Dan Stutzbach’s blog

Having time to read is one of the many benefits of commuting via public transportation. I recently finished reading The Da Vinci Code. Many months ago, my mother told me that as she read the book, she almost felt like I was talking to her. I had assumed the book would be heavy on cryptography with many technical explanations, but instead the book was heavy on the history of religions and symbols. While set in the present, the book is essentially historical fiction, tying together facts, legends, and original fiction in fast-paced thriller. Overall, I enjoyed the book and can definitely see why it has been a best seller.

The book explores a history in which the Catholic Church seizes power, stamping out matriarchal religions in the process. While there is some truth in this, the history in The Da Vinci Code is largely fictitious, and in some places the “expert” characters treat oddball conspiracy-theories as if they were proven fact. I found this a little disappointing. The other problem I had with the book was the ending, which I felt was anti-climatic.