The Secret Supper
by Javier Sierra
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Book Reviews of The Secret Supper
Book Review: Interesting but lacks pizzazz!!
Summary: 3 Stars
(3.5 STARS) Although Javier Sierra's "The Secret Supper" makes for an interesting read at times, it is certainly no "DaVinci Code." It lacks the dynamism, action, power, real suspense, complex plot, subplots and two-dimensional but larger than life characters of Dan Brown's bestseller. Mr. Sierra's writing is uneven - sometimes ponderous, well paced at others....but, perhaps the problem lies with Alberto Manguel's translation. The general idea behind the storyline is fascinating enough, I think, to make this a novel worth reading - but be warned, a masterpiece "The Secret Supper" is not!
The year is 1497. In Rome highly placed Papal officials are receiving ominous communications from a mystery man - the "Soothsayer," who predicts dire consequences if the work on Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper" continues. This anonymous witness "denounced the beginnings of a vast sorcerer's operation in the lands of Ludivico Il Moro." This was the period when the Dominican zealot monk, Savonarola, preached against the Pope in Florence. He had acquired quite a following. He also spoke out with hatred against the Renaissance, which was thriving, bringing about artistic and religious transformation. Florentine painter, sculptor, draughtsman, Leonardo da Vinci, a universal genius who typified the Renaissance man, was also an architect, town planner, inventor, scientist, writer and musician in his prime. He came under the patronage of Lorenzo de' Medici and then, in 1482, he entered the service of Ludovico Sforza,? Duke of Milan, called Il Moro because of his swarthy appearance, where he was active as artist, architect and military engineer. Sforzo commissioned the genius to portray Christ at his last meal with his disciples in the Milan's Church of Santa Maria della Grazia.
Like "The DaVinci Code," this novel, published in Europe in 2004, deals with an alternative interpretation of early Christianity and the Gospels, far different from that of the orthodox Catholic Church. Secret symbols are discovered embedded in great artistic works, namely da Vinci's "The Last Supper," and a canvas commissioned by the Milanese Franciscans which was supposed to be a depiction of the Immaculate Conception. Instead, Leonardo painted a canvas entitled "The Virgin of the Rocks," portraying Mary and the Archangel Uriel hiding in a cave with the infants Jesus and his cousin, John the Baptist, during their flight to Egypt. No such scene is recorded in the Gospels.
Leonardo was suspected of being devoted to the Church of John, as opposed to the Church of Peter. It is known that he was accused of finding inspiration for his work in the heretical friar Amadeo of Portugal. "The Secret Supper" deals with the mysteries behind these paintings. Also, as with "The Da Vinci Code," there is a murderer on the loose, wreaking havoc throughout.
Father Agostino Leyre, the head of intelligence for the Dominican Order is sent to Milan to find the Soothsayer and investigate his claims - claims that the Duke wanted to turn his duchy into a new Athens, modeled after the Greek state during the Golden Age - that he planned to cast aside the Bible and the Church's tenants and transform his domain into "the capital of philosophy and science" like that of the ancients under Plato and Aristotle. A key to this plan was to be found In Leonardo's painting of The Last Supper."
It is important, I believe, to know something of the complex politics of the period, especially those on the Italian peninsula between the various duchies and the Vatican states, to understand many of the nuances in this tale. Unfortunately this historical background, which would have significantly enhanced the storyline, is not adequately provided. If you are interested in reading more about 15th century Milan, the Italian Duchies and the Papal State's struggle to dominate Italy, the Sforza family, the d'Este sisters, Leonardo da Vinci and his work, then Karen Essex's "Leonardo's Swans would make an excellent prequel for "The Secret Supper."
I do wish writers would become inspired by another topic! No more of these retellings/additions/addendums, etc. of Dan Brown's novel...please!
JANA
Book Review: De Vinci--again
Summary: 3 Stars
I'm not sure if it's the translation from the Spanish or the original author's style, but I felt this novel could have been so much more than it was. The book is almost purely dialogue, with a minimum of description, mostly brief, personal sketches of individual characters with rare description of the scene. Like the novel based on Black Coffee, a play by Agatha Christie, this too reminded me of a movie, TV or theater script, with commentary on character and scene included to aid the director. In the instance of the Christie play, this was in fact the case. Here it seems to have been an unintended artifact.
I have to admit that the reader will be able to create a mental picture of certain aspects of the venue in which the action takes place. That said, however, with such a splendid environmental setting (the North Italian countryside), such magnificent potential for courtly pageantry (the courts of Milan, Florence, and the Papacy during the renaissance), the dramatic period--(the age of the Medici's, the Sfortzas, and the Borgias in Italy), it could have been a far more potent and gritty novel than it is--and destined for Hollywood pageantry, no doubt.
The plot is a familiar one, especially with the new film presentation of the DeVinci Code. It includes the mystery of Mary Magdelaine and of the Gnostic texts of the Bible purporting to describe the life of Jesus Christ in terms that the authorities of the Roman Catholic Church prefer to have suppressed. DeVinci's notable eccentricity and paranoia with respect to his intellectual work, including his remarkable capacity to write backwards, is again part of the sequence of events. Again his famous "Last Supper" is the source for a hidden message about the "true" religion of Christ. Again the central characters must decipher the painting to discover the secret message it contains, and again the modern (this time Renaissance) descendants of Mary Magdelaine are a part of the action.
