Author: Lev Grossman
Codex is a slow book to begin with (or it may be me that is losing patience lately). It tried to induce suspense but ended up making the story seemed longer than necessary in the first few chapters. However, where it lacked in narrating a good story, it more than made up for with a special story-line and abundance of information on medieval England. The use of an English aristocratic family and the mystery of a long-lost book belonging to this family is fabulous, keeping in line with other novels about ancient artefacts. This book really increases my interest in studying anthropology to learn more about ancient texts.
The story of Codex opened with Edward Wozny, a young hot-shot banker, taking up an assignment to help organise a personal library of rare books belonging to the Wents. The Wents in reality are the Duke and Duchess of Bowmry. However, the organising of the library is only just the beginning of Edward's eventful vacation. In fact, the Duchess was the one responsible for giving him the task in hope that he might find a hidden medieval codex. This codex was written by a Gervase of Langford and the Duchess suspected that it contained a dark secret that she could use to threaten or destroy her husband the Duke. The secret turned out to be scandalous indeed.
Both the discovery of Gervase's writings and the ending of Codex is unexpected. I recommend you this book just for finding these out, along with the secret and why the Duke desperately needs to destroy Gervase's codex. Maybe if I know more about England in the Middle Ages, I could have guess where Gervase's codex was hidden but that would have reduce the element of surprise.
