Every summer I tend to enjoy reading action and adventure thrillers. The genre seems perfect for the hot weather outside as all of the action builds to a heated crescendo. Last week I participated in a diary called the Pepys Project in one of the groups I am part of, the reading for pleasure book club. The diarist relays pertinent literary information on a daily basis to ones peers. It happened that author Dan Brown celebrated a birthday last week, and as I had never read his best selling DaVinci Code, the diary reminded me that the summer was a good as time as any to partake in this thriller.

World renowned Harvard professor Robert Langdon is in Paris to deliver a lecture about his latest findings in cryptic symbology. As Langdon addresses his speech, nearby at the Louvre museum an albino monk on orders from his teacher brutally murders curator Jacques Sauniere. These two events are not mere coincidence as Sauniere had been planning on meeting with Langdon later in the evening. As he lay dying, Sauniere penned cryptic codes to both Langdon and his granddaughter Sophie Neveu. It would be up to the pair to crack these mysteries before the church uncovered the secrets that Sauniere had worked his entire life to guard.

Once Langdon and Neveu meet up, together they discover that Sauniere had been the grand master of the Priory of Sion, an ancient society which believed in an alternate true history of Christianity. Sauniere left the duo a trail of clues to find the true resting place of the holy grail, that is before Catholic fanatical sect Opus Dei beats them to it and destroys the information. Through a intricate web of surveillance and bribes, however, Paris of chief police Bezu Fache believes that Langdon and Neveu to be guilty of Sauniere's murder. Ensuing, is a race through Paris and London to ensure that the grail and its secrets do not fall into the wrong hands.

Brown details centuries of religious symbols and information as he has Langdon and Neveu quest to keep the Priory's secrets safe. Along the way they meet a number of characters, never knowing if one is friend, foe, or double agent. As a result, the action is fast paced, intriguing, and even brain exercising as I thought alongside the pair to crack open the codes that Sauniere left for them. In a structure of short chapters and changing points of view, Brown created a story that grew more thrilling as it went on. This created for an entertaining denouement which read quickly to the end.

While it remains to be seen if the mysteries outlined in The DaVinci Code are fact, fiction, or somewhere in between, Dan Brown has created a fun concept that makes for thrilling summer reading. The novel grew to be an international best seller and later made into a movie starring Tom Hanks. Even though movies are usually not as good as their novel counterparts, Brown's thriller should translate well onto screen as it is all action. The Pepys Project lead me to a summer reading adventure, which I rate 3.75 stars. I look forward to Dan Brown's next installment starring Robert Langdon.

For cheap supermarket fiction, this sure was cheap supermarket fiction. It would have helped if this was the first book I had ever read. Unfortunately, having read Curious George as a child (a towering work of literary genius by comparison), The DaVinci Code suffered perhaps unjustly.