While I enjoyed both books, my enjoyment was more in the murder mysteries themselves. I probably enjoyed the De Vinci Code a little more because the characters were developed a little more generously than in the Secret Supper. However, I couldn't help feeling that the dénouement was, in both cases, distinctly flat. It seemed to me, that there had been much ado about nothing to quote Shakespeare. None of the revelations were particularly startling or instructive.
The one aspect of the Secret Supper which was truly informative, at least to me, was the notion that to the people of his age, De Vinci's painted artwork must have seemed almost magical, unbelievable. This is not necessarily apparent to the modern viewer of the Last Supper, which has been reproduced ad infinitum for a modern mass market. Modern individuals are so accustomed to perspective in everything, that it hardly seems at all novel. Most of us don't even notice it. To those just emerging from the Dark Ages with its archaic portrayal of scenes in registers and characters in hierarchies according to personal importance, the realism of De Vinci's works must have seemed as staggering as Polaroid snap shots to the natives of the Amazon basin or the New Guinea highlands were in the 50's: the work of the devil and soul-stealing in intent!
Given the political personalities, intrigues, murders and power structure of this period, it would make an interesting murder mystery just with what occurred--the author makes this point when he describes the extermination of the Cathars in France and the personal and family goals of the Pope.
Given the recent interest in the motivations of the Catholic Church with respect to supressing what it doesn't like of New Testament sources and in the history of the original shaping of doctrine--and the personalities, intrigues, murders and power structures--these would also make for a major murder mystery of pagentry. Somebody work on that.
An average book.
Book Review: More `Da Vinci' Last Supper....No Real Secret
Summary: 3 Stars
Sorry folks, if you are looking for something earth shattering, this won't be it. The author does write a good novel and it's an enjoyable read, especially for those who like period pieces and intrigue. For the most part, the characters are believable as is the setting. The information regarding the Cathars appears to be well researched. Whether or not Leonardo da Vinci "encoded" anything related to them in his famous work "The Last Supper" is an another story.
As you begin to unravel the mystery and do a little research, it becomes obvious that the author is attempting to fit the "evidence" into his already forgone conclusions about the secret code hidden in the painting. I won't reveal the secret, but I will point out a couple of things worth noting to those who may take these "revelations" seriously.
You will discover in this novel that certain epitaphs, which are associated with each apostle, are important to unraveling the final clues. However, be cautious about these interpretations. I will give just one example. The meaning of Matthew's name is not the Latin word for "He Who Is Diligent", but is Hebrew for "Gift of God". Sierra could be forgiven if he meant the meaning of the name "Levi" instead, since the Church has always asserted that they are the same person. No such luck. "Levi" means "put to" or "set to". If you don't believe me, please obtain a copy of "The Golden Legend" and read the first part on "The Life of Saint Matthew". It's easily available on-line with a Google search. In it Jacobus de Voragine states clearly the meaning of Matthew's name in the first paragraph. I'm not an expert and perhaps Voragine was wrong and Javier Sierra is correct. This wouldn't be a problem, except that on page 252 of his novel Sierra states that Voragine is the very source of the information!
Another example is 'why did Leonardo fail to depict the Passover lamb at the meal'? This is easy to answer without resorting to anything scandalous. The Passover lamb is missing from the table because according to St. John's Gospel (which Leonardo interpreted to create this painting), the Last Supper was "before the feast of the Passover" (Jn. 13:1). Jesus, who is symbolically the Passover lamb in John's gospel, was crucified on the eve of Passover at the exact same time that the lambs were traditionally slaughtered (the ninth hour or 3pm). Therefore, Leonardo's "Last Supper" was the evening before and hence, no unleavened bread either. This is at least according to John's gospel as Matthew, Mark and Luke state otherwise.
The part about Mary Magdalene, Isis and the knot in the tablecloth is interesting, but I'm not aware of any evidence that there was no knot at the other end of the table. A close examination of the painting reveals a more horizontally rounded outline at the bottom left corner of the tablecloth suggesting that something like a knot was originally there also. Most of the detail in this corner of the painting has unfortunately faded too much to draw a firm conclusion.
Also, folks, please remember that the Inquisition was nothing to take lightly (just imagine the worst fundamentalist Christians ever with the legitimate and legal authority to burn people at the stake for heresy). Had the great Leonardo da Vinci been as careless about dropping heretical clues as this novel suggests, I assure you we never would have had the good fortune to have heard about him or his painting.
If you are looking for a thriller novel with a "da Vinci" theme, "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown is much more fun, even though it's pure historical nonsense. Don't expect "The Da Vinci Code" in "The Secret Supper", though, as Sierra's novel moves at a much slower pace and is not nearly as entertaining.
