to guard these precious ancient scrolls.

Naturally, the Catholic Church, in an effort to preserve itself, wants the scrolls destroyed at any cost because they would expose historical discrepancies that the Church has been covering up. The scrolls demonstrate that Man created the idea of Original Sin. Indeed, they identify the Bible as a compilation of stories—not the word of God but the words of a group of men intent on positing the historically popular and influential Jesus Christ as a divine being strictly to expand their own political schemes.

Behind Saunière’s murder, it seems at first, lies the severely traditional Catholic organization Opus Dei, which translates into “God’s Work,” and the especially conservative, globe-hopping Bishop Aringarosa, whose entire focus in life is the discovery and destruction of the Grail. He sees himself as the savior of the traditional “true” Catholic Church and is willing to go to any lengths to secure the scrolls, including recruiting Silas, a simple-minded but dangerous, self-flagellating albino monk who was once a murderer. Aringarosa rescued Silas, converted him to Christianity, and brainwashed him into becoming his weapon of death out of sacred necessity. Silas murdered Saunière at the Louvre and remains on the trail of Langdon and Neveu.

Another mysterious figure called The Teacher, in turn, controls Bishop Aringarosa. Officials from the Vatican, not happy with the radical viewpoint of the extremely conservative Opus Dei, especially with its demeaning stance toward women, have informed Aringarosa that they no longer want to be associated with his organization. Indeed, they desire Opus Dei to separate from the Church of Rome. The Teacher offers to rescue the bishop’s sole purpose in life. In exchange, Aringarosa must help in the attempt to uncover the Grail.

Saunière was the world’s leading expert on goddess iconography, and both Langdon and Neveu realize immediately that the bloody pentagram he painted on his torso represents the long-discredited sacred feminine. The author Brown explains that since the time of Constantine the Great, encroaching Christianity waged a campaign of propaganda that denigrated the sacred feminine and eradicated the ancient pagan goddess (represented down through time by Venus, Isis, Ishtar, and Astarte), transforming the West’s religious beliefs from female-centered, matriarchal paganism to patriarchal Christianity.

Always one step ahead of the authorities and the treacherous monk Silas, the couple weave past and through churches, banks, embassies, and consulates, while Neveu erratically drives her SmartCar and at one point even an armored truck. They discover that Fibonacci’s famous numerical series, left by Saunière in blood, is also the combination for the victim’s Swiss bank safe deposit box. Inside the box, they find a secret message on papyrus in a vial of vinegar that can be opened only by a secret password.

Langdon takes Neveu to meet Sir Leigh Teabing, an enormously rich Englishman and a knight. By now, the couple’s photographs are being shown on television. They are wanted by the police, but Teabing protects the fugitive couple and allows them to stay at his chateau. An avid Grail scholar, he has spent his life and much of his fortune in search of the Grail and dearly desires to bring to light the Church’s coverup regarding its account of Christ’s life. The Holy Grail’s description as a chalice, he tells Langdon and Neveu, is merely a metaphor for a woman.

Teabing explains that one of the figures in Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Milan fresco The Last Supper is, in fact, a woman, the well-known penitent prostitute Mary Magdalene. If one looks closely at the famous picture, the apostle sitting immediately to Jesus’s right is actually a demure, redheaded woman. The manner in which Jesus and Mary sit suggests an intimate relationship. There is no single chalice on the table. The true Holy Grail, or sacred vessel, Teabing tells his incredulous houseguests, is Mary Magdalene, long falsely vilified as a prostitute by an emerging Christian patriarchy to nullify her power. He even cites the apocryphal gospel of Mary Magdalene. Teabing argues that she was the wife of Jesus Christ and the mother of his child, who was born in France after the Crucifixion.

Teabing goes on to claim that Christ’s descendants intermarried with the royal French line, the Merovignian dynasty, and that this French line continues, in secret, under the name of Plantard. The present-day descendant, Teabing contends, looking deeply into her amazed eyes, is Sophie Neveu herself. Neveu reveals that her parents and brother were killed in a car accident when she was a child, and Teabing informs her that the crash was an attempted murder from which she managed to escape.

Langdon, Neveu, and Teabing fly inconspicuously from Paris to London to visit the 1185 Templar Church and then the tomb of Sir Isaac Newton at Westminster Abbey, where they hope to uncover the key that will lead them to the precious scrolls. The action comes to a head when Teabing, who is actually The Teacher, cannot contain his excitement at uncovering the evidence.

