Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.12 AVERAGE
3.12 AVERAGE
The cover blurb promises a book more fascinating than the DaVinci Code, and the book delivers. It's a similar sort of idea (hidden/encoded messages that lead to a great find) but with such better writing and more intellectual stimulation that it's not even in the same category. This book is definitely a page turner, with plot twists and secrets and even a little character development (though that's the one aspect I would say is weak). It's fast paced and interesting, and isn't the usual holy-grail kind of search, exactly. There were a few elements I figured out before the end, and a few that took me by surprise even in the last few pages. That the plot centers on Shakespeare is icing on a delicious cake for this word-nerd. :-)
"People talking about Marxism" was book kryptonite for me before and now there is another kind: lost Shakespeare plays. As a plot point this has done in several books now!
Interesting premise--old manuscript found in an old book possibly leads to a lost Shakespeare play. One that sounds particularly cool--Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots! There's two protagonists, one of whom is writing in the first person and the other who is written about in the third. Competently done, though I didn't like the first-person narrator very much. This is intentional on the author's part: the character himself always admits that he's a jerk, but that didn't make him more likable.
A little too long. Dragged in some places. Author is a good writer, though, great characters. Still don't understand the title. And got confused by the plot. But overall not a bad book.
Weird book. Couldn't decide what it was meant to be - the Shakespeare conspiracy was really secondary to the lives of the main protaganists.
OK but not what I'd expected!
OK but not what I'd expected!
An interesting take on the implications of time travel, taking advantage of the current steampunk trend and drawing upon classic sci-fi and Niffenegger's idea of a human time-travel ability (disorder? mutation?). Not much characterization, and at times awkward in expression, it's purely and idea book. The greatest strength: A complex plot, composed of interlocking threads.
Closest thing to Dan Brown since before Dan Brown started to suck. I liked this one, as it used Shakespeare instead of sacred texts. Kinda cool, but occasionally got a little muddled. I saw the ending coming a mile away, but it was still satisfying getting there.
I think the plot really didn't make the most sense at the end, but it was a fun ride
I lost interest in this book several pages in, and tried to slog through the rest. I just got tired of the main character with his narcissism and selfishness. As I read, I couldn't find a place to start liking him, and with so many books out there, I decided to cut my losses.
Loved the idea but didn't particularly like the book.