حسناً ... بدايةً اودُ التنبيه الى شيء في غاية الاهمية ، لن تتمكن من فهم الروايه و ما فيها اذا لم تكن لديك معلومات عن ( مريم المجدلية ، بطرس ، فكرة عن الطوائف المسيحية ، اخوية سيون ، الكأس المقدسة ، النجمة الخماسيه ، ليونارد دافينشي ، لوحتا العشاء الاخير و الموناليزا ) لذلك سأكتُب القليل عنهم في نهاية الملخص ، اما اذا كانت لديك معلومات و لو بسيطة فيمكنك ان تفهم ما يجري .
تعتمد الرواية على الرموز و الاحاجي ( الالغاز ) عندما تتأمل في كثير من سطورها ستجد بأن الغرض منها ليست مجرد احداث بوليسية او كشف حقائق معينة و بيان مدى صحتها ، لكن الامر الذي ركزَ عليه المؤلف مابين السطور " اعتبار ان جميع الاديان موضوعة ، اي انها مجرد رموز و إن كل مجموعه من الناس آمنتْ بشيء معين و اصبحت الديانات و المذاهب جزء من حياتهم " ، و اراد ايضاً ان يصل الى نقطة مهمه ( رجال الدين ممكن ان يجعلوا من الدين حجة على الناس لبقائهم و ذلك من خلال تقديسهم و تبجيلهم و استخدام اي و سيلة للوصول الى ذلك ) و خلال سرد التفاصيل ذكرَ ان الانجيل الحالي هو جُمِعَ على يد الامبراطور قسطنطين لكن هذا الامبراطور في الاصل وثني اي انه كان يؤمن بالطبيعه فقد كان الدين الرسمي في روما هو عبادة الشمس لكن مع اهتياج متزايد لأتباع المسيح فقد خشيّ ان تنقسم روما لذلك قرر توحيدها تحت لواء دين واحد و هو المسيحية الكاثوليكية و ان فكرة " المسيح هو ابن الرب " قد تم التصويت عليها من قبل المجلس النيقاوي اذاً المسألة هي سلطة و نفوذ ( فكرة المسيح كمخلص كان ضرورياً لتفعيل وظيفة الكنيسة و الدولة ) ، و كذلك المسيحية التي جاء بها السيد المسيح تختلف عن الكاثوليكية التي اسسها بطرس و المفاهيم التي ادخلها الرومان بعد اعتناقهم للمسيحية ، و حاول من خلال الرواية يُظهرْ انّ المسيحية في الاصل تقوم جذورها على الديانه اليهودية
؛ في اغلب فصول الكتاب ميّز الكاتب بين الكاثوليكية و قوانين الكنيسة من جهة و الوثنيه من جهة اخرى ، شرح من خلالها ان الكنيسة كانت تعرف بتلك الحقائق لكنها قامت بإخفائها و كذلك غيبت هيمنة الالهة الانثوية ،
الروايه ذات حبكه ، سرد ، تفاصيل برأيي لا يمكن ان يختلف عليها احد كذلك المعلومات التي تكسبها للقارئ لكن " الحقائق التي تكشفها لن يتمكن القارئ من الحكم على مدى صحتها كونّهُ غير مٰلِم بكثير من تفاصيل الديانة المسيحية " .

@ توضيح لبعض التفاصيل :
* مريم المجدلية
تعتبر من اهم تلميذات السيد المسيح وكان عددهم " ١٢ " ، و قد اختلفت الروايات في مكانتها فمنهم من يعتبرها امرأة سيئة ( حسب رأيي الكاثوليكية ) و منهم من يعتبرها زوجة السيد المسيح .
* بطرس
احد تلاميذ السيد المسيح لكنه كان على خلاف مع مريم المجدلية .
* اخوية سيون
تأسست في القدس ، ١٠٩٩ م ، على يد ملك فرنسي ( غودفروا دو بيون ) بعد ان احتلها ، كان الهدف منها هو الاحتفاظ بسر و وثائق معينة و فيها عدة اعضاء سريين ، منهم دافينشي ، نيوتن ، فيگتور هوجو )
حسب رأيي الكاتب لكن الرأيي الاخر يقول بأنها تأسست ١٩٥٦ على يد بيير بلانتار .
الكأس المقدسه
استخدمها السيد المسيح في العشاء الاخير و تدور حولها روايات متعددة في كيفية شرحها او تفسيرها .
* النجمة الخماسية ( المقدسه )
رمز يعود الى ما قبل المسيحية و يدل على عبادة الطبيعة ( الوثنية ) ، الذي يؤمن بها يعتقد بأن العالم منقسم الى نصفين في كل شيء ( مذكر و مؤنث ) و ان هذه النجمه تشير الى ا��نصف المؤنث الذي بشكل قدح و النصف المذكر الذي يكون بشكل السيف و مع اندماجهما تتشكل نجمه داوود ، من كان يعتقد بها هو شخص مرفوض من قبل الكنيسة الكاثوليكية ، و قد حاولت الكنيسة تشويه الرموز الوثنية بكل الطرق حتى و صفتها برمز الشيطان ، و قامت بألغاء المفاهيم القديمه لجذب الناس الى الديانة الكاثوليكية .
* لوحة العشاء الاخير
رسمها دافينشي ، المسيح يجلس في الوسط و الى يمينه و يساره يجلس تلاميذه ، كانت مريم تجلس بالقرب منه و من خلال اللوحه يتشكل الحرف V و يرمز الى الالهة الانثى و ايضاً الى الكأس المقدسة ، تظهرْ في اللوحة سكينة لكن لا تنتمي الى اي شخص ، اراد من خلالها ان يُظهر عداوة بطرس ل مريم المجدلية .
* لوحة الموناليزا
رسمها دافينشي كان يقصد ان النصف الايمن من الوجه يمثل الذكر و الايسر يمثل الانثى ، جاءت تسمية اللوحه من خلال دمج اسمي ( آمون + ليزا ) و هما اله الخصوبة الذكرية و المؤنثة .