Still more clues lead Langdon and Neveu to a small country chapel where the remnants of Neveu’s family secretly reside. After a tearful reunion with her heretofore-unknown grandmother and brother, Sophie finds that her grandfather died trying to protect her life. The sexual acts that she caught him performing were actually sacred fertility rites to the ancient goddess, and his partner was his own wife, Neveu’s grandmother. Sophie forgives her grandfather, and his pet name for her, Princess Sophie, comes to take on far deeper significance.

Langdon as a character is brainy rather than brawny. Neveu is physically attractive, but also refreshingly cerebral. While the hero and heroine are certainly attracted to each other (and do become lovers), they are merely, it seems, providing the perfunctory physical liaison necessary in best-selling novels. Their real attraction for each other lies in enacting mind games, solving puzzles, and outsmarting the enemy.

In his fast-paced, multifaceted theological thriller, Brown illustrates some nineteenth century Grail theories. His novel posits very unconventional, indeed controversial, interpretations of Christianity that may be disturbing to deeply religious readers. Those who love whodunits, conspiracy theories, or theological novels, however, will enjoy this book, a fine and enthralling mystery.

Review Sources

America 189, no. 20 (December 15, 2003): 15-17.

Booklist 99, no. 13 (March 1, 2003): 1148.

Kirkus Reviews 71, no. 1 (January, 2003): 5.

Library Journal 128, no. 18 (November 1, 2003): 138.

The New York Times, March 17, 2003, p. E8.

Newsweek 141, no. 23 (June 9, 2003): 57.

People 59, no. 11 (March 24, 2003): 44.

Publishers Weekly 250, no. 5 (February 3, 2003): 53.

Although there is no specific mention of the year it occurs, The Da Vinci Code is set around the time it was released in 2003. The story references several recent events, such as the construction of Opus Dei's New York headquarters in 2000 and the public indictment of Opus Dei member and FBI spy Robert Hanssen in April 2001. Brown's controversial depiction of Opus Dei emerged as the organization was attempting to restore its reputation after accusations from former members of employing cult-like practices. The novel's suggestion that conventional histories are merely narratives shaped by those in power has prompted historians to criticize its flexible interpretations of the past. Its bold claims regarding an alternate history of Christianity have led many biblical scholars to respond with a growing number of books aimed at debunking the novel. The portrayal of religious extremism taps into readers' fears of spiritual politics, especially following recent terrorist acts by religious fundamentalists. By portraying Mary Magdalene as a significant early Christian leader, the novel also highlights the debate over the role of women in Christianity, a particularly sensitive issue as the Catholic Church elected a new Pope after the death of John Paul II in 2005, who had led the Church for nearly 25 years. The novel's female critic of the Church, Sister Sandrine, believes that "most of the Catholic Church was gradually moving in the right direction with respect to women's rights," but opposes Opus Dei, which "threatened to reverse the progress." Feminist scholars have praised the novel for its assertions that Mary Magdalene had a more significant role than the official Bible suggests, and that femininity has been suppressed by Christian leaders throughout history.

While the novel is clearly a work of fiction, featuring a thrilling storyline with protagonists navigating narrow escapes and concluding with a complete resolution, it does offer interpretations of two historical events worth noting: the origin of the Priory of Sion in the eleventh century, and the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D.

The Priory of Sion, a secret society, is enveloped in enigma. On the opening page of the novel, explicitly labeled "Fact," Brown asserts it is a "European secret society founded in 1099," and mentions that in 1975, documents were discovered identifying notable individuals from Sir Isaac Newton to Leonardo da Vinci as members. Scholars have highlighted that Brown derives this claim from another international bestseller, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (1982) by Henry Lincoln, Richard Leigh, and Michael Baigent. Brown uses the surnames of the latter two authors as straightforward and anagrammatic inspirations for his fictional historian, Leigh Teabing.

Their book recounts the true story of a priest named Bèrenger Saunière, appointed in 1885, who mysteriously amassed substantial wealth in a short span and eventually bought an opulent estate. Although Bèrenger Saunière's story is widely accepted as factual, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail speculates that Saunière's wealth resulted from discovering secret documents proving the lineage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. It also posits that Saunière was a member of the Priory, purportedly in existence since the eleventh century.

