The Da Vinci Code was one the best books that I've read in a long time. It kept me engaged and captivated with every page. The characters, the thrilling plot, and the fascinating reinterpretation of history and the catholic faith all led to my enjoyment of the novel.
The characters in The Da Vinci Code were so convincing that I was able see the story through their eyes and fully believe the reasons behind what they were doing. Dan Brown, the author, used a complex interplay of direct characterization and indirect characterization, including flashbacks, to create such rich and believable characters. For example, a flashback revealed that Sophie had witnessed her grandfather preforming a ritual that was part of the secret society he was a part of: The Priory of Sion. After seeing this Sophie does not speak with her grandfather for a long time. This flashback indirectly shows that Sophie values trust because having a secret kept from her affected her greatly. Sophie's value of trust can be seen throughout the novel and this flashback just makes that piece of her more convincing. An example of direct characterization is when Dan Brown describes Bezu Fache in chapter three: "The man was stocky and dark, almost Neanderthal, dressed in a dark double-breasted suit that strained to cover his wide shoulders. He advanced with unmistakable authority on squat, powerful legs."
The Da Vinci Code had an exemplary plot that intertwined a page-turning story with in-depth explanations of the complicated codes, the mind-boggling history, the intriguing art, and the characters's fascinating back stories. The story definitely had its exciting moments, which kept me on the edge of my seat for chapters at a time. For example, at the end of chapter 56, Leigh Teabing's butler discovered that Robert and Sophie were wanted by the police. It was impossible to know what Remy, the butler, was going to do without reading the next chapter. And believe me, I couldn't resist! Even though the book had its fast-moving, action packed parts, it also had a great deal of slow-moving, in-depth, explanations. One would think that these explanations would decrease from the enjoyment of the novel, but they do not. In fact they enrich my understanding of the complicated plot lines. For example, without Leigh Teabing's lengthy explanation of the Holy Grail and all of the conspiracy surrounding it, I would not have known the real reason for The Priory of Sion or for Jacques Saunière's coded messages and extreme secrecy.
In addition to an exhilarating plot and beautifully portrayed characters, The Da Vinci Code almost completely reinterprets the catholic faith and the history behind it. These alternate, and highly possible, ideas were backed up so well that they were interesting to ponder and hard to not consider. For example, many people think of the Holy Grail as a holy chalice or the cup of Christ. In The Da Vinci Code, however, the Holy Grail is made out to be a woman named Mary Magdalene, which is thought to be Jesus's wife. This theory is backed up so well by facts, some that may not be entirely true, that it got me thinking many times throughout: is that fact or fiction? Even though I enjoyed contemplating those reinterpretations of history and religion, this is where I must take away that half a star. Some of those theories did sound a little bit crazy and too good to be true. But, that being said, this minor flaw I had with the book did not entirely detract from my fascination of the reinterpretations. Even if those theories were lies created by Dan Brown, every lie is built on a kernel of truth!
So sum it all up, Dan Brown has created a masterpiece worthy of my praise. The convincing characters, exciting plot, and reinterpretations of basic history and religion make this thriller a wonderful read. I highly recommend The Da Vinci Code based on the fact that I enjoyed it and I think you will to!