Ladies and gentlemen I am before the more complicated review that I have to write, and quite possibly will generate the rejection of much of the Goodreads community. First of all, I apologize to everyone who put him like to my review, thinking that he would him the book of the "Da Vinci Code" a good note. I must admit, that you underestimate to the "Da Vinci Code" thought that a book was very bad, and have come to realize that it is one of the worst books I've ever read. Of course my relationship with this book began long ago, when this book getting hits and had success without any reason. . Everyone seemed to feel fascinated by this book. As I knew, that this book was bad I did know, but I found the misunderstanding of people, who want more my friends. That even though I well informed, despite not having read told me that the book was great, when I retorted them telling them of the numerous historical errors told me, but you have tests, although I would have had them no one would have believed me. This is the first phase the second began when I arrived at Goodreads. I thought that this book would be a short-lived, and would soon be forgotten, but me. So, that most hurt me by misfortune was that large number of Catholic and Christian users put him four, and five star. This review there is to be understood only as a criticism only this book, but certain literary phenomena praised by the public, or which are backed by lobbyists, which we will call the new world order. Is very difficult, which I can understand these people (I apologize to those people who asked me friendship and who does not accept, know now because he does not accept them as friends on Goodreads. Anyway, do not reject their friendship, just not accept them as friends, but, although did not accept them as friends for that reason can follow me, and also write me whenever they want. I will reply to them always with respect, and affection). In this case as the criticism can be long (my intention is to not pass six pages, but I don't think you get it, I will just share links of unknown writers). As a user told me I know that I have all lost, that the books of Dan Brown have triumphed, and has earned a lot of money. If people have not paid attention to the wise words of Anthony Esolen, Amy Welborn, Carl E. Olson, Sandra Miesel, and Michael Coren much less it will lend me a unknown user of goodreads, but as G.K. Chesterton says "there is nothing closer to paradise to win a battle that was believed lost". I do several things first thing is to thank a person who I play, it gave it is true, that she is a fan of this book, and unfortunately not going to like anything that I'm going to say about the book. I hope that you will forgive me for what I say. That which is not worth me the excuse that has been given, that it is true that the book is bad, but intrigue is very good. It has not affected my faith (congratulations, but to others, if occurred them), what he says is a lie, but it also says them. Gentlemen I believe, that is the truth with touch without offending anyone. To me I'm not worth the slogan of the daughter of Fu Manchu "of telling me lies, but tell them to me with sweetness" I would recommend them to read a story by g. k. Chesterton "Curse of the golden cross" because it is the key to everything. Summary it is the story of a murderer, who wants to become a relic, and is disguised as priest and tells a story based on newspapers and novels. That, is what makes Dan Brown guided by the ideology of the new world order, it is inoculated into the reader the politically correct. The first scene of the book shows how bad writing that is. There are times when you do not know, where are each character, and you lose. That, drive very few characters (Langdon, Sophie Neveu, Sauniere, Bezu Fache, Vernet, Silas, Aringarosa, Remy, the editor of Langdon, Remy, Sir Leigh Teabing, and some more police, and still doesn't move them.) The action scenes are very badly written, so that they seem to have died, and then come back, nor I have the temporal structure of the book is very clear to me. The action scenes are very badly written, so that they seem to have died, and then come back, nor I have the temporal structure of the book is very clear to me. A character is in a place, and in some pages will appear in another scenario) I am not a fan of Opus Dei, but it is that Brown says a number of untruths, which, if I ever doubt entered as cash, and read this novel would no doubt enter. None of that tells Mr Brown is new. His sympathetic albino (Silas). It seems to have come out of "The monk" M.G. Lewis. He drinks deeply anti-Catholic books, like good descendant of the Mayflower pioneers. Attacks on Opus Dei are not new, other writers anti-Catholic as Sue in "The wandering Jew", the own Stendhal "Red and black" in Spain we have the case of "A.M.D.G." have already seen how