There is an ancient secret about the divinity of Jesus, and someone will kill to protect that secret. In a thriller that goes at break-neck speed, the characters in The Da Vinci Code race through a series of challenges and puzzles to discover the secret before it's too late for them, and the world.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown is a fantastic novel of historical mystery and modern suspense. I totally loved it, and now that my beloved and I have both finished it, I'm passing my copy through my co-workers, who are ripping through it in record time. I’ve watched them wander in the next day with a slightly dazed look on their faces, and lost in thought for days. This books is taking many people that way. I love it when a good book grabs you like that.
Although it’s a subject that will appeal to many Pagans, it's not necessarily a "Pagan" novel... Even though the Goddess is a featured guest, The Da Vinci Code is classic Christian Heresy at it's finest, which challenges the very roots on which Christianity is built. Since so much of the framework for the plot is taken directly from historical sources, this novel might definitely cause a Catholic to carefully re-examine his faith, and it might make many other kinds of Christians re-think a thing or three about the historical accuracy of their primary religious text.
That doesn't make it Pagan, but it is Pagan-friendly historical fiction. The "secret society" and occult references will intrigue many who have interests in ceremonial magic practices. However, even though the book isn't what I'd call "Pagan fiction", at the very least, Pagans who came from Christianity as their religion of birth might find some new historical support for leaving their former faith behind them.
All in all, The Da Vinci Code is a fast-paced page-turner that will grab readers attention and not let them go. There’s many reasons why this novel has had staying power on all the best-seller lists. It's a fine combination of good research supporting great writing, leaving the reader to grapple with the fragments of his former understanding of how the modern world came to be. I have seen people with wildly different tastes in fiction all come away from this novel with a satisfied smile on their faces. I would give The Da Vinci Code my highest recommendation.
~Flame RavenHawk
Originally written for Elements Magazine, December 8, 2003
Revised: December 28, 2003