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This isn't the first time I've heard the critique that Dan Brown is a horrible writer, but it is the most forceful and example driven. I've never read any of his stuff until the excerpts in the article. Is the da Vinci code this bad? I've always assumed it was probably trite but entertaining based on its popular appeal. But if it is this bad, maybe Brown is actually a genius who has discovered a winner of a genre: fiction for people who are stupid but want to feel smart.

Edit: I just read a couple contemporaneous reviews of da Vinci Code. Guardian ripped it a new asshole, and NYT gave it such a glowing review it almost sounded sarcastic; that confirms my suspicion that it is for morons who want to feel smart.