THE DA VINCI CODE
by Dan Brown
Doubleday
March 2003, 454 pages, $24.95 (US)
by Valerie MacEwan
PopMatters
Books Editor
Whenever I read a 454
page book in one sitting, it's probably a safe bet for me to think that other
people will like the book. Not that my criteria for excellence necessarily
matches that of the literary masses -- but the words "breakout
thriller" certainly apply here. Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code is going to make
publishing history. Trust me.
There are already tables at the local Barnes & Nobles featuring
books about the Freemasons, biographies of Leonardo Da Vinci, guidebooks to the
Louvre and Renaissance art, all centered around Brown's book. And the book has
been out less than two weeks.
It's good, damn good. The Da Vinci Code has all the right
ingredients to create a massive market share of the fiction sold during the
next year. The characters are
believable, the fictional premise intriguing, and it has two major components
to insure sales -- the Knights Templar and the search for the Holy Grail.
The book received
the kind of "push" from Doubleday usually reserved for the
likes of John Grisham and Daniel Steele. They're extremely pleased by the
advance copy sales and overwhelming support of retailers for the book. Brown,
who quietly moved from Pocket to his new publishing house Doubleday when senior
editor Jason Kaufman, (publisher of Brown's two previous books) moved to there
in 2001. Brown received a small advance, a boon to Doubleday who can now spend
money on a literary show of force, pushing the book with sales incentives and
an extensive advertising campaign. According to publishing pundits, many houses
held back their spring releases because of the February 2nd laydown of John
Grisham's latest King of Torts .
Brown's book received a slam dunk response from advance copies to
reviewers and booksellers sent out months ahead of publication (Doubleday gave out 5,000 advance
reader copies at regional shows and in the field last year). Doubleday reps
devoted themselves to making sure the book received prominent display space,
something not usually reserved for breakout books. The house will even launch a
website where readers can attempt to "break the code". Brown has also
committed to a six-city promotion tour, but as the response for this book will
probably multiply exponentially, I suspect he'll be going to more than six.
When publishing houses throw books at us, often we, as reviewers
are disappointed. The writing lacks substance; the plot fails to hold our
interest; or perhaps the characters aren't fully developed. Then, after writing
a review of the book, an honest take on what we consider an inferior book, we
see the book on the New York Times Best Seller List. We can't help but wonder
about the effect of massive advertising campaigns upon sales by the reading
public. Take heart, reviewers and readers, The Da Vinci Code will be on the list
and it belongs there.
You all deserve a quick plot summary. Know that there can't be
one here -- the book is a thriller and details will destroy it for you. I just
had to delete the next 250 or more words I'd written, because I realized it
would destroy the suspense in the book. I'd defined the Holy Grail
in
terms of Celtic, Moor (pick your pagan) traditions. Then I wrote about the
myths surrounding the Knights Templar, the persecution of Jews, the
relationship between Jesus and his love, Mary Magdalene, and more. What I can tell you without ruining the
book, is that Brown's book takes myth and reality and combines it in just the
right way. He appears to be right on target with his many of his conclusions,
and while the book is "fiction", one can't help but believe much of
it. Brown doesn't insist you believe him, in fact, he's almost apologetic about
how strange and unusual his conclusions may sound. In a subtle way, he warns
the reader that everyone is allowed their own belief system and whatever gives
someone spiritual comfort should be respected. But Using Will and Ariel
Durant's The History of Civilization , Francis and Joseph
Gies' Women in the Middle Ages , and Barbara Walker's The
Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets to confirm Brown's facts, I learned
that when he puts two and two together, it's amazing what he comes up with.
This book will have what is probably an unintentional effect. The Da
Vinci Code counteracts the WalMart best sellers by Tim LaHaye. Brown
presents an intellectual and fact-based suspense thriller that will hopefully
start a trend toward debunking the misquoted myths and errant Biblical
interpretations perpetuated to financially support LaHaye's ministry, encourage
the arrogance of born-again Christians, and scare people into "being
saved". One can't help but wonder when the fanatics of the religious right
will rise up in defense of the End Times series and call for a boycott of The Da
Vinci Code . Go ahead and start your indignant engines. Such publicity will
only increase sales for Doubleday and Brown.
Ñ
2
April 2003
Ñ http://www.popmatters.com/books/reviews/d/da-vinci-code.shtml