these books were used to attack the Jesuits. Opus Dei has already suffered attacks on its inception in a play inspired in "The Tartuffe" was an attack on Opus Dei. The own Morris West in his penultimate novel "Eminence" part of the plot was to blame the crimes of the dictatorship of Videla Opus Dei. Criticism as excess money, or that they favor among them are more legitimate, but I am in profound disagreement with Mr Brown, they used mescaline, to cause hallucinations, using hair to whip himself (I doubt, that someone use them), and that they bought the acquiescence of the Vatican, and also deeply at odds with the subject of women. There is no regular order of Opus Dei. Another thing, they are not terrorist, and you too has raised the level of influence in the Vatican. As to brainwash other groups I can think of things like the Nmivix that sect, who kidnap women, and prostituted them covered by Hollywood (in fact I am a lover of film, but not the current ideology of Hollywood. We saw in the 1950s, it fell into the McCathysm. It was somewhat contentious, but logical, considering that this ideology has killed 100 million people and is still killing. . The paradox is that we have gone to the extreme opposite in such a way is that if you're not on the left you can do movies, and have seen their bullying recently when Disney which you talked about in his novel, and Netflix threatening mafia way not roll in Georgi a, and Alabama but withdraw their pro-life bills. Mr Brown seemed to me, what he said the Disney was stupid, but seeing as it is attacking what has filled you with money the family unfortunately I assume, that at that point he was right. True, if in the dialogue that Bezu Fache and Langdon have speaking of as misrepresents Hollywood reality why it has allowed them to adapt her novels? Let us be honest Hollywood only makes movies for half of the population, and one feels now when he leaves a room of cinema as John Smith "The Brave new world"), and as soon as that may be Catholic terrorists again returns to wrong religion. Or the anvil which is the most extreme is terrorist). Another thing that has displeased me book is Mr Robert Langdon, certainly seems a conceited playboy, and with excess of libido (said that he was inspired by Indiana Jones, but Dr. Jones starts skeptical, and at the end just believing). One of the scenes that has most displeased me book is during the investigation. It is the intelligent who is Robert Langdon, and the fool who is the Catholic Bezu Fache is a mixture of bad of Watson-Closseau, to show the ignorant, and stupid, that we are Catholics. Saunieré leaves a message and already Fache this thinks Langdon is guilty, lousy method of detection. Note that does not know you, how the police. Sometimes the author echoes its provincialism, and their ingrained prejudices, as when in page 29 accused the French of being sexist. I see, that you don't know French women, who are the most liberal of the Earth. Mr Brown, who do not agree as the Me Too, unlike us does not convert the French male chauvinists, but a people with common sense, who rejects the NOM. It is not that he is a very religious people. In fact, since the third Republic France is a secular country, but perhaps because they have seen the ears with may 68 Wolf, now is they have transgressed (However, today the most interesting countries of this decrepit Europe are Hungary, and Poland). Page 52, Mr Brown shows his perfect ignorance, that thing most improper of which may be one of the best universities, as Harvard (where you studied. Certainly, to universities or general studies were created by the sexist Catholic Church) Easter Seals have nothing to do with the Ku Klux Klan. Then you sell us the image of the goddesses, I recommend to read another account of the great "The eye of Apollo" Chesty. The recently deceased Gene Wolfe understood better than you paganism and in one sentence of his novel "A soldier of the mist" captured its essence. If you knew something of paganism, he would know that in reality to the priestess of Astarte and Istar should exercise sacred prostitution. That is what you want our women to become prostitutes. Mr Brown Christianity ended with paganism, as the official religion, but my view did more harm authors as Carneaces Democritus, Epicurus, Aristofenes, Lucretius, Catullus, who laughed at the gods, in such a way, that already the people did not believe in them. Despite the attempt, that made Augusto reform Customs failed, and until the second century they had to prove certain philosophies as stoicism. The problem is that we try to imitate bad paganism and not to the virtuous as of Cornuto, Epictetus, Traseas, Iamblichus. If you read the Iliad, you will notice that the behavior of the gods gives embarrassment. These gods do not deserve to be worshipped. But yet I prefer to the virtuous Pagan, which, to the