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When renowned symbologist Robert Langdon finds himself
stood up for dinner with Jacques Sauniere, the well-known curator of the Louvre, he is
disappointed. When he receives a late-night call from the famous museum, he is shocked to
discover Sauniere has been murdered.
The mystery thickens as Langdon meets
French cryptologist Sophie Neveu.
She is actually the granddaughter of the curator,
but they had a
falling-out while Neveu was in college.
Both she and
Langdon are at the crime scene because of a cryptic note
left behind by Sauniere. As
the story unfolds, the reader discovers that Sauniere may have been involved with a
secret society known as the
Priory of Sion. Former members of the Priory included Sir
Isaac Newton, Botticelli and Leonardo DaVinci.
Here is where author Dan
Brown begins to infuse historical research into his work of fiction. It seems that the
society was rumored to be protecting documents that would dismantle most teachings of the
Catholic Church. The story leads readers to explore the ideas of the Holy Grail and the
Dead Sea Scrolls.
That fact alone is enough to convince someone to begin
killing the men
who may know the actual location of the Holy Grail. Langdon and
Neveu
find themselves in a search to find Sauniere’s killer, as well as find
the
treasure and keep it safe from the wrong hands.
The book has been on the
New York Times Bestseller list in the top two
for over a year now, and the truth is
that author Dan Brown has done
what most of my history teachers in school strived for.
He makes the
facts and research of the past seem alive and relevant. Whether a
reader believes it or not, the story keeps you focused to the end.
In
fact, it may even inspire a person to learn more about the subjects
and matters
presented in this book. I would also recommend it to fans
of Robert Preston and
Lincoln Child, because Brown’s writing style,
voice and delivery are very
similar.
Grade: A
