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Cover of The Da Vinci Code by Dan BrownThe Da Vinci Code
Modern · Fiction, Thriller, Mystery

The Da Vinci Code

by Dan Brown
2003 · 454 pages · Fiction
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 11 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is called to the Louvre after its curator is found murdered, surrounded by strange symbols. With cryptologist Sophie Neveu, he follows a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci, toward a secret guarded for centuries.

Why it's worth reading

It's one of the best-selling books ever, with about 80 million copies sold, and it spent 59 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's the ultimate page-turner.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's fiction, though it presents some claims as fact. It's the second Langdon book but stands alone.

By the numbers

72.1Must-Read Score
  • Readers32 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller95 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
One of the best-selling books ever (about 80 million copies)#1 New York Times bestseller (59 weeks at #1)
On the lists
PBS Great American Read

Reads as

Gripping, Adventurous

How we rank

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Quick answers

Is The Da Vinci Code worth reading?

Yes. It's one of the best-selling books ever, with about 80 million copies sold, and it spent 59 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #1,081 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 72.1 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is The Da Vinci Code about?

Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is called to the Louvre after its curator is found murdered, surrounded by strange symbols. With cryptologist Sophie Neveu, he follows a trail of clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci, toward a secret guarded for centuries.

How long does it take to read The Da Vinci Code?

About 11 hours (454 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after The Da Vinci Code?

If you liked it, try Angels & Demons by Dan Brown, The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.