this novel does in no doubt challenge the accepted and commonly held beliefs of many within Catholic and Christian faiths.
Having said that, this is more than that, it is a race against time, it is a thriller, it is a conspiracy theory novel, it is a fascinating and stunning fiction novel.
The pages literally turned themselves and it kept me up until 4 a.m. not just this morning but on one or two occasions, at nearly 600 pages in paperback form it took me about three or four days to read, and the chapters were sometimes simply one page, or at the most a couple of pages, just enought to make you think, 'i'll read just one more chapter, just to see what happens next' I know that's what I thought anyway.
I loved the descriptions of the cities where the action takes place, I loved reading about the art of Da Vinci, and I loved reading a cracking good tale in all.
I would recommend this to those who are open-minded and enjoy a thrilling read with perhaps a little more besides. A fine read, I shall be reading a little more of Dan Brown too, I thought that his writing was very good, it certainly kept me engrossed and entertained.
The paperback edition I reviewed is priced at £6.99, but available at Amazon for £4.89, or maybe perhaps cheaper still on Ebay or at Amazon Marketplace.
Thanks for reading.
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Great review, I loved this book too - it went everywhere with me while I was reading it. It's really weird how everyone either seems to love it or hate it. Kind of like Marmite..
danrugby2005 01.03.2006 21:50
great book! great review!
flumpet 27.02.2006 10:03
Very helpful review, I'm waiting to borrow this book and I'm really looking forward to it now :-)
Advantages: Cliffhangers virtually at the end of every chapter, it's ausom! enjoyable to read and very Addictive! Disadvantages: Lacked In story- quite typical of a thriller, some of the twists could easily be anticipated
Apr 2nd, 2005
very helpful by (98%):
helpful by (2%):