However, these myths were propagated by his housekeeper, Marie Dénarnaud, and the subsequent owner of his estate, Noël Corbu, who converted the estate into a resort to heighten public interest and thereby increase his profit. When the eccentric Parisian Pierre Plantard learned of the story in the mid-twentieth century, he fabricated a series of documents, including false genealogical records suggesting his connection to the Merovingian line. With the assistance of his friend Phillipe de Chérisey, Plantard created fake parchments containing encoded messages, which were introduced under pseudonyms into the Bibliothèque Nationale during the 1960s.

These "dossiers secrets" were eventually exposed as forgeries, and historians concur that there is no evidence supporting the existence of the Priory since the eleventh century. A French journalist revealed the hoax in the 1980s, and a BBC documentary titled "The History of a Mystery" reaffirmed its falsity in 1996.

Brown's historian, Leigh Teabing, introduces the second significant historical event during his discussion of the Council of Nicaea. This assembly was convened by Roman Emperor Constantine the Great to align the government with the Catholic Church. At this council, the Bible was officially canonized, and Jesus' divinity was affirmed. Teabing claims that Constantine "collated" the Bible and suppressed the Gnostic gospels, asserting that Jesus' divinity was debated and eventually accepted by a "relatively close vote." While making these provocative statements, he insists that "everything you need to know about the Bible can be summed up by the great canon doctor Martyn Percy." Percy, a British theologian and the only living scholar mentioned by Brown, has discredited the notion that Constantine could have divinized Jesus. Much of what Teabing says about Constantine is derived from the same speculative book Brown uses to support the history of the Priory, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. Religious scholars emphasize that the council was convened to address the "Arian heresy," the belief that Jesus was not divine, and that the gospels were regarded as authoritative as early as the first century A.D.. Most historians also point out that the "relatively close vote" Teabing references was not close at all, and that Jesus' divinity was widely accepted among early Christians. In fact, many scholars have debunked the novel's claims about Christian history. Brown's theories are most persuasive to those who view history as a conspiracy rather than a record of factual events.

Additional commentary on historical context:

Christianity and the Goddess

The practice of critical Bible scholarship began in Germany in the early 1700s. German scholars embarked on examining the Gospels, particularly to understand how the four accounts of Jesus' life differed and to assess the accuracy of these texts. By the late 1800s and early 1900s, this so-called search for the historical Jesus gained widespread attention, as scholars published numerous books suggesting that the historical Jesus was distinct from the Biblical Jesus. Many of these scholars argued that Jesus was merely a mortal man, not divine, and proposed that alternative Gospels existed that contradicted the four Gospels in the Bible.

This theory gained traction with the discovery of the Nag Hammadi and Dead Sea Scrolls in the mid-20th century. These documents, which include copies of Old Testament texts and writings by the Essenes—a Jewish sect that many scholars believe Jesus was part of—have been the focus of extensive research, particularly the Dead Sea Scrolls. In recent years, scholars specializing in Jesus studies have proposed various theories concerning Christ's true identity. They have suggested he could have been a rabbi, a prophet, a philosopher, or a preacher. American scholar Elaine Pagels is known for popularizing a revisionist perspective on Jesus with her 1979 book, The Gnostic Gospels. She argues that Christian orthodoxy evolved from the political dynamics of the time, helping to legitimize and consolidate early church leadership. Although The Da Vinci Code does not delve deeply into Jesus’ true identity, its claim that he married Mary Magdalene and intended for her, rather than Peter, to establish the Christian church, would likely not have gained traction without the work of scholars like Pagels. Scholars have also re-evaluated Mary Magdalene's image, transforming her from a fallen woman and prostitute into one of Jesus’ most devoted followers, thus making it more plausible for Brown to suggest in his novel that Magdalene was Christ’s wife.

In exploring the origins and development of Christianity, contemporary scholars have also identified similarities between it and pagan cults that existed in the Roman Empire before Christ's birth. For instance, the cult of Mithraism, which was initially a Persian religion before spreading throughout the empire, believed Mithra to be a sun god who would return to Earth at the end of time. Some followers of this cult also believed that Mithra was entombed in stone before being resurrected. Researchers have found that the belief in December 25 as Christ’s birthday parallels other religions' beliefs that their gods were born around the winter solstice, including Mithraism’s belief that Mithra was born on December 25. Moreover, many now recognize that numerous Christian rituals, symbols, and practices have pagan origins.

