The Secret Supper
by Javier Sierra
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Book Reviews of The Secret Supper
Book Review: Enjoyable..
Summary: 3 Stars
The Secret Supper, was by all means an enjoyable novel. If you like historical fiction, some mystery, some murder and a little bit of spice, it has all the ingredients for a fun, beachy, relaxing page turner. If your tastes run to the more intellectual, descriptive and stickler for accuracy my suggestion is to look elsewhere, perhaps the wonderfully written "Historian." At any rate, this novel centers on Papal Inquisitor, Agostino Leyre and his experience in 1492 Milan and is told in a flashback format. The reader is introduced to Leonardo Da Vinci as he is completing "The Cenecalo" or Last Supper. The stories premise revolves around the warnings of a mysterious Soothsayer who claims heretics have infested the church with the "Last Supper" itself being the vehicle which the heterodoxy is delivered. The plot thickens when murder occurs and loyalties are revealed. The final twist and ending is enjoyable and not altogether predictable. It has a good pace and intersting premise with the historical setting which made the book interesting for me.Book Review: A Little Disappointing
Summary: 2 Stars
A bit of a disappointment, The Secret Supper didn't live up to my expectations for a suspenseful and full-bodied mystery. It started out ever so slowly and although it began to show promise after the first several chapters, what Sierra delivered in the end was hardly worth the effort. I certainly learned a lot about the history of the Roman Catholic Church and its various heretical sects as well as the life of the Apostles. And I became quite familiar with The Last Supper itself. Much of the dialog between characters was enjoyable and at times, quite entertaining. I liked Sierra's characterization of Leonardo, too. But the solutions to the riddles to me seemed a bit far-fetched, the identity of The Soothsayer came as no great surprise, and the secret that was revealed - well, it just wasn't that startling. Significant character development or adventure could have redeemed the story but neither was present to a substantial degree. Although it is a well-written and informative book, I personally don't see what all the hype is about.Book Review: Thoroughly enjoyable
Summary: 4 Stars
I don't read a book with the intention of "reviewing" it. My sole purpose in reading is enjoyment and, narcissistic as that may sound, I'm not pretending otherwise. If I could figure out how to make this 4 1/2 stars, I would have. That said, I'll attempt to comment with appropriate information.
Go back in time to the dark days of the inquisition. A dangerous & hostile world to free and enlightened thinkers. Leonardo DaVinci walked a slippery slope with his genius and if it were not for influential benefactors, he would likely have either had to flee Christendom, squelch his artistic expression or suffer the wrath of the inquisitors. As Leonardo works on his "Last Supper" we are introduced into his world, vicariously and through an unlikely guide: one of the inquisitor's representatives.
The book moves along once you get started and, speaking for myself again, is very difficult to put down. All in all, extremely enjoyable. Give it a try!
Book Review: To Many Undeveloped Characters; Great Theory
Summary: 4 Stars
While I enjoyed your theories, I felt that the characters were underdeveloped, especially Leonardo DV. Many of the characters were confusing to me, especially how you jumped from Milan to Rome. Other times and places were confusing to me, not knowing the geography of Milan and vicinity.
You left me with an appetite to learn more about the era so that I can readily separate fact from fiction. For example, does the mysterious book held in the left hand of the maiden on the playing card really exist? Or do we know of it only by reference? Why is the food on the table at the Last Supper so scattered about? It seems to me that an actual meal would be much more ordered. (Is that another hidden clue?)
I know that the Cathar Crusade was real and that the "Church" slaughtered thousands of innocents in southern France. Does the movement still exist?
In any event, thank you for your effort.
Book Review: Interesting
Summary: 4 Stars
In this sudden rash of Catholic Church secrets, this is probably the most believable. Great writing and dialog, good historical research, and a fun priest combine in this Inquisition-set novel. Agostino Leyre is a believable inquisitor, and yet seems to suffer from the same problem as many first-person told stories in that he KNOWS things just because it moves the plot along.
As for the plot itself, it meandered in a way that was both confusing (first person to third to seemingly omnipotent) and strangely fascinating. I'm still not certain what Father Leyre's true goal was, or what he ended up accomplishing, though I suspect this was merely an historical account for something that was discovered centuries later.
I'd have liked to see more detail on how information was exchanged and how Father Leyre knew what he did, but it was still an interesting concept.