Just like millions of others, I have also read the “Da Vinci Code” written by Dan Brown. I have found it to be a very good thriller and a very entertaining as well as interesting read. The way the historical theories have been blended into the plot of an action thriller is creditable.
In recent times, especially because of the movie being released based on the same novel I have been hearing so many people criticizing Dan Brown and calling him a heretic and all sorts of names. His novel has been deemed by many people to be outrages and blasphemous. I have heard the voices of the people walking down the streets burning the posters of the movie as well as that of Dan Brown. One impression I got by hearing their views is this : they are convinced that Dan Brown proposed the theory of Christ’s marriage. How absurd could it get? The novel itself says that there have been many books supporting this theory and even goes one step further mentioning the name of the book “The Holy Blood, The Holy Grail”. I am now convinced that most of the people who are walking down the streets asking that the movie be banned have not even read the novel! Had they read the novel, they would understand that it is only the characters that are discussing among themselves available material.
And then there is the never ending line of critics who call Dan Brown’s novel all sorts of names and comment on his style of writing and at the same time there are these authors who have written parodies about this book. I do not understand the people who write the critics’ review of the novel. A critical review is supposed to be a balanced treatment of the material appreciating the good and bringing into the light the bad. They spend 99% of their reviews writing about the historical inaccuracies of the novel. Fine, let us assume that the novel was historically inaccurate. (I don’t know, I am not well versed with them) Even then, a correct review would have to bring this into light and at the same time stress as to how the central plot of the story is. I believe that the purpose of a review is to help improve the subject. One should not stress on one side of the coin so much that the other side virtually becomes non-existent.
The essential reason why I have written all this is whether or not the material in Dan Brown’s novel is no truth, half-truth or the full truth, many critics have failed in balancing their treatment of Dan Brown’s work.