The Da Vinci Code

by Dan Brown. A murder mystery mixed with art and religion.
Not the first book I would’ve picked up in the shop, but it was highly recommended, so I gave it a go! Last week, (I haven’t checked for this week) Dan had 3 books in the top ten paperback chart, with this one as number one, and with the first five pages devoted entirely to American endorsements, I was pretty much convinced I was going to hate it!
I’m a bit of an impatient reader, but if you’re the same, I would advise you to stick with it as it will be worth it in the end. I have nothing but admiration for the skill in which he grabs you with suspense and keeps you reading and wanting to know more. The plot is well worked out (though on exactly the same formula as Angels and Demons) and I was very interested in some of the information thrown in. It also succeeded in making my husband interested in art, and he usually cannot see the point in it at all.
However, I do have a few criticisms. I had a lovely physical description of the main character, Robert Langdon, but even after the 630 pages, I had little clue to his personality. Although I’ve got to commend this guy’s research; please can someone tell him he doesn’t have to stick it all into the book. There are places where it just gets too much and as I’m reading it, I’m thinking about the author; not the characters, and I’m sure that’s not right. At the beginning I really felt he should be writing a travelogue of Paris, not a novel; but like I said, keep going and it turns into a gripping read.