Unawareness

"Vivid" is probably the only word worthy of describing Dan Brown's masterpiece, The Da Vinci Code. Filled to the rim with events thrilling enough to shake foundation of even the toughest of readers, The Da Vinci Code certainly is a book worthy of praise. It contains an intricate plot, woven with the aid of Brown's extensive linguistic knowledge, as well as his incredible attention to detail. Every environment and character is thoroughly described to the reader, not in the usual - boring - manner, but rather in a riveting and illustrative way. This is probably where most book-reviewers would include a summary of the plot, but since this is a thriller, anything that is of interest will most likely ruin the book for you. What I can say, however, is that Brown has managed to write an alluring piece which undoubtedly will capture your mind - as it did mine - and carry you into a wild chase for the truth. To further strengthen my point about Brown being a linguistic genius, I will recite a description of a character which made my jaw drop to the floor.

"Captain Bezu Fache carried himself like an angry ox, with his wide shoulders thrown back and his chin tucked hard into his chest. His dark hair was slicked back with oil, accentuating an arrow-like widow's peak that divided his jutting brow and preceded him like the prow of a battleship. As he advanced, his dark eyes seemed to scorch the earth before him, radiating a fiery clarity that forecast his reputation for unblinking severity in all matters."

This is definitely a book that I whole-heartedly recommend, but unless you're gifted with the vocabulary of a god, I suggest that you keep your dictionary close at hand. I consider myself well acquainted with the English language, yet I found myself searching for answers in my beloved dictionary more often than not.

I gladly award The Da Vinci Code four out of five stars, reason being that it was a capturing and entertaining book, which was hard to put away once you had flipped open a page.

Mathias Pettersson