I tried to read The DaVinci Code. I did. Really. I made it to page 150 or thereabouts but I couldn’t get any further. And it wasn’t that I didn’t like the story or even the characters (although they weren’t as fully drawn as I thought they should be). It was the writing style that drove me insane. The one dimensional scenes that dragged out the action. The book probably would have been half the length if he’d just used some layering and multi-tasking within a scene. Not that I mind a thick book. Generally I prefer it. But in this case I was looking to end the torture.My sister told me to hang in there. She was really enjoying the story and managing to overlook the weak writing. I figured if she could do it, so could I. She's usually much harder to please than me when it comes to books. So I kept trying. I wanted to finish the book before I went to see the movie. But every night when I came home I actually dreaded the thought of picking up the book and reading it. Dreading it. Reading. It’s like those two words should not be used in the same sentence.
Anyway, last night I picked it up, scowled and felt resigned to my fate, when suddenly I stopped. What am I doing? I asked myself. If I’m not enjoying the experience why put myself through it? Why not just go and watch the movie and enjoy that experience. I know I’ll like it. It wasn’t the story I had problems with. And I love Tom Hanks. Not to mention I lust after Paul Bettany.
The decision was made. The DaVinci Code was shelved. Maybe I’ll go back to it someday, but that day is not today. Nor tomorrow. Nor any definable date in the near future. Satisfied, I went downstairs and popped in a movie. Into The Blue. Two fun-filled, glorious hours of Paul Walker running around with his shirt off.
Ah yes, once again all was right with the world.
7 comments:
I haven't read the book either. But everyone I know that has seen the movie really liked it. Lee Ann said she hadn't read the book because she wanted to see the movie first without knowing what was going to happen. Jake, who'd read the book, said the movie was true to it. So, anyway, I may go see it this weekend.
I thought book was silly and the poor writing really made it tough to get through. What I loved is how one of the characters would realize out of the blue they knew something which they didn't know earlier. I imagine the movie would be better but I can't picture Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon. He's too old.
My husband once told me that if I didn't like a book, there was no reason for me to finish it if I didn't want to - my time is valuable and I have WAY too many other books that I want to read to bother with one that I don't.
Kelly - I read it a couple of years ago and found the writing very basic and the characterization nil, but thought he had some good pointers re: pacing. What really got to me were the info dumps!! Certainly I didn't think of it as a keeper. We're hoping to see the movie, though :-) Just for fun and for the scenery.
I definitely want to see the movie and most people I know that saw it said it was pretty true to the book. My Dad had a problem with Tom Hanks being cast as Langdon too but my feeling is (1) I'd watch Tom in anything because I really like him and (2) he's a good enough actor to make me believe he's the character. I couldn't figure out how old Langdon was supposed to be. I figured 40ish, which is close to Hanks' age. How old was Langdon?
I read the book and it was pretty mindless. Not in any way well-written, and I guessed the plot twist way too soon. But hey, it was entertainment.
I never felt the compulsion to read it so didn't even try. I do want to see the movie though.
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