6th November 2023
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I read The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown in January and I am still thinking about it. The novel is 590 pages of pure brilliance. Don’t worry, this review of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code does not contain any spoilers!
The Da Vinci Code is the second book in Dan Brown’s series starring the character of Robert Langdon. Langdon is a professor of Religious Iconography and Symbology at Harvard University.
The Da Vinci Code begins with surprising similarity to the first novel in the series, Angels and Demons. Brown acknowledges the parallels in the plot of the two novels. For the second time, Langdon has been summoned for his expertise to decipher a mysterious message found on a corpse.
Robert Langdon, professor of Religious Iconography and Symbology at Harvard University, is called to the Louvre to decipher a riddle at the murder scene of the Louvre’s curator. The riddle points to the famous artwork of Leonardo Da Vinci and the messages hidden within the paintings.
Langdon teams up with French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, to solve the riddle. They discover along the way that the murdered curator was involved in a secret society – the Priory of Sion.
The mystery takes Langdon and Neveu to Paris, London and beyond as they race to uncover the secrets held by the Priory of Sion.
Throughout the novel, Dan Brown will challenge everything you thought you knew about religion and art to offer an alternative version of history. Brown has a unique ability to blur the edges between fiction and reality, leaving his reader unsure what is real and what is not.
The plot had me frantically searching up images of the artwork that is mentioned within the novel. I had to visualise the artwork and validate what Brown claims to be hidden within the paint. Although it was difficult to decipher where the facts ended and the fiction started, the unnoticed details that Brown picks out in each painting are really there.
Brown’s gift for writing combines fiction and reality to conjure a twisting plot and authentic characters set in the real world. Brown seamlessly educates his reader on the topics that they probably know little about. For example religion, the life of Leonardo Da Vinci and the architecture of the Louvre – and that is just the first few chapters!
I rated The Da Vinci Code five stars – I LOVED this novel. The combination of the unique plot, well-developed characters and Brown’s way with words make for a rollercoaster of a story.
I have seen a range of reviews for this book with some readers despising it. However, I loved this book. The plot and style of the novel differs from the thriller novels that I usually read but this made it even more exciting. I was constantly picking up the book, racing to read the next chapter and discover the answers that Langdon and Neveu were searching for. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys mystery, trillers and suspense.
Dan Brown announced his newest Robert Langdon novel titled The Secret of Secrets in January. The Secret of Secrets will be released on the 9th of September 2025, leaving just enough time for you to read Brown’s seven thriller novels following Robert Langdon.
I cannot wait to read the rest of Brown’s novels and to see what adventures Langdon ends up on!
Check out Dan Brown’s website here.
For more reviews from Liverpool Guild Student Media click here.
All images belong to Lola Hammerton.
