Rating: 
Summary: The Da Vinci Code X 100
Review: I can't say enough about this book. It's funny and sad and scary, and every chapter ends with a bang, but you learn so much at the same time. If you love books, read it. If you love a good thriller, read it. First novel by a major, major talent.
Rating: 
Summary: uneven fun
Review: After reading The Da Vinci Code, a thoroughly engrossing commercial screenplay of a book, I was drawn to Lev Grossman's Codex for the obvious reason that it was the obvious follow up book in the same genre. Not one for this kind of immediately entertaining and ultimately unbrilliant literature but curious as hell about history and all the webs and knots it has produced - religious, artistic, political, literary, whatever - Codex hooked me in the same way that Da Vinci did but I was able to put down Codex whereas Da Vinci had me sitting in sleazy diners at 10 in the morning, escaping my kids so I could read another couple of chapters in silent rapture. I will say that the characters in Codex, for the most part, are far more realistically drawn and hip than the ridiculously old fashioned flatly drawn hero and villain Harrison Fordesque garbage that Dan Brown expects us to fly with in Da VInci. The young protaganist, Edward Strozny (what's the surname saying?) is a well thought out character; consistant and flawed and fortified with that indomitable nature of clever motivated twenty something yuppies, but betrayed by it too. He is at once humane and ruthless, whiley and stupid. Young. Grossman was clever to make him so young. Were he the typical 40 something mystery hero, one would not forgive him so much naiivity.
The major problems with Codex lie in unrealized ideas and thoughts that fizzle out.
When one is set up with the premise of a mystery where everyone is odd and possibly suspicious on any number of levels, then one's expectations lie in that framework for the entire book. therefor, when the ideas shift for the author, he must be very clever about making the context clear for the reader. I got the feeling at times that Grossman needed to infuse some face value stuff but was unable to really distinguish between feels. It left me feeling frustrated and annoyed. Ultimately the book's ending is rather abrupt and unsatisfying: loose ends seem untied and ideas unresolved. But (and its a big but) I like that Grossman has attempted to blend three (or so ) worlds and fashion them into a book that may appeal to a wider audience than if he had concentrated solely on one.
I would recommend this in a new york minute to those looking for a fun, involving, intelligent tale to read by the pool or on a deathly long plane ride...
Rating: 
Summary: Harmless diversion for an airplane trip or beach read...
Review: Harmless diversion for an airplane trip or beach read, but implausible.A 25 year old private investment banker gets a new job assignment in London after four years in NYC. In the two weeks he has to make his move, he is requested by his employer, the private investment bank, to do a special project for a wealthy British couple who are clients of the firm. The project, to catalog crates of books shipped to the US from Britain during WWII, and to look especially for one particular volume. In two weeks, a lay-person asked to organize a collection of rare, collectible, old books - well, this is fiction. It seems to be a book written by someone who has never worked in the real world of investment banking, dominated by hard driving goal oriented personalities. A young man with a good start in his career and getting ready to move to London would have his plan in place to prepare for his move rather than the aimlessness of Edward Wozny. It just doesn't seem plausible, but hey, this is fiction so why not see what happens next. Interwoven is Edward's sudden addictive type behavior with a computer game called MOMUS (Greek mythology allusions should be noted). His friends, Zeph and Caroline, are lacking dimension other than to provide contact and connections to other characters necessary to move the plot along, such as the Artiste. Actually most of the characters seem lacking and lackluster. It takes about 6 chapters before the story begins to move and get out of Edward's lethargy and indecision about performing this special project at all. The plot of the middle of the book becomes tolerable, bringing in Margaret, a young bibliophile (early twenties at most) and an expert in just the correct subject for the story's plot.
In a quote from chapter 17, "the whole scene seemed so staged, it was getting more and more like a cheap paperback mystery novel every minute" - after I read this passage I felt this was the author's "gotcha" moment of "See I suckered you into reading this cheap dime store novel. You lose!" At that point I only had 100 more pages and figured I have nothing to lose but see if the ending would redeem the book. (Very much like the main character of the book seems to feel about his quest.) Without giving the ending away (as some other reviewers have), I will say I found it lacking and there are some loose ends. But that's ok, it's a fun yarn for a little while. Just like some computer games played to pass the time, but you wouldn't play them again.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing ending
Review: I will have to agree with one of the previous reviewers who said that they were totally involved with the story, but then felt let down by the ending. I love books, and was fascinated by the search for the codex, but the ending felt false and very, very rushed. The various story lines were not neatly tied up at all.