skeptical pagano, who no longer believe in their gods. Neither ran so they should have recourse to solar deities, that associated as the imperial cult, but of course, if fall emperors, as the imperial authority weakens. Let us be sincere Mr Brown. Today is recalled to Rome, and the Roman Empire because Christians, since those citadels preserved his legacy, and saved texts. Own Chateaubriand in 'The genius of Christianity' shows the superiority in the art of Catholic art against the pagan https://www.goodreads.com/series/1129... as Leonard Da Vinci I disagree with you and Mr Isaacson. I do not deny his homosexuality, but I doubt that as much as the Renaissance is anthropocentric, you worship nature, and rise the classic, yet was still Christian. So Leonard Da Vinci could not be the creator of the Priory of Sion, which is of the Decade of the 50s of the last century. Here we have the real Leonardo. Oh, by the way, that cupcake is not Madeleine, but San Juan Evangelista, and if you don't believe me look at the San Juan Bautista https://www.religionenlibertad.com/cu... The Sacre Couer, is not exotic, but neoclassical style in particular influenced by Byzantine architecture, which influenced Islamic art. On page 158, the Inquisition did not write El Maellus Maleficarum, but two German Dominicans were Kramer and Spranger. It must be said, in Germany there was no Inquisition since in 1236 Bishop Conrad of Marburg was killed. The paradox is that, in Spain, and in Italy where if had Inquisition, despite literature, there was almost no processes of witchcraft, and in countries, where there was who had more processes (not to mention that at the end were Protestants who ultimately burned more Witches). Would recommend you this book "Brief history of the Inquisition" of José Ignacio de la Torre https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... because unlike you, I do not recommend to psychologists and UFOlogists, but historians of truth. By the way, that the Inquisitor, who instructed the process of Zugarramurdi Alonso Salazar and cold. He came to admit, that he did not believe in witchcraft, so the Inquisition, almost not pursued witches, and was a guarantee for a process and a fair. By the way, read a history of the crusades in conditions (here I recommend some historians, Steven Weidenkopf, Thomas F. Madden, Jonathan Riley Smith, Ashbridge and Stephen Runciman, because if not I'm going to think, that Sir Leigh Teabing, and his Robert Langdon them) they gave the Chair in a raffle. Godfrey was not King of Jerusalem, but defender of the Holy Sepulchre. Oh and the Latin King of the second Crusade was not Baldwin II, but his grandson Baldwin III. In addition, I, I'm a big fan of the Crusades, I always thought in my ignorance, that they were to free the Holy places of the Turks, and to defend our Byzantine brothers, and not to protect the memory of the Magdalena. In addition, to me, I love how you change responsibilities Felipe IV and Pepin of Heristal finished with the Templars, and Dagoberto is killed, and make that the Church supports them, and you think that it is the Church who does it. But, how it will help the Church with a King, who contract to a villain, for slapping Pope Bonifacio VIII?) Pope Clement V wasn't inductor, a puppet named by King Felipe IV for their purposes. Oh also the Popes in France were at that time, and not in Rome. As for the Pope, already Zevaco invented that, and Katherine Neville was ahead of you with the cupcake in his novel "The magic circle". In terms of the divinity of Christ all the fathers of the Church Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Tatian, Saint Clement of Alexandria, origins, and Tertullian defended it. Therefore, it wasn't a Constantine caprichito, and what was decided in Nicea, is not whether Christ was God or not. In that were agreement all Catholics and Arians, but if Christ was the son of God, or not. No one doubted his divinity, and the books were already determined. The Gospels of Philip and Mary, you cite, on the contrary, apart from very misogynist. Since they make cupcake man. As for the idea that Christ is not God, I will paraphrase C.S Lewis ' call you crazy, blasphemous, or you kneel, and worship him as a God, but not to consider a teacher of morality, because that is what is not " . Those ideas, apart from that are labels, like the world. Renan, had already proposed it and Gnosticism Anatole France. Precisely the reason, why those books were discarded was due to that they wrote in late, and also instead of emphasizing the humanity of Christ, enhanced his divinity. What the spouse of Christ, already occurred to the great, although a little unorthodox Anthony Burgess and not married to Christ, cupcake, but with such a Sarah, that Sir Leigh Teabing became his daughter. As for what's the lineage Benjamite is telling me, that Madeleine is a descendant