Book Review: An Enthralling Blend of History, Art, and Intrigue
Summary: 5 Stars
Javier Sierra originally published this book in Spain in 2004 as 'La Cena Secreta' and it rapidly became a best seller in Europe. At last it is translated into English by Alberto Manguel as THE SECRET SUPPER and the book is bound to find its way onto the bestseller list rapidly! It is a tightly woven, suspense driven, elegant story of a secret that lay hidden in the Leonardo Da Vinci's painting 'The Last Supper', that secret threatening to undo to status of the Catholic Church in the 15th century.
Sierra is a scholar as well as a fine novelist and his previous investigative works on the Templars, the mystical nun Maria Jesus of Agreda as well as his thought provoking book on the Inca king Arahualpa's missing treasure serve him well as background in writing a credible novel about a controversial subject. Yes, the world is still reeling from the scandal of 'The Da Vinci Code', and some readers my think that here is yet another round of data about Christianity that is slipping along the success d'estime of that work. But be aware that this novel is wholly different and for this reader is far superior in the final resolution of the intial premise.
The year is 1497 and Javier Sierra accompanies us back in time to an era when the wealthy leaders of the communities of Milan and Florence and Rome had an unimaginably huge impact on the course of the great Roman Catholic Church. In Milan the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is being renovated under the guidance of the Duke of Milan. But Pope Alexander VI is concerned that heretical elements favoring the threatening schism within the Church will be established in the politically important and highly visible sanctuary. Among the many intrigues surrounding Milan's new structure is the one concerning the popular painter Leonardo Da Vinci whose painting of The Last Supper is found to exclude the holy icons of the Grail and the Eucharistic Bread. The painting also is found to include known heretics as models for some of the disciples who look away from the Christ figure, one suggestive of Leonardo himself. How the Pope's investigators and the perpetrators address these issues and the places of secrecy revealed by the gradually unfolding discoveries serves as not only an informative survey of history, but also a fascinating, immensely readable suspense thriller that keeps us riveted to the book until the final page where the ultimate secret is revealed.
If Alberto Manguel's English translation is sound (and since it was sanctioned by author Sierra himself it must be), then we have every reason to believe that here is a very important writer entering the English-speaking marketplace with one fine novel! Whether the reader is looking for a book of historical fiction, a novel of 15th century intrigue, or simply a fresh view of Da Vinci and of a new author, THE SECRET SUPPER is bound to please. The book design by Atria Books is splendid and enhances the reading experience. Graciously for those whose historical background needs some refurbishing, the book includes a 'Cast of Characters', outlining in a very readable fashion all of the 'players' of the period (Botticelli, Lorenzo the Magnificent, Ludivico Sforza, Pope Alexander Vi, etc) and for many, reading this terse glossary would be a fine way to begin this novel's woven tapestry of history. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, March 06
Book Review: A thrilling narrative steeped in historical ambience, atmosphere, and mystery
Summary: 5 Stars
Although not yet a household name in the United States, Javier Sierra is extremely well-known in other countries. This is due in part to three nonfiction books and four European bestsellers, of which THE SECRET SUPPER is the latest. Its publication is benefiting from some well-deserved word-of-mouth publicity and will no doubt receive additional scrutiny as the result of the controversy surrounding the release of the so-called "Judas Bible."
THE SECRET SUPPER is characterized by its foundation, which consists of Sierra's careful, almost obsessive, research concerning the painting of The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. There have been many works of fiction over the past few years that have had as their basis --- in whole or in part --- the works of da Vinci. Unlike most of them, however, THE SECRET SUPPER takes place entirely in the past, specifically in the late 15th century, and features da Vinci as a central --- if enigmatic --- character of the piece.
The narrative is set forth primarily from the viewpoint of Friar Agostino Leyre of the Order of St. Dominic and an instrument of the Spanish Inquisition. Leyre is dispatched to Milan after Church officials receive a number of enigmatic messages from a mysterious individual calling himself "The Soothsayer," who reports that the painting of The Last Supper being created by da Vinci contains symbols and clues that have special meaning to a group of heretics previously thought to have been exterminated. Leyre is confronted with several mysteries upon his arrival in Milan, including the identity of The Soothsayer and determining if da Vinci is actually purporting heresy or having a bit of fun at the expense of the Church --- or both.
A series of murders in Milan that seem to center on the painting have Leyre perplexed as well. Motivations are always suspect and trust is a fragile thing, as he attempts to divine the secrets of the painting. Meanwhile, his own faith --- along with all that it represents --- is being called into question.
THE SECRET SUPPER is written very much in the European style, with Sierra's unhurried narrative taking its time, soaking up historical ambience, atmosphere and mystery, and slowly spooning it out to the reading audience.
While Sierra is aware and respectful of history's role, he does not get bogged down in it, and as a result his descriptions (both implicit and explicit) of his surroundings are first-rate. Additionally, Sierra provides a Cast of Characters at the end of the book, an invaluable aid to the reader in keeping track of who's who.
With a novel as good as THE SECRET SUPPER, readers will be wanting second portions. Any chance of those other Sierra novels being published on these shores?
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub