Book:: The DaVinci Code

Hi all,

Over lunch at Chilis, the discussion veered towards The Da Vinci Code penned by Dan Brown. I had heard so much about it, but never really bothered to actually read it since I was not familiar with the works of Dan Brown. However, when the more controversial stuff in the book was being discussed, I was quite intrigued, and went ahead and purchased the book.

In one word: pulsating-mystery-thriller that makes you sit on the edge of your seat. I

t is so intriguing that as I was nearing towards the end before I left for my recent trip to Pakistan, and I forgot my book back in Dubai, I was actually getting frustrated. I was so anxious to come back and finish reading it!

So what’s the big deal about The Da Vinci Code?

Well, it’s a mystery thriller that starts of with the death of a curator at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The death of the curator is no ordinary one, but a murder. However the curator leaves a mysterious message/ code on his body: some symbols and a series of number. Sophie Neveau, a cryptologist, and also the granddaughter of the curator, arrives on the scene to assess the situation. Robert Langdon, an American detective, who happens to be in town, also arrives on the scene.

Thus begins the first steps of an adventure that leads them all over Europe to different locations, encountering various people, good and bad. The French police suspect Robert to be the murderer, and so Robert and Sophie are on the run.

I will not spoil any plot details for you, because the joy will be taken out from reading the novel. However, the interesting part is how our two detectives discover further clues using the previous clues, and stumble upon hidden messages in the painting and works of Leonardo Da Vinci, especially in the world famous painting Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. They come to discover of a secret society, the Priory of Sion, of which Da Vinci and other prominent philosophers and scientists are a part. The more controversial stuff that had led the world to talk about this book deals with the issue that Jesus and Mary Magdalene, the prostitute who Jesus forgave of her sins, are married, and this idea is supported by The Last Supper painting where supposedly one of the thirteen men is a woman, who could be Mary Magdalene, sitting on the right side of Jesus. The two detectives also manage to find clues leading them to the Holy Grail, which is historically known as the cup that held the blood of Jesus Christ. Look at the above picture. Is that person on the right side of Jesus a man or a woman? At the start of the book, the author makes a note about the factual evidence of the existent of a secret society known as the Priory of Sion.

The tricky thing is that the author, in my opinion, mixes facts with fiction, and it becomes quite difficult to separate the two. Following the release of this book, there came ten or so more books refuting the claims that Jesus and Mary were married. Don’t take the book too seriously, read it with an open mind, and be prepared for one huge mystery treasure hunt, filled with clues and new discoveries. The chapters are ridiculously short, and that should make the reading a lot easier.

The only mistake I did was to read it over a long period, and I should have read it in one go. The cool thing is that I recently saw the trailer for the movie, and it looks dark and creepy, yet very exciting. I will be the first in line for this movie as it releases in May 2006!

Verdict: 5 out of 5 for sheer brilliance in plotting, mystery factor and the high level of adrenaline and excitement as we follow the two detectives on an amazing journey.

Mansur