The Intrigue of The Da Vinci Code
By Addison McClure
By Addison McClure
I recently finished The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. This book is a murder mystery about a secret society that holds a secret about the very foundation of Christianity. The main character, Robert Langdon, and cryptographer Sophie Neveu suddenly find themselves solving the mysterious death of Jacques Sauniere, a museum curator. I found this book to be entertaining and worthwhile. One thing worth mentioning though is that secret society, called the Priory of Sion, that the book is based on was actually proven to be a hoax later on. Even though the book is based on fabricated events, I would still recommend the book to any one who enjoys murder mystery novels because it is not meant to be taken as fact.
The Da Vinci Code book cover
The plot structure of the book is going back and forth between several characters. The two main characters the plot focuses on are Robert Langdon, the professor, and Silas, a follower of Opus Dei. Robert Langdon's plot line follows him and Sophie Neveu as the try to crack the codes left by Sauniere before his death. Silas's plot line follows him trying to find and retrieve an item possessed by the members of the Priory of Sion as instructed by an anonymous teacher. Both plots intertwine with one another which keeps you engaged because you begin to connect the dots between both plots.
Another aspect of the book that I enjoyed was the incorporation of images. While there are not pictures on every page, the author does include several visual representation of the codes that Robert and Sophie are trying to figure out. For example, the author includes the text the Robert and Sophie are reading in a different format then the rest of the book which gives the effect that the readers are solving the code as well. The addition of this in the visuals helped me to understand the book a little better because I was able imagine what the characters were seeing.
The Last Supper is referenced in the book
The characters themselves are intriguing as well. As you are following the main plot, you are also following the development of what the characters know about themselves. Specifically Sophie, who had connections with the museum curator, learns more about her family's history and ties to the Priory of Sion as she solves the codes. Smaller details such as Sophie's development help to keep the reader interested in the text because it provides more suspense for the novel. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who finds the murder mystery genre intriguing.
I liked the way that you explained the story had some elements taken from real life, but was entirely fictional. It helped me understand the background of the book. I also liked the way you said the visuals provided by the book added to your reading experience. I have seen this movie, and now I think I will consider reading the book as well.
ReplyDelete-Florence Lin
This review is comprehensive, and gives me enough to understand the general idea of the book. I appreciate the summary at the beginning, but it feels it a little rushed. Besides that, this seems like a solid review. I might check this book out, as it appears to have an aura of suspense around it. Good review, and seems like a good choice.
ReplyDelete--احمد
I liked the way how you walked your reader through the plot. The plot seems very interesting and I might consider reading it as I do like murder mysteries. I also liked the fact that the book includes images and you put some pictures in your blog post of things that were referenced in the book. Your review is solid and I'll probably read it in the future.
ReplyDelete-Janaki Kapadia
I really liked this blog post, and found it to be simple yet informative. You don't give too much information about the book to where I felt that I had read it myself, but enough that I understand what the book is about. I also liked how you added a picture of the last supper painting, which gave a visual reference that was nice. I also liked how you talked about the characters. Very good blog!
ReplyDeleteI think this blog is well written and thought out. It gives me a good idea of the book's writing style and theme. The characters seem well supported and real. I think adding pictures also sounds unique and interesting in a novel like this. I will definitely check this book out in the future because it seems to have a strong plot and I generally enjoy murder mysteries.
ReplyDeleteI like how the post is concise but still informative. Even though the plot is based around a fake secret society, I would still probably enjoy it as a fiction book rather than a book based on a true story. The Da Vinci Code sounds like an intriguing book!
ReplyDelete