of King Saul. I see it, difficult, since except for Mefibal all descendants of Saul were killed. In addition, without sin, you snob, and classist. We live in a democracy, who cares which one is son of King. But, what a coincidence that the descendants of the Magalen praises, and emparenten with the lineage of the Merovingians, just highlight Merovech, Clovis, Chlothar. By the way, that they were known for their religiosity, and not worship the great goddess. That leave it to Robert Graves. It was also the last King Chilperic II. Please read this book "Stories of the Merovingian times" https://www.iberlibro.com/buscar-libr... by the way, you will know which was on the verge of going to pique that dynasty, by a civil war between two women, Fradegunda, and Brunequilda. Thus I could not it as an example of how wonderful female. By the way, feels that we are like the bonobo, and that here everything arranged with sex. Man is a social animal capable of controlling his emotions. The Church does not pursue sex, they condemned the abuse, or lack of it, many heresies were banned by condemning it. The Miss Neveu sees his Grandpa behaving as a satyr, but be lenient with him, because it serves to the goddess, and the eternal feminine. Mr Brown, will pay for treatment to people who suffer venereal diseases with the benefits of his novels? Because you said them, you have to imitate Tom Cruise in Eyes Wide Shut. Everything has a risk, and it does not seem right that you us to convert in a satyrs and nymphs. Also have seen the negative effects of pornography, and as it is destroying families? I know what I mean, because I suffer this addiction. By the way, even if you consider it a trickery, don't think, that this rather than congratulate Neveu, not have nor idea of theology, and more when you passed by the mouth of his characters quoting Bible verses. Now let's get to what less I liked the final part which has seemed so cowardly as the inheritance of the wind. At the end is getting into my church policy, and makes what the NWO wants. That is, the progressive to become. It is sad, but in my opinion it is sad, that the alleged villain Aringarosa is right. The keys of the faithful have been due to modernism, and progressive trends. Much of the paedophilia scandals have since little suitable for that Ministry, the famous levada walks people have gotten thanks to the Liberals. What I say is false, you look at the case of the Anglican Church. He did everything that requests that the Catholic, and is now a relic. In addition, those people loves very much power, very little belief in God, and I don't have a church dominated by the new world order. No more interference from the secular power in the Church please. No sincere Catholic goal on its lists referring to Pope, Bernini, and William Shakespeare. This It is as in "Cold fire" as Holly Thorne, that chance that all geniuses of mankind were the Priories, also Christian Newton, I tell him, that he did not believe in the eternal feminine. It is not necessary to be the Club Bilderberg, Freemasonry, nor the Skulls and Bones there are more cults, but only the wealthiest people. The real conspiracy is that cupcake is married to Jesus, and our Church has lied to us, but a group of plutocrats use to this gentleman, to submit to its control, and change the domain of our Church by nothing benign tyranny of some Gates, Soros, Rockefeller, Ford, plutocrats that chance, that those are the ones who dominate the world, and no one attacks them. Precisely, I do not think that the worst book of Mr Brown is this. In "Angels & demons" prequel it this, I said, that the Church could exist, provided that the NOM be progressive. In "Inferno" shows us the requests of the plutocrats. Not to have children, because if not shall the world.. Instead of opening the dead would have been more useful, as the journalist Pablo J. Ginés holds a Marshall plan for the countries of the third world already in 'Origin' commitment to atheism. Unfortunately I think, that his following novels will try to make to humanity (my friend Alfonseca and I talk a lot of the Antichrist. I believe that a person, and he will be an ideology, his theory is true. This would be the Antichrist. The solution is not to ban books like these, nor burn them, but read good books, or do not wish Mr Brown the fate of Salman Rhusdie. This it was talking to Manny and Madeleine people who has free will, not should be banned anything but against bad books I recommend to read good books. In a post I'll recommend some, but they are the di in my review of "King receives" who want to can order me the complete list https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ). I am not a fortune teller, and can't predict the future, but there will come a day that books like these will be relegated to oblivion. This book will not survive the passage of time.

