The Da Vinci Code
I thought to myself, "I really need to write about some popular fiction in my blog" and there is no better time to write about Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code than the present. This book is so infused in our modern pop culture you cannot escape it's influence anywhere. Go to cnn.com and you'll find a news story about how Brown has been sued, then sued again, for 'stealing' ideas. Look at the fiction bestsellers list and see what's number 1 and 2 every week. See previews for the movie based on the novel starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou. Not to mention The Da Vinci Code knock-off novels (they should be the ones being sued), the unauthorized companion novels and the History Channel exposes on why his book is still just fantasy. Oh, and of course, the board game.
First off, at UPenn I had a minimester class on Leonardo Da Vinci and there was no mention of the Knights of Templar when I took that class. Mostly the subject matter was boring stuff about his life and all the crazy invention ideas he had, and how he made mad money from the church with his art. So I picked up The Da Vinci Code over two years ago when my college knowledge was pretty fresh. I can say everything I read in the book was never covered in my college class, so for me it really was pure fiction.
The hook of the first chapters is amazing - intrigue, murder, art history. All the stuff I could ever want in a fluff novel. The characters are interesting, the villain unknown.....
and then comes the ending.
Soooo cheesy. Soooo unbelievable and eye-rolling bad. It reads a bit like a Jerry Bruckheimer movie, which isn't a compliment. The main character, the scholar, suddenly turns into Indiana Jones and does some crazy ass stunts and acts of violence by the end. I thought that was pretty ridiculous considering this is a nerdy bookworm type character, much like my real minimester professor, who probably hadn't worked out in a long time. Not to mention the last chapter is just kinda painful to read and totally deflated. The 'conclusion' just didn't do it for me. Brown's first novel Angels and Demons was more of the same. I haven't read another one of his books since because I realized he's a one-trick pony. Interesting hooks but no sweet pay-off endings.
My two cents on why The Da Vinci Code is a phenomenon? The subject is controversial and religious and you feel like you're getting a history lesson (although you're not really) without the snoozing you may remember from history class. It's a smooth read, not too many big words or fancy talk, so anyone can pick it up with any kind of reading level. That's okay with me, I'm glad there is some book I can talk to people about, although I do wish it was Case Histories instead.
What's funny is that of all the people I've talked to about this book not one person is ever blown-away by it. They usually say the same things I do like "it was really good at the beginning..." or "I really liked the art history stuff." I'm sure there must be plenty of people proclaiming "this book knocked my socks off!" but I haven't met them yet.
What's also funny is that when I mention to someone one of my pastimes is reading, the first thing they ask me is, "Have you read The Da Vinci Code?" I usually laugh at this, and say yes, of course. How could I not? It's part of adult American pop culture and I'm the Pop Culture Woman.
First off, at UPenn I had a minimester class on Leonardo Da Vinci and there was no mention of the Knights of Templar when I took that class. Mostly the subject matter was boring stuff about his life and all the crazy invention ideas he had, and how he made mad money from the church with his art. So I picked up The Da Vinci Code over two years ago when my college knowledge was pretty fresh. I can say everything I read in the book was never covered in my college class, so for me it really was pure fiction.
The hook of the first chapters is amazing - intrigue, murder, art history. All the stuff I could ever want in a fluff novel. The characters are interesting, the villain unknown.....
and then comes the ending.
Soooo cheesy. Soooo unbelievable and eye-rolling bad. It reads a bit like a Jerry Bruckheimer movie, which isn't a compliment. The main character, the scholar, suddenly turns into Indiana Jones and does some crazy ass stunts and acts of violence by the end. I thought that was pretty ridiculous considering this is a nerdy bookworm type character, much like my real minimester professor, who probably hadn't worked out in a long time. Not to mention the last chapter is just kinda painful to read and totally deflated. The 'conclusion' just didn't do it for me. Brown's first novel Angels and Demons was more of the same. I haven't read another one of his books since because I realized he's a one-trick pony. Interesting hooks but no sweet pay-off endings.
My two cents on why The Da Vinci Code is a phenomenon? The subject is controversial and religious and you feel like you're getting a history lesson (although you're not really) without the snoozing you may remember from history class. It's a smooth read, not too many big words or fancy talk, so anyone can pick it up with any kind of reading level. That's okay with me, I'm glad there is some book I can talk to people about, although I do wish it was Case Histories instead.
What's funny is that of all the people I've talked to about this book not one person is ever blown-away by it. They usually say the same things I do like "it was really good at the beginning..." or "I really liked the art history stuff." I'm sure there must be plenty of people proclaiming "this book knocked my socks off!" but I haven't met them yet.
What's also funny is that when I mention to someone one of my pastimes is reading, the first thing they ask me is, "Have you read The Da Vinci Code?" I usually laugh at this, and say yes, of course. How could I not? It's part of adult American pop culture and I'm the Pop Culture Woman.
1 Comments:
The fact that the movie is coming out has prevented me from reading the book and avoiding as much opinion as possible. Looks really good and I know there's this huge backstory about it.
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