So, now that school is over, I'd like to read more. I used to read all the time, and then reading got associated with some kind of awful class and studying and it just wasn't fun any more.


This is a good and a bad book.

Bad:

• Too graphic at some points. I mean, why not let the reader imagine bad things to the extent that they want to?
  
• Too full of itself. The characters aren't pompous, but the author is trying really hard. And ends up just repeating plot structure. Plus I like guessing plot twists, and there wasn't enough evidence to guess the twist well before it happened.
  
• All I can imagine is a pinched, balding Tom Hanks! Although I'm glad I only saw the preview, rather than the whole movie, before reading the book.
  

Good:

• Rome sounds lovely. I want to go visit now that I'm old and can appreciate it.
  
• Just like the DaVinci Code, connecting all the history and conspiracy is clever. I appreciate that this has got to be very, very hard.
  
• There were one or two discussions on religion and religion versus science that were very well written. Not that I'm suddenly going to become a church-going Christian.
  

It's great for reading on a plane, as it's long enough for a whole trip of long plane rides, and you don't have to think very hard about it. Given that the DaVinci Code movie was not nearly as worthwhile as the book, I suspect this case will be the same: good for DVD rental. I'd say go ahead and read it; it wasn't a waste of time.