Doug Hilton's Blog

Review of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code

Last night, I finished reading what I would consider the best novel I have read in years. It's been a long time since I've read something that has been able to keep my interest and make we want to continue reading. The book is very well written with lucid descriptions of the places and events surrounding the plot, and the ideas presented are thought prevoking to say the least. My impressions are below, but there may be some spoilers, so be careful.

The Da Vinci Code has come under and enormous amount of criticism by Opus Dei, the Catholic Church, and Christians the world over because of it's depictions of a few radical memebers of the organizations and of course, the underlying principle of the novel. I can't recal having read any more passionate reviews of this book than those posted by the people most upset by it. There seems to be a lot of mindless character assassination and sheer hatred towards Dan Brown for illuminating what he, and may scholars, believes to be the truth about the early Catholic Church and their attempts to gain power.
One review I read attacked the title of the book, saying that "Da Vinci" was not a name used in the academic world to refer to the great Leonardo DaVinci, but was in fact the name of the province in which he made his home. While technically correct, I don't believe this is a valid "attack" due to the recognizability of "Da Vinci" over just "Leonardo". It's little things like this that make me discredit the review as simply unintelligent, blind faith based, rhetoric.
There are also a number of other reviews and official statements from the organizations named in the book stating that their portrayal is completely wrong. Their main complaint is that they are portrayed as murderers and a dark, secret, society bent on self mutilation and deprevation. While there are a few members of every society that take fanatacism to a whole new level, Dan Brown is very careful to state that the actions of these characters do not reflect the society as a whole. Again, in my opinion, they are searching for inaccuracies to further their point that it is a work of fiction, and the Bible is the only book of fact about the church.
One point Dan Brown is very careful to make is that he is not discrediting the existence of God or a God, but is addressing the controversy surrounding the origins and decendence of Jesus Christ as well as the early church's attempts to cover this up in what amouts to the largest conspiracy theory in the history of the world. He seems to be careful not to downplay the christian faith, but to attack the early church for their political hunger for control, and their willingness to demonise all that was sacred in the ancient religions.
The true origins and beginnings of the Christian religion, as well as the existence and contents of a "Holy Grail" may never be known, but this book does a good job of putting forward some of the current theories backed by historic documents and years of research by counless acclaimed historians. Yes, there are inaccuracies throught the book, but every theory has it's inaccuracies. Religion is rooted in faith, those that chose to believe, will and those that chose to believe, won't, regardless of the imperical evidence placed before them in either direction.
I must say, however, thanks to this novel and Dan Browns willingness and ability to confront such a controversial topic, I am once again, interested in taking the time out of my day to read. Something that had been lost for a long time.