No, I am not!

No, I am not going to write a review about this piece of nonsense just because I had yet ANOTHER of those incredibly annoying conversations (in a bookstore to top it off!).

No, I am not.

Oh, for goodness sake!

It is NOT a great book to broaden your cultural horizons, and whatever the humbug mentioned on Leonardo - it is NOT equivalent to reading a book researched by a REAL art historian, - which is something entirely different from a blind-folded arrogant gold digging bestseller author.

It is not a well-written, exciting thriller.

It is Brown in Wonderland, minus the humour, the wit and the beautiful language of the Wonderland Alice visited, and minus the credible plot.

It is not something a bookworm like me HAS to read! Okay? Once and for all, no!

"Lisa, you as a book lover and art historian must love Dan Brown!"

No! Period. I don't. I read three ... THREE! ... of his arrogant idiocies posing as novels. I DON'T love him.

It makes me furious to get the question, over and over:

"How much of what he discovered on Leonardo is true?"

I did not write a review, I hope. It would have been a bad one. Let's forget it.

I just think it is hard for me at this point to believe that Professor Robert Langdon saved the world 5 times and that symbology is the key to all life problems.

I loved the first book I read by Dan Brown, the second I liked less and the third was very predictable for me. I guess it is the usual formula with the blonde girl, the Mickey watch and the "Unpredictable" twists that I can see miles before they come.

Nothing's personal but I am trying to clean my shelves and add books I am really interested in.

most of us have heard of this controverisal book. it takes an open minded person to read this and to remember it is just fiction. but it brings up a lot of important questions about the Christian church, and the loss of paganism and the respect of the Goddess or the Woman.

