Book Review: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

by Abby

The Da Vinci Code is a thrilling mystery that begins with Harvard Symbologist Robert Langdon receiving an urgent late night phone call while in Paris on business. Langdon is startled when confronted with the news that the elderly curator of the famed Louvre museum has been murdered and that a perplexing cipher had been discovered near his body. With the aid of intelligent cryptologist Sophie Neveu, Langdon is stunned to find that the cipher leads them on a trail of clues cleverly disguised in various pieces of Leonardo Da Vinci’s artwork.

The stakes are raised, however, when Langdon realizes the involvement of a secret society that is also following the clue trail. In a frantic race across Paris and England, Langdon realizes that they teeter on the brink of uncovering an ancient historical secret that may prove as enlightening as it is dangerous.

The Da Vinci Code is a fast-paced narrative that I found nearly impossible to put down. Brown’s novel hit the ground running with suspense laced into the first page and throughout the whole book. Many of the chapters have cliffhanger endings that compel you to continue turning the pages. One thing that surprised me about this book was its readability. Occasionally with adult books I find that they are so permeated with scientific terms and obscure words that they are incredibly difficult to read. Not so with the Da Vinci Code. Brown’s intricately woven story seems to flow effortlessly from page to page. His characters are also well created leaving you with the feeling that you have known them for quite some time. They have a certain complexity that adds tremendously to the book. The settings are also well chosen and are explained in great detail. I think this is a great read for both teens and adults, and although the content is well chosen it may be a bit much for young teens.

The characters, setting, and plot are extremely well written and leave you completely immersed in the story from the suspenseful beginning to the satisfying conclusion. I give this book two thumbs up.