book
Today I finished reading The DaVinci Code. It was an interesting experience. Like every book I have read this summer, it gets better as you move along. In the beginning, it seems like the author (Dan Brown) keeps inserting random useless facts to look smart. However, later in the book, he inserts facts that are indeed relevant. One of the reasons that this book is interesting is that it contains stuff that you don't know about, and so you learn a little bit. It is also a good adventure/mystery and a quick read, with neatly divided five page chapters. I like five page chapters. Anyway, when looking at the big picture, Brown is not a classical novelist, but he can spin a good yarn. The subject matter of the book is very serious, but it is a light-hearted read. That is one of the many paradoxes of the novel. Sadly, I will not tell you the plot. But I will tell you this: That Leonardo DaVinci was one freaky fella!
I give this book a 7.9. This was a vast improvement. At the beginning, it was about a 5.3. It moved to a 6.1 and then to a 7.2 before settling on the final rating.
An overview of the summer reading selections and their ratings:
1. Crime and Punishment -- Fyodor Dostoevsky 9.1
Author 9.2 Story 9.0
2. 1984 -- George Orwell (Eric Blair) 8.8
Author 9.2 Story 8.4
3. The DaVinci Code -- Dan Brown 7.9
Author 6.8 Story 9.0
Looks like my books are getting worse! Just kidding, these are all very good novels. I am just picky about Brown's style. I recommend all of these books to any reader. I will be dappling in some non-fiction before my next novel selection, so there wont be a book review for a while. It may not come before the beginning of the school year, but let's hope for the best.
Ciao!