Wavy paws. Today, we have a mystery thriller to review for Meet Me At the Bookshelf.
The author of The DaVinci Code, Angels and Demons, and Origin, Dan Brown, authored this 671-page novel called The Secret of Secrets.
Fifty millionty billion walkies could have occurred during Momma’s reading of this dud.
Nod, nod. Two stars, tops.
Prague is where the story unfolds. A gorgeous city that is up to date with top-notch science, surveillance, and technology. Robert Langdon, in his sixth installment of these books, has fallen in love with a talented noetic scientist named Katherine Solomon. She is attending the Charles University Lecture series to present her new and exciting theory and book on human consciousness.
Katherine dreamt of a woman, crowned radiantly like Liberty, who smelled of death, wielding a spear. Thereafter, Langdon senses the hotel’s impending explosion, triggers an alarm that clears it, and then jumps from the window into the water. Katherine is nowhere to be found. Langdon gets a note stating that Katherine is being held and to venture to an assigned location. He does, and trouble ensues.
Langdon found that someone tortured and killed Doctor Brigita Gessner, an eminent Czech neuroscientist, in her lab. She had invited Solomon to speak in the series. Local authorities appear complicit; the Golem, protector of Jewish lore, might be involved. Where, however, could Katherine be?
Dr. Gessner’s assistant, Sasha, tries to help Langdon find the killer. Sasha owns two Siamese cats, Harry and Sally, and she named them after the movie. She met the doctor there after being institutionalized for seizures.
I would chase these two cats.
Sasha has a pretty tame fling with embassy staffer Michael and tells Langdon they are in danger. The two cats often watch out the window, waiting for things to happen, much like Momma and me.
Sasha is soon missing as well.
Who is feeding Harry and Sally?
Will the police arrest Langdon and try to pin Dr. Gessner’s death on him?
Indeed, back at Katherine’s publishing house in America, someone has breached security and deleted Katherine Solomon’s new manuscript. The book publisher cannot reach her to raise any concerns. In fact, someone kidnapped her editor, took him for a joyride around town, and interrogated him to ensure no other copies of the manuscript existed.
The author based the editor on the real-life Dan Brown editor, and the editor should have spent his time editing the book instead of acting as a character within it. Nod, nod. From here, the editor could cut 350 pages.
The Golem is protecting someone in the book. He is a deadly protector. The two cats and I, I think, liked him.
I give the Golem five paws up, and this book only two paws.
I loved the symbolism and new theories in the book. Science is fun, and The Secret of Secrets blends current accepted ideas with new theory. The best parts were the Golem and various embassies and police chases. Very exciting. The book is heavy on the human consciousness theory and gets boring and long-winded.
Dan Brown tries to create a love affair, but it is bland and uninspiring.
Harry and Sally might’ve solved the mystery faster, with increased enjoyment, compared to Robert Langdon.
Where The DaVinci Code was epic, creating controversy and deep discussions for many years, this book falls short, even if better edited. No one will discuss this book in cafes worldwide.
The secret is to take a fun walkie with your dog or cat instead.
Wavy paws and next time being treats to Meet Me at the Bookshelf.
Kissy noses.
The Anipal Times 