I don't care if I am the only one who likes this book. it is my own truth, and i will think what i want to think. Dan Brown didn't LEAD me or anyone else. he OPENED our minds. simply and importantly...he was just a catalyst for different thinking. that is a good thing...poorly written or not.

if you finish the book you will notice that Dan Brown even makes it clear to readers through his characters words, that he doesn't want to destroy christianity because it has done so much good for so many people, and if it works for them, let's let them continue to do what works for them. but find your own path.

if you were or are a Christian ask yourself about the topics in this book. They are so eye opening. Jesus having a baby? totally possible...never thought of it before. never thought of it. is it true? who knows. Things like this are happening all the time today...Weapons of Mass destruction in Iraq? sound familiar? Maybe the church repressed information LIKE this because it was a threat to the church. totally possible. The catholic church creating the biblical canon with a political agenda to wipe out paganism? actually this seems to be a fact. women being oppressed due to the fear of religous zealot men in power losing their power...never looked at it that way. but this seems to be a fact too. is it helpful in broadening my perspective of the fact that christianity is just a religion made by fallible people. it sure is. does it open my mind to other faiths like paganism, judiasm, islam, bhuddism, and want to take the truths from all of them, and then THINK FOR MYSELF and figure out my own truth. it sure does...and that is what this book has probably done for many other people. why do you think Dan Brown's book was on the bestseller list for so long...and became a movie...obviously it was doing some good.

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For the most part, it seems that people either passionately love this book or they passionately hate it. I happen to be one of the former. For my part, I don't see the book so much as an indictment of the Catholic Church in particular but of religious extremism and religion interfering in political process in general. The unwarranted political control granted to extreme religious organizations like the CBN is an issue that we will be forced to address one way or the other. To my eye, our political process has been poisoned by it and the danger of theocracy is quite real. Furthermore, Brown's indictment of the Church for removing or suppressing feminine divinity figures is justified and needs a much closer look. Women do not have enough of a role in religion, religious practice, heroic myths, and creation myths, nor are they portrayed as divinity figures enough. In short, our religious systems and institutions lack balance and have a bias to suppress issues, stories, and roles that empower women to live as equals to men. Finally, Brown wrote his story simplistically, in my view, to spread his tale to as broad an audience as possible. Though it is not as pristine a narrative as, say, Umberto Eco, the message it conveys is one that needs to be heard. More obscure books on the matter are not as accessible as Da Vinci Code and if someone were to write an accessible book of genius on this subject, I would give him/her all due praise. In the meantime, Dan Brown is telling a story that needs to be told. It is one that has been kept quiet and in the dark for far too long.

4 / 5 stars

I'm so glad I eventually got around to reading this story, I understand now why people rave over this book. I waited so long to watch the movie (always got to read the book first lol), trying to keep the mystery a mystery. The only thing that I didn't quite love about this was some of the plot twists were a little easy to guess for me, but it was still such an enjoyable ride!

I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series, I only ever hear great things.

n  "French doctors make me nervous."n

This was... well, not disappointing, but quite repetitive after reader Angels & Demons. I felt like I should've just read this first instead of trying to work my way through the series from first book in release order.

n  "I would not wish a British chef on anyone except the French tax collectors."n

It's not that the book was bad, but everything came out like it's the same story as the first using a different core element. While everything good about the first book, the pace, the suspense, the twists are stil here, I don't think there is a ton of novelty here other than some detailed and immersive code-breaking. Even the character setup was quite similar to Angels & Demons, with only a couple of minor changes. But as far as pure entertainment is concerned, Brown does deliver well. Not to mention the improved inclination towards humor, which was a welcoming change. What's not so welcoming is the author's continuous use of a second language for conversations.

n  "Men go to far greater lengths to avoid what they fear than to obtain what they desire."n

the da vinci code is cool. and i'm not ashamed of that.

this book is fun as hell. i don't care that it reads like grown-up religious nancy drew for men. i don't care that it's sold a bajillion copies and therefore we all have to hate it. i don't care that it takes a weird turn into body horror - okay yes to be fair i do care about that, and dislike it intensely.

but everything else??? i am so on board i can't stand it.

part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago and threaten to reread so many of them it would mean devoting my life exclusively to stuff i've already read