The Da Vinci Code: A Review
The Da Vinci Code is a thriller novel written by Dan Brown in 2003, which contains a gripping blend
of religious conspiracies, mysteries and romance.
The novel begins with the murder of Louvre curator Jacques Sauniere. Symbologist Robert
Langdon is called to the crime scene, under the guise of the French authorities requiring his
knowledge of interpreting symbols. Unbeknown to him, a cryptic message left by the late curator
in his own blood makes Langdon the main suspect as leads the police presume that he is
responsible. Langdon’s theorising is interrupted by a cryptographer called Sophie Neveu, who
bursts into the room claiming to have deciphered the code. She cleverly communicates to
Langdon the real reason he has been contacted and together they must escape the police in order
to embark on a journey to solve a series of perplexing clues hidden in the art work of Leonardo
Da Vinci. While they are hunted down by both the police and a sect of the Catholic Church (known
as Opus Dei), time is running out as they attempt to uncover the truth behind the divinity of Jesus
Christ and the Holy Grail.
The character that I found most compelling was Sophie Neveu, the cryptographer and estranged
granddaughter of Jacques Sauniere. She is quick witted, compassionate and continually
underestimated by the male characters around her. Brown goes into more detail regarding her
past and so her character feels more genuine. Her and Langdon working together to solve puzzles
- all while being pursued – makes for a suspenseful and fast paced read. With the inclusion of a
series of controversial hypothesises regarding Jesus Christ and the relationship he possibly had
with Mary Magdalene, the novel is intriguing and thought provoking in spite of most of the
theories being quite far-fetched. In comparison to the immense emotional journey that Neveu
experiences, Langdon’s character seems less real and relatable. Considering how taxing their
adventures are, Langdon doesn’t seem to learn much about himself or really develop as a
character, and I found that somewhat frustrating.
I think that the central theme of the novel – history’s compatibility with faith - is intended to
challenge the readers perception of organised religion. Brown’s speculation regarding Da Vinci’s
paintings, their meanings and the ways that Da Vinci meant for them to be interpreted was
especially fascinating. Throughout the novel, Langdon and Neveu theorise together and I found
being able to see their thought processes particularly intriguing. My favourite moments had to be
the times that Langdon and Neveu figured out answers to some of the trickier clues, and a plot
twist at the end that reveals the completely unexpected identity of a character called ‘The
Teacher’. With Neveu finding new hope and Langdon solving the mystery in the final few pages,
the ending is very pleasing. Despite apparently figuring it out, Langdon decides against confirming
his theory which creates a slight cliff-hanger. As I am inclined to agree with Langdon’s decision,
the cliff-hanger doesn’t detract from the satisfying ending.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in thriller mystery novels. However, this book
would not be suitable for younger readers as it does feature ritualistic self-harm using a ‘cilice’
and other graphic violence. It should also be noted that The Da Vinci Code is highly critical of The
Vatican and the Catholic Church in a way that some readers may find offensive.
The Da Vinci Code is a thriller novel written by Dan Brown in 2003, which contains a gripping blend
of religious conspiracies, mysteries and romance.
The novel begins with the murder of Louvre curator Jacques Sauniere. Symbologist Robert
Langdon is called to the crime scene, under the guise of the French authorities requiring his
knowledge of interpreting symbols. Unbeknown to him, a cryptic message left by the late curator
in his own blood makes Langdon the main suspect as leads the police presume that he is
responsible. Langdon’s theorising is interrupted by a cryptographer called Sophie Neveu, who
bursts into the room claiming to have deciphered the code. She cleverly communicates to
Langdon the real reason he has been contacted and together they must escape the police in order
to embark on a journey to solve a series of perplexing clues hidden in the art work of Leonardo
Da Vinci. While they are hunted down by both the police and a sect of the Catholic Church (known
as Opus Dei), time is running out as they attempt to uncover the truth behind the divinity of Jesus
Christ and the Holy Grail.
The character that I found most compelling was Sophie Neveu, the cryptographer and estranged
granddaughter of Jacques Sauniere. She is quick witted, compassionate and continually
underestimated by the male characters around her. Brown goes into more detail regarding her
past and so her character feels more genuine. Her and Langdon working together to solve puzzles
- all while being pursued – makes for a suspenseful and fast paced read. With the inclusion of a
series of controversial hypothesises regarding Jesus Christ and the relationship he possibly had
with Mary Magdalene, the novel is intriguing and thought provoking in spite of most of the
theories being quite far-fetched. In comparison to the immense emotional journey that Neveu
experiences, Langdon’s character seems less real and relatable. Considering how taxing their
adventures are, Langdon doesn’t seem to learn much about himself or really develop as a
character, and I found that somewhat frustrating.
I think that the central theme of the novel – history’s compatibility with faith - is intended to
challenge the readers perception of organised religion. Brown’s speculation regarding Da Vinci’s
paintings, their meanings and the ways that Da Vinci meant for them to be interpreted was
especially fascinating. Throughout the novel, Langdon and Neveu theorise together and I found
being able to see their thought processes particularly intriguing. My favourite moments had to be
the times that Langdon and Neveu figured out answers to some of the trickier clues, and a plot
twist at the end that reveals the completely unexpected identity of a character called ‘The
Teacher’. With Neveu finding new hope and Langdon solving the mystery in the final few pages,
the ending is very pleasing. Despite apparently figuring it out, Langdon decides against confirming
his theory which creates a slight cliff-hanger. As I am inclined to agree with Langdon’s decision,
the cliff-hanger doesn’t detract from the satisfying ending.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in thriller mystery novels. However, this book
would not be suitable for younger readers as it does feature ritualistic self-harm using a ‘cilice’
and other graphic violence. It should also be noted that The Da Vinci Code is highly critical of The
Vatican and the Catholic Church in a way that some readers may find offensive.