Rating:
Summary: Almost great
Review: This could have been a fantastic novel but the story completely fell apart at the end. The author drops several plot lines and the book ends very abruptly. I was really into the story and couldn't wait to get to the end but the ending was terrible and left too many hanging questions. If this book had had a great ending, it would be right up there with anything by Arturo Perez-Reverte.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is no thriller
Review: After reading the end of this book, I just didn't get it. Throughout the book I anticipated the "thriller" part of the book. It never materialized. The main characters Edward and Margaret never captured my compassion nor my interest. They were neither interesting or likeable - stingy character development. The link between the computer game and Edward's quest was a so-what, why bother development. As I read I was sure, soon, I would be catapulted into a suspenseful thriller - no way. I feel the book meandered toward a finale that just didn't satisfy. There's nothing thrilling about this book.
Rating:
Summary: very disappointing
Review: Was really looking forward to reading this after all the reviews but found the book very disappointing. Not much of a plot and what was there was frequently nonsensical.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, beautifully written, but not enough ending
Review: Edward Wozny is a high profile investment banker recently promoted to his dream job in London. As a last favor for the Wents, a duke and duchess, he agrees to unpack and catalog a pre-WWII library in a mission to find a medieval manuscript that may not exist. Joining forces with Margaret Napier, a graduate scholar who specializes in medieval literature, the pair follows modern and Old World clues to the discovery of the Codex. I was swept away by the books beautiful language and Edward's dream-like decent into the worlds of computer gaming and lost literature. Grossman's ethereal descriptions of the summer world of New York and the gaming world of MOMUS were enchanting. I enjoyed learning about medieval manuscripts and book printing. The seductive world of computer gaming mirrored the knight's quest in the Viage and in Edward's adventure as Edward and Margaret struggle to find the Codex and reveal its secrets. Once the Codex is discovered, the story begins to lose integrity. Half threats made by employees of the Duke and Duchess of Bowmry to Edward on separate occasions attempt to give a heightened sense of danger but fail. Edward is far more excited to discover the manuscript than curiously unemotional Margaret, who betrays Edward in the end by working for the Duke and stealing the Codex. Both Edward and Margaret end up in England, Margaret as the guest of the Duke and Edward the Duchess. Upon Edward's arrival at the Went's residence, we find the Duchess escaping the wrath and hatred of the Duke who now has the Codex. Edward is left on the steps with a shopping bag full of money, Margaret's price of betrayal and attempt to buy him off.
The ending is at least a chapter short. Margaret's story is unfinished. How did the Duke get to her, and why does she betray Edward? Also unanswered were the questions of why the Duke and Duchess hated each other and how each was going to use the Codex to harm the other. Edward is left to pick up the pieces of his life and return to banking but it is unclear if he learned anything from his experience.
Rating: 
Summary: Highly entertaining!
Review: I went through this book in nothing flat, mostly because I couldn't stop reading! The mystery here is set up well, and the writing is superb. I knew the game in this story was tied to the search for the codex and was pleasantly surprised to find out how. I don't want to give anything away, so you'll have to read it yourself to find out how. You definitely won't be disappointed in this one.
Rating:
Summary: Enigmas Wrapped In Enigmas
Review: High-powered investment banker Edward Wozny is about to start his first vacation ever, before moving to London and his new job. Before he can start to unwind, he must deal with one more little assignment--he is asked to catalog a library of rare books for the Wents, the Duke and Duchess of Bowmry. And, oh, by the way, there is this ancient codex the Duchess is anxious to find--the Viage by Gervase of Langford, 14th Century. Does the Viage exist? Or is it a modern fraud? And why is it so important? In spite of himself, Edward becomes intrigued with this project, and together with the moody but attractive Margaret Napier, spends all his waking hours on the pursuit of the codex. And on a mysterious computer game that is strangely parallel to the missing book. Now you readers know that whenever a lost book or manuscript--or codex--turns up in literature--big trouble is sure to follow. Lost books are lost for very important reasons. Bad guys turn up, determined to keep them lost. So, what's the big story here? Does the codex exist? Was Gervase of Langford a real person? Why is the Duchess so anxious to find the codex? Will Edward find it? Will he ever get back to work? You will just have to read Codex to find out. The book is written in a high, literary style, with lots of adjectives, flowery descriptions of colors, textures, fabrics and book-bindings; and over-wrought emotions verging on hysteria. It also has occasional jarring lapses, like the term "olive-complected" (p.206). Author Lev Grossman is a talented writer, but I found this novel somewhat disappointing. The book just didn't work for me, in spite of interesting characters and intriguing enigmas. The plot didn't quite hang together, and as other reviewers have mentioned, the ending was a total let-down. Still, the premise is interesting. The book is packed with fascinating trivia about old books, the early days of printing, and medieval literature. If you are intrigued by these things, you might enjoy this book. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.
|
