Da Vinci Code

The Da Vinci Code, a popular and controversial fictional novel by Dan Brown, generated criticism when first published in 2003. Many of the complaints center around the book's speculations and alleged misrepresentations of core aspects of Christianity and the history of the Roman Catholic Church, with additional criticisms being generated by the book's descriptions of European art, history, and architecture.

Though it is true that the book is a work of fiction, the book's opening claim that "all descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate" has led some readers to consider The Da Vinci Code a genuine exposé of orthodox Christianity's past. As a result, the book has attracted a generally negative response from elements within the Catholic and other Christian communities, as well as from historians, arguing that Brown has distorted – and in some cases fabricated – history. At least ten books debunking its claims have been written, part of the cottage industry of books about The Da Vinci Code that have been written in the wake of the original novel's popularity.

More...