Book Review: To believe or not to believe...

The Da Vinci Code

Written by:
Dan Brown

After reading this novel twice, once when it came out just to see what the fuss was all about and the other to imagine the cinematography of the upcoming movie (one of my proud habits), I realized that Dan Brown is a modern-day Houdini (if Houdini wrote that is), not in terms of escaping near-death experiences, but in terms of creating a very good illusion for his audience.

First and foremost, let's get one thing straight: This novel is fictional. It is fiction based on facts, no more, no less. With that absolutely and perfectly clear, let's move on.

Dan Brown's style of deception is quite fascinating, I'll say. If you pay attention to his method of narrating, you'll immediately detect his cunning tactic of making people believe that his story is true. This pattern is consistent all through the book: He mentions something fictional, he then surrounds it with facts, then viola!, the fiction becomes fact. Here's an example:

He mentions the location of a precious keystone that an ancient brotherhood is hiding. After doing so, he surrounds this location with historical facts(mind you, some of it is also made up): how the place was built, when it was built, who built it, which monarch funded its construction, which significant historical figure graced the construction and so on and so forth. Or let's say he mentions a significant painting and points out symbols that mean something. He then surrounds these symbols with more history and meanings and the pages go on. SO, instead of focusing on the fiction, the reader gets so enticed with learning the truth and facts, he is then fooled into believing that the foundation is actually true. Surrounding fiction with facts. Brilliant!

So that would pretty much untangle any confusion brought about by this intriguing novel: It's a story, no more no less. Opus Dei is not the new cult of Jesus, Mary Magdalene's involvement is still questionable to this day, and, yes, albinos bleed too. I hope that is, as Tom Cruise said, crystal clear.

But this doesn't take the thrill out of this amazing novel. Dan Brown constructs an adventure surrounded with excitement, drama, secrecy, and betrayal. His short-chapter-what's-gonna-happen-next method of writing makes the reader not want to put the book down. You can actually breeze through the book in a day without getting bored or tired.

I would recommend reading the book before the movie comes out. I believe the movie was constructed under the assumption that majority of its audience have read the novel, much like the Harry Potter series. In any case, you really have nothing to lose. The book, in my opinion, is completely worth it.

In the end, you ask yourself, if this is possible, then what other secrets could the world still be keeping?

RATING: 8 out of 10

"Too many secrets..." The Riddler, Batman Forever