| Dan Brown's mystery/detective novel "The DaVinci | | | | purpose.But isn't that exactly what a novel does? |
| Code," published in 2003, has sold more than 40 million | | | | Although I have not been a student of any professional |
| copies and its narrative was made into a script for the | | | | writing classes up until now, I believe, and that is |
| needs of the recently released Columbia Pictures film | | | | because I have read a variety of fiction novels, that |
| carrying the same title. This worldwide bestseller has | | | | the writer creates art by writing a story and art can |
| been translated into 44 languages and is currently the | | | | take any form. The art form of literature has many |
| sixth biggest selling book of all time. Can you imagine | | | | focal points, one of them being fiction. High-fantasy |
| which one holds the first place on that bestseller list? | | | | stories that do not portray real-world historical facts, |
| Well, it is the Bible.By examining Christianity and | | | | although very often the writer is based on them, do |
| traveling through history, Brown's book invites the | | | | not have to suffer that kind of negative criticism. |
| reader to reconsider what is firmly believed for | | | | Although Brown's book is not one of my favorites, I |
| centuries now in relation to Jesus Christ's deeds and | | | | was astonished to discover how many people have |
| life choices. Offering a conspiracy theory, which is | | | | been attacking the author for writing a "fake" story, |
| headed by the organization of Opus Dei belonging to | | | | what is known as fiction. It is generally agreed that it is |
| the Catholic Church to cover up the "true" story of | | | | much more interesting when one relies on facts, to |
| Jesus, the plot of the novel has helped generate | | | | portray them as they really were recorded by |
| popular interest in speculation concerning the Holy Grail | | | | historians and experts, but this decision belongs to the |
| legend and the role of Mary Magdalene in the history | | | | writer and has to be taken while writing the story. |
| of Christianity. But regardless of the glowing reviews it | | | | Regardless if one disagrees with Brown's theories or |
| received from the New York Times, People Magazine | | | | finds his book amusing, the criticism should not be |
| and the Washington Post, the book has been heavily | | | | directed, at least in my opinion, on whether or non |
| critiqued by many as poorly written, inaccurate and a | | | | professor Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu took the |
| source of confusion between speculation and fact. | | | | right road towards the French country side, but |
| The criticism generated focuses on the speculations | | | | whether or not one likes the story and finds the |
| made to base the story's plot and the | | | | language used and the arguments made by the author |
| misrepresentations of core aspects of Christianity, the | | | | accurate and constructive. Of course, it is always nice |
| Roman Catholic Church history and the numerous | | | | to know exactly which road one should take in order |
| descriptions of European art forms, historical facts and | | | | to escape from the Louvre Museum in case of an |
| architectural designs. Brown was accused apart from | | | | emergency, but I will agree with a famous quote that is |
| actually copying the facts of the 1982 published book | | | | accredited to Buddha that "There are two mistakes |
| "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" written by Michael Baigent, | | | | one can make along the road to truth... not going all the |
| Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln, to distort and | | | | way and not starting. |
| fabricate history so as to serve the story's | | | | |