Meanwhile, an increasing number of people in the West have argued over recent decades that early humans originally worshipped a Goddess, who appeared in various forms. Many believe that the ancient veneration of this Goddess involved fertility rites, the creation of icons and symbols, and myths emphasizing the significance of female deities, particularly in relation to birth, vegetation, and natural cycles. Brown weaves together the themes of Goddess worship and speculation about Christ’s true identity to support the idea that Christ was married to Magdalene and to suggest that Magdalene and the Goddess principle she represents are worthy of worship and reverence.

Over the past twenty years, the West, particularly America, has experienced a surge in "New Age" movements. Consequently, it has become more common to abandon traditional religions and religious institutions in favor of more spiritually oriented, non-denominational forms of worship. Without these recent shifts in spiritual practices and the growing body of scholarship challenging the historical accuracy of The Bible and the Catholic Church, The Da Vinci Code might have faced rejection from readers and critics or might not have been written at all.

Fact in Fiction

The Da Vinci Code stands out for its seamless blend of a fictional plot with various captivating historical narratives. The novel references real historical figures such as Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Constantine the Great, and Leonardo da Vinci. These references have led scholars to produce articles and books addressing the claims made by the fictional characters Saunière, Langdon, and Teabing. The inclusion of actual locations like the Louvre and Rosslyn Chapel has sparked significant interest, resulting in the creation of the "Da Vinci Code Walking Tour" in Paris and a doubling of tourists visiting Rosslyn Chapel since the book's release. Additionally, the mention of real organizations such as Opus Dei and the Vatican has prompted many readers to question Christianity, particularly Catholicism.

Although the novel's events unfold over just a few days, the quest to decipher the symbols, clues, and riddles left by Saunière parallels the search for answers to Biblical mysteries and the historical pursuit of the Holy Grail. It also delves into the history of the Council of Nicaea and its impact on Christianity, the lore of the Priory of Sion, and speculation surrounding Leonardo da Vinci's art. While the story raises numerous historical questions, The Da Vinci Code concludes with most of its mysteries solved and its conflicts settled.

Suspense

No discussion of this novel would be complete without highlighting the suspense, a literary technique that generates excitement, tension, and anticipation. The final lines of the Prologue hint at the gripping narrative that follows, describing how Saunière sets the stage for the events that will captivate the characters: "Wincing in pain, he summoned all of his faculties and strength. The desperate task before him, he knew, would require every remaining second of his life." When a clue is inscribed on the glass protecting the Mona Lisa, the chapter ends with the tantalizing line, "six words glowed in purple, scrawled directly across the Mona Lisa's face," before shifting to another scene, leaving readers eager to discover the message. The novel's strategic omissions, evolving interpretations of symbols and riddles, and unexpected plot twists compel readers to seek more detailed explanations and rush to the story's conclusion.

Mystery

The primary allure of Brown's novel lies in its intricate blend of profound fictional and historical enigmas. It employs a classic mystery genre trope only to subvert it immediately: the story opens with a murder, yet discloses the killer's identity by the second chapter. The core mysteries include the motives behind Saunière's murder, the organizations possibly involved, the significance of the various clues and riddles he leaves behind, and the truth about Sophie's family. Equally significant is the novel's exploration of real historical puzzles. What role did Mary Magdalene have in Jesus' life? What influence did Constantine truly wield in shaping Christianity's future? How credible are the Gnostic gospels? What is the history of the Priory of Sion, and who were its members? Was Leonardo da Vinci embedding hidden messages in his artwork? What is the significance of the Divine Proportion? Since answers to these historical questions hinge on evidence or records written by the victors, the novel plays on the plausible idea that what we call history may be a constructed narrative of true events. While the fictional mysteries captivate readers, the historical enigmas have made the book a global sensation.

