The Weird and The Wacky Meet

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The Da Vinci Code:  Mundane Fiction Wrapping Fascinating History

The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown, is spending its forty-seventh week on the New York Times Bestseller List.  Millions of people have read this novel about a man trying to solve a murder that involves a Catholic cult, an ancient society protecting the secret of the Holy Grail and a race across England and France though churches and museums. 

                 From the get-go, it’s obvious that Brown has done his research.  And what fascinating research it is.  The humdrum plot is overshadowed by the history of religion that it conveys.  I found myself compelled to follow up on what he described and explained.  For example, when Brown has a character comment about an odd feature of da Vinci’s “Last Supper”, I rushed to look at the painting to confirm that his analysis was correct, which it was. 

                 Brown has a knack for explaining religious symbolism and practices.  His language may have lacked imagery, but it certainly got the point across.  There are several surprising but true facts about Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular to be found within the pages.  The best thing about the book is how much time and care went into making sure that the claims were historically accurate.  If you know about the history of early Christian leaders, then you’ll understand the schisms and politicking that the book is trying to explain.

                 I was very impressed with the courage of the author in the early pages of the book to go against traditional Christian teachings in favor of a more honest scholarly approach.  However, as I read on, I felt that Brown chickened out and made concessions to reach a wider audience by trying not to offend them.  I don’t want to give away the ending, but everything the author said about Opus Dei members is true.  They are an ultra-conservative sect within the Catholic Church, and in a world where moderation is needed between conservatives and liberals, he went way too easy on them.

                 Overall, the book was a worth reading.  Though it was a mystery, it didn’t grab me the way some do.  Rather, the plot was a vehicle for passing along all the research on the history of religion.  The characters were a bit thicker than cardboard, since the author did do his best to provide them with adequate backgrounds, but it still felt forced and artificial, so it was hard to care about them.   Even so, it’s not an easy read, so don’t count on reading it on the beach. 

                 I would recommend this novel to anyone with an interest in religious history, I might even recommend to a lover of mystery novels, because this was better than average.  However, despite its popularity, The Da Vinci Code is good, not great. 

 

3 out of 5 stars.

Copyright 2004

Jesus Eats Dinner With His Wife

(The Last Supper

By Leonardo da Vinci

By Amanda Evans

Original Publishing Date: 03/04/04