The Da Vinci Code: A thriller par excellence
Though I read the novel a couple of months back, I was drawn to initiate a discussion about it when I recently read that due to the novel, the visitors in the Louvre gallery in Paris (which showcases Da Vinci's masterpiece Mona Lisa) are increasing and they want new information from the guides about questions related to the book. The book has made its impact for sure.
The novel, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown is the New York bestseller and a worth read. It is a book that challenges the New Testament or the Bible itself. And I have to say that many a times the fiction seems too real and one tends to doubt whether it is fact or fiction.
As the name of the novel suggests, the story revolves around codes and Leonardo Da Vinci, the famous painter who also had the penchant for secret codes. The main character, Robert Langdon is a symbologist by profession and is on a trip to Paris to give lectures. Jacques Sauniere, the curator of the world famous museum Louvre wants to discuss something important with him and fixes a meeting. However Robert Langdon gets a late night call by the police and is summoned to Louvre, only to find the curator has died under mysterious circumstances.
What is surprising is that the curator wrote down a riddle before dying. It goes like
"O, DRACONIAN DEVIL
OH, LAME SAINT"
He also positioned himself in the famous Vitruvian position - a painting drawn by Da Vinci describing the perfect male. In addition he has a pentacle on his navel, suggesting a symbolic meaning to Robert Langdon. Though the police had summoned Robert and wanted to charge him for the murder, Sophie Nevau, the curator's grand-daughter who works with the cryptology department comes to the scene and saves Robert and helps him escape from the museum.
Later Robert and Sophie find out that Jacques Sauniere was a member of the Priory of Sion, one of the oldest cults in the world. The Priory had been headed by important people in history like Da Vinci and Newton and the origin of the cult dates back to the death of Christ. After this revelation Sophie and Robert enter the mysterious world of deciphering one code after another. And in order to prove themselves innocent they had to save the real Secret and finally they do succeed.
This book though controversial leaves the reader spellbound. It holds attention till the last page. I would recommend it to everyone who is interested in reading a thriller.
If anyone of you has already read the book, I would like to know your views on it.
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