Additional comments on style:

Thriller GenreThe Da Vinci Code exemplifies a thriller novel through its focus on action and suspense. Brown swiftly transitions from one action scene to another, with brief pauses to delve into characters' backgrounds or to have characters expound on their theories regarding the Priory of Sion, Leonardo, Christianity, and the Goddess. Langdon and Sophie are in constant peril, facing threats of being killed or arrested, and frequently making daring escapes. The action shifts dynamically from location to location, featuring numerous chase scenes and stand-offs. By keeping the interludes between action sequences brief, Brown establishes a pattern of continually introducing dramatic tension into his narrative. Moreover, Brown shifts the action between different characters: while Langdon and Sophie are the primary focus, he regularly dedicates chapters to the actions of Silas, Bishop Aringarosa, and the Teacher. These interludes allow readers to momentarily forget about Langdon and Sophie, thereby heightening the suspense of their storyline by providing a richer array of thrilling scenes and enhancing the awareness of the dangerous conspiracy they face.

The tension is further amplified by Brown’s frequent use of “cliffhangers” at the end of chapters. This technique compels readers to start the next chapter to find out the resolution of the newly introduced crisis. However, by keeping nearly all chapters to five pages or fewer, Brown ensures that readers won't have to wait long for these crises to be resolved.

Aspects of a Historical Novel
Although The Da Vinci Code is not strictly a historical novel, it claims to be deeply rooted in historical context. Brown clearly states at the beginning of the book that the Priory of Sion is real and that “all descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate.” Such claims may be debatable, but they aim to present the novel’s astonishing and groundbreaking assertions as factual. Brown does more than just offer an interpretation of Leonardo’s Last Supper; he asserts that the figure seated at Jesus’ right is Mary Magdalene and that Peter, the founder of the Catholic Church, is threatening her, presenting this as an undeniable fact. Brown’s portrayal of a supposedly true revised history, unfamiliar to most readers, transforms his novel from mere entertainment or fantasy into a direct challenge to orthodox Christian beliefs and an attempt to dramatically reinterpret the last 2000 years of Western history.

Symbolism, Imagery, and Metaphor
Brown’s novel explores the meaning behind Christian symbolism while also introducing numerous symbols that foreshadow future events and reinforce the novel’s themes. One such symbol is the red hair of Mary Magdalene and Sophie, which establishes a connection between the two women and subtly hints at their genetic link. Although Leonardo’s primary role is to drive the plot, he also symbolizes the idea that only those skilled in decoding and interpreting secret messages can uncover the real truth. Saunière’s “So dark the con of man” message, scrawled on the Mona Lisa, serves as a proud assertion of the Priory’s awareness of the “dark con” by the Catholic Church, an interpretive puzzle for Langdon and Sophie to solve, and a nod to Leonardo’s alleged habit of embedding cryptic yet decipherable messages in his art. Langdon and Sophie are continually challenged to match Leonardo’s enigmatic wisdom as they attempt to decode hidden messages and uncover their meanings.

The cilice belt worn by members of Opus Dei is intended to serve as a constant reminder of the crucifixion, but it also symbolizes the Church’s sinister secrecy, its readiness to inflict suffering, and its belief that pain is virtuous and worth enduring. Similarly, while the Church views blood as a symbol of pain and suffering, in the novel, blood represents menstruation—a symbol of women’s life-giving power and the Goddess, as well as the genetic connections forged by this life-giving force.

Setting
By having Langdon and Sophie constantly on the move as they try to uncover the Holy Grail's identity and location, Brown mirrors the Grail tradition, where knights leave their homes to seek the Grail. Langdon and Sophie utilize cars, planes, and subways in their quest, rather than horses, but like the knights, they persist in their journey until the Grail is found. Their shared travels also strengthen the bond perceived by readers between Langdon and Sophie, as they face various dangers relying solely on each other for stability, protection, and reassurance.

By situating most of the action in iconic and opulent buildings in Paris and London, Brown emphasizes the Old World essence of a Grail quest. Setting the story in the U.S. or Asia would diminish much of the quest's mystique and seem out of place. Choosing familiar yet enchanting locations also allows Brown to engage readers who can vicariously experience travels to England and France.

