NationStates Jolt Archive

This is the title of the first novel of Dan Brown.

After the Da Vinci Code fever, all his novels are being published world-wide, but, this one, before appearing in Spain, is the object of polemics.

Part of the action is placed in Sevilla, and the writer explains in the novel:

"The Social Security clinic was like a sinister set for any Hollywood horror film. The air smells like urine [...] a perforated lung was deadly, maybe not in some more advanced places in the world but in Spain it was deadly."

And follows:

"Take for sure that we've got resources to bribe some Spanish policemen"; "I've heard stories about the corruption of the Spanish Civil Guard"

Describes "La Giralda" (one of the most important monuments of Sevilla) as follows:

"The stairs were steep, here tourists died [...] if somebody was suficiently stupid to fall it was his own fault, don't count on who built the stairs"


The biography of the swindl... of the author, says that he studied Art History for a year in Sevilla, but there's no evidence in any University or important academy in the city.

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Should I add that I WON'T buy his book?

Dan Brown is a brilliant author, and Digital Fortress one of his better books. So he got a few details wrong, and described a monument according to his viewpoint rather than yours. As for the corruption of the Guardia; what about it? Its a plot line, for crying out loud. There are books about corruption of American and English policemen, but I don't go complaining about that.

I liked the book. At first it seemed a bit one-sided in favour of governments being able to spy on their citizens for security reasons but by the end I thought it did a lot better.

As for the negative description of Spain, I think your list covers all of it. I don't exactly see why his comment on steep steps is negative though... If you don't want to read it, that's your choice. It's worth any great debate though.

This is the title of the first novel of Dan Brown.

After the Da Vinci Code fever, all his novels are being published world-wide, but, this one, before appearing in Spain, is the object of polemics.

Part of the action is placed in Sevilla, and the writer explains in the novel:

"The Social Security clinic was like a sinister set for any Hollywood horror film. The air smells like urine [...] a perforated lung was deadly, maybe not in some more advanced places in the world but in Spain it was deadly."

And follows:

"Take for sure that we've got resources to bribe some Spanish policemen"; "I've heard stories about the corruption of the Spanish Civil Guard"

Describes "La Giralda" (one of the most important monuments of Sevilla) as follows:

"The stairs were steep, here tourists died [...] if somebody was suficiently stupid to fall it was his own fault, don't count on who built the stairs"


The biography of the swindl... of the author, says that he studied Art History for a year in Sevilla, but there's no evidence in any University or important academy in the city.

===================

Should I add that I WON'T buy his book?

These details struck me, too. I think they express the typically American attitude of considering other countries as backwaters of civilisation.
(I'm not Spanish)

By the way: Dan Brown is a less than mediocre author. His books all follow the same pattern, are lacking in imagination and are poorly written. Don't understand what the Da Vinci fuss is all about. It's nothing more than a run-of-the-mill adventure novel with a quite childish plot.