The Da Vinci Code is a 2003 mystery thriller novel by Dan Brown. It is Brown's second novel to include the character : Robert Langdon, a Harvard Symbology professor. The Da Vinci Code follows Robert Langdon and Sophie Nueveu after a murder in the Louvre Museum in Paris causes them to become involved in a battle between the Opus Dei and Priority Sion over the possibility of Jesus Christ and Mary Magladene having had a child together.
The Da Vinci Code provoked a popular interest in speculation concerning the Holy Grail legend and Mary Magdalene's role in the history of Christanity. The book has, however, been extensively denounced by many christan denominations as an attack on the catholic church, and is consistently criticized.
The events of the book took palce in early 2000s with mostly in Paris and Rome with some events in Vatican City.
Louvre curator and priority sion grand master Jacques Saunière is fatally shot one night at the museum by an albino Catholic monk named Silas, who is working on behalf of someone he knows only as the Teacher, who wishes to discover the location of the "keystone," an item crucial in the search for the Holy Grail.
After Saunière's body is discovered in the pose of the vitruvian man by Leonardo Da Vinci, the police summon Harvard professor Robert Langdon, who is in town on business. Along with langdon, Sophie Nuveue, a police cryptographer, also the estranged grand daughter of Jacques Sauniere, follows the various clues to find the location of cryptex and the identity of Teacher and to solve the mystery of Holy Grail.
Dan Brown has an unique style of writing which makes the story very interesting. Once one gets lost in the weave of mysteries, its almost impossible to put the book down. This novel is the fourth book written by Dan Brown and second in the Robert Langdon series, preceded by angels and demons. The book is followed by Lost Symbol. The book was released in United States in April 2003. It is published by DoubleDay in US and Transworld & Bantam Books in UK. There are total 689 pages in US hardback version.
The book received both positive and negative reviews from critics, and it has been the subject of negative appraisals concerning its portrayal of history. David Lazarus of San Fransisco Chronicle said, "This story has so many twists—all satisfying, most unexpected—that it would be a sin to reveal too much of the plot in advance. Let's just say that if this novel doesn't get your pulse racing, you need to check your meds." Janet Maslin of The New York Times said that one word "concisely conveys the kind of extreme enthusiasm with which this riddle-filled, code-breaking, exhilaratingly brainy thriller can be recommended. That word is wow. The author is Dan Brown (a name you will want to remember). In this gleefully erudite suspense novel, Mr. Brown takes the format he has been developing through three earlier novels and fine-tunes it to blockbuster perfection."
The book appeared at number 43 on a 2010 list of 101 best books ever written, which was derived from a survey of more than 15,000 Australian readers. The Da Vinci Code was a major success in 2003 and was outsold only by J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix's .
It sold 80 million copies worldwide.
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The book is adapted into a film with the same name, directed by Academy award winner Ron Howard. Tom Hanks played the role of Robert Langdon and it was produced and distributed by Colombia Pictures. The film was released in 2006.
The book was also the middle of many controversies. Many people protested against it, because of its historical inaccuracies. The book is banned in many countries like Vatican City. The book is banned even in Indian states like Goa.
The book is a blend of reality and fiction in such a way, that its hard to separate them. Its a very gripping story with unexpected plot twist at the end. Its one of those stories that one would not regret reading.