• The Da Vinci Code was published in 2003 as an unabridged audiobook on both audiocassette and audio CD. Narrated by Paul Michael, it is available through Random House Audio.
• The movie adaptation of The Da Vinci Code features Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, Audrey Tatou as Sophie Neveu, and Ian McKellen as Leigh Teabing. Directed by Ron Howard and produced by Columbia Pictures, the film is scheduled for release in 2006.
• The official website, www.danbrown.com, written and maintained by Dan Brown himself, is both engaging and interactive. However, its primary focus is on promoting his novels.
• ABC News Presents: Jesus, Mary and Da Vinci is a one-hour documentary hosted by Elizabeth Vargas and produced by Koch Vision in 2004. The program features interviews with Dan Brown, Gnostic Gospel scholars Karen King and Elaine Pagels, and Christian scholars Richard McBrien and Darrell Bock. It explores differing perspectives on the novel's controversial assertions about Christian history and is available on DVD from Koch Vision Studios.
• Breaking the "Da Vinci Code" is a one-hour documentary that includes authors who refute the theories proposed in the novel, such as Darrell Bock. Produced by Grizzly Adams Family in 2005, it is available on DVD.
• Cracking the "Da Vinci Code" is a 90-minute documentary produced by Ardustry Home Entertainment in 2004. Hosted by author Simon Cox, it defends the legend of the Holy Grail and is available on DVD from Ardustry Home Entertainment.
• "Da Vinci Code" Decoded is a three-hour documentary introduced by Dan Brown and produced by The Disinformation Company in 2004. It includes interviews with authors whose works Brown referenced while researching his novel and is available on DVD.
• Exploring the "Da Vinci Code" is a video tour of the notable locations mentioned in the novel. Hosted by Henry Lincoln, one of the authors of Holy Blood, Holy Grail, it was released in 2005 by The Disinformation Company and is available on DVD.

Sources

Brown, Dan, The Da Vinci Code, Doubleday, 2003.

Cowley, Jason, "The Author of the Bestselling Da Vinci Code Has Tapped into our Post-9/11 Anxieties and Fear of Fundamentalism," in New Statesman, December 13, 2004, pp. 18-21.

George, Cardinal Francis, Ignatius Books, www.ignatius.com/books/davincihoax (July 28, 2005).

Maslin, Janet, "Spinning a Thriller from a Gallery at the Louvre," in the New York Times, March 17, 2003, p. E8.

Millar, Peter, "Holy Humbug: Book of the Week," in the Times (London), June 21, 2003, p. 15.

Schlumpf, Heidi, "Who Framed Mary Magdalene?" in U.S. Catholic, Vol. 65, No. 4, April 2000, pp. 12-16.

Welbourn, Amy, "The Da Vinci Code": The Facts Behind the Fiction, Catholic Educator's Resource Center, www.catholiceducation.org/articles/facts/fm0035.html (July 28, 2005); originally published in Our Sunday Visitor, May 2004.

Further Reading

Bock, Darrell L., Breaking the "Da Vinci Code": Answers to the Questions Everybody's Asking, Nelson Books, 2004.

This guide delves into the three centuries following Christ's birth to scrutinize the novel's suggestions about early Christian history. It largely debunks the theories Brown presents in the novel.

Burstein, Dan, Secrets of the Code: The Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries Behind "The Da Vinci Code," CDS Books, 2004.

In a study nearly as extensive as the novel itself, Burstein compiles interviews and essays from historians, scientists, archaeologists, and theologians, some of whom offer differing perspectives on the questions the novel raises. This is regarded as one of the most thorough guides to the subjects the novel addresses, such as the historical understanding of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, the Gnostic gospels, and secret societies.

Ehrman, Bart D, Truth and Fiction in the "Da Vinci Code": A Historian Reveals What We Really Know about Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Constantine, Oxford University Press, 2004.

Bart Ehrman, a Professor of Religious Studies, uses the novel to explore Christian history and demonstrate how a religious historian uncovers the truth about the past. Rather than trying to disprove the novel's theories or delve into theological debates, Ehrman highlights inaccuracies in the fiction to show how historians interpret topics such as the significance of the Gnostic gospels, Constantine's role in shaping Christianity, and the connection between Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

Morris, David, The Art and Mythology of "The Da Vinci Code," Lamar Publishing, 2004.

Morris offers an artistic complement to Brown's novel in this detailed collection of photographs and illustrations of art and locations mentioned in the narrative, from da Vinci's paintings to mythological images. Each image is presented in the order it appears in the novel.

Welborn, Amy, De-Coding Da Vinci: The Facts Behind the Fiction of "The Da Vinci Code," Our Sunday Visitor, 2004.

Although not the most exhaustive guide, Welborn's critique of Brown's novel is notably easy to read and concise. She methodically refutes many of the sensational claims made by Brown's characters about Christian history from a Catholic perspective.