stuh -- You might think me a literary snob but I do not read non-literary fiction books intentionally. In fact, finding books that I enjoyed reading was so important to me that I pursued a master's degree in English simply to make the search easier. I do not intend to read any more of Brown than the four pages I already did.
I haven't been able to read mysteries since I was a kid. I read Nancy Drew like everyone else and enjoyed those books. When I outgrew Drew, I read Sherlock Holmes, then quit. People seem to always be on a crusade, handing me mystery books. I used to attempt to read them out of politeness and in a spirit of friendship, but, I could never get beyond page two. What I do is never voice an opinion about mysteries in public, just here where I am anonymous.
I did enjoy reading several books on Mary Magdalene and the area of France where this is set and on all of the treasure hunting that people have done in the area.
Nah, I don't think you are a snob for that. My father is the same way. He doesn't understand why anybody would want to read something that wasn't real. I, on the other hand, don't understand why anybody would want to read about something that they could find in real life.
I'm not suggesting that you read more if it doesn't suit you. But I, like most people who read the book, considered it historical fiction rather than just pure fiction. This was part of the appeal. Now there are people saying it's not real, but I don't know who to believe, and I certainly don't care enough to do the research to find out who's right.
stuh -- I wouldn't say its historical fiction, but, then I wouldn't say that it isn't. I think it is a satire on the interest people have taken in this region and the (mostly religious in origin) legends that are attached to it. The area is stuffed with Muslim, Christian and Jewish connections and lore. There were gold mines here and people taking refuge from all sorts of conflicts, including the Wars of religion that resemble the Maoist fanatism of the 1970s. The place is fairly isolated, tucked into the mountains near the Spanish border, so you would think it was something of a backwater. And it is, but, because of its isolation, people did some pretty fantastic things and then dreamed up some more fantastic stuff.
Mary Magdalen's career in France is very interesting in and of itself. The idea that she left the Middle East and sailed to Marseilles -- which has old Greek and Celtic routes and a rich body of legend -- is a pretty tall yarn on the face of it, but, the Meditteranean really was the Roman Lake, so anything is possible.
So right, POM!
The book is in no sense historical fiction. It is a sendup of the type of fiction which relies on Perils of Pauline chapter endings, breakneck pace reminiscent of old Mack Sennet movies and ansurdity piled atop absurdity. Brown was having a lot of fun with this and I can just imagine him howling with glee all the way to the bank. It must have amused him no end that so many people actually took his premise seriously.
I just got the DVD for it. I read the 'Holy Grail, Holy Blood' so I do know a bit of the background of this movie. i bought a lot of cheap DVDs over xmas but da Vinci is not on the top of the list. I just finished watching Lord of the Rings series, X-men series, Matrix series, first three Harry Potter movies.
Quote:I just finished watching Lord of the Rings series, X-men series, Matrix series, first three Harry Potter movies.
Wow, now that's endurance!
Not at one time, it was over several weeks. Notice my abscence?
I did see it and I found it entertaining. It had Jean Reno and Ian Mackellan. I also saw on DVD two Jean Reno movies 'The Crimson Rivers' and 'Ronin'.
DaVinci Code does portray Opus Dei in poor light with Jesus' divinity questionable as it suggests the Merovingians as the bloodline of Jesus thru Mary Magdalene.
