Review - Discovery
Discovery
by Leslie Schweitzer Miller
release date 4/23/2018
276 pages
Chapter length: short
2 out of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from Smith Publicity in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
According to the publisher: "The life of a nineteenth century priest has a profound effect on the future of a couple in 2012. Together, these intertwined stories will take you on the journey of DISCOVERY.
Abbé François Bérenger Saunière arrives in Rennes-le-Château in 1885 as impoverished as the remote mountain village itself. Inspired by the true story, this unconventional priest amasses a fortune, creates a magnificent estate and brings his ancient, crumbling Church of Saint Maria Magdalena to glory. During the renovation he unearths a first century urn containing two shocking documents--a parchment with grave consequences for his friend, Father Antoine Gélis, and a papyrus he feels morally bound to hide for safekeeping.
Dr. Giselle Gélis is resigned to living within the insular world of biblical scholarship until Dr. David Rettig, a gregarious American archeologist, bursts into her life in 2012. He's more familiar with Shakespeare and poetry than the Gospels; she's a pragmatist, he's a dreamer--but it's kismet, nonetheless. A trip across the south of France to learn more about her great-great-uncle's life is transformed into a romantic sojourn, with nights spent in old castles and days devoted to atmospheric holy sites linked with Giselle's heroine, Marie-Madeleine. The pièce de résistance of this idyllic week would have been exploring Rennes-le-Château and puzzling over the unsolved clues; instead, they stumble on the discovery of a lifetime.
As the threads of these stories intertwine, an intriguing and little known historical mystery is woven through a contemporary tale of sweeping emotional intensity, illuminating the complexities of human relationships--and the power of love."
by Leslie Schweitzer Miller
release date 4/23/2018
276 pages
Chapter length: short
2 out of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from Smith Publicity in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
According to the publisher: "The life of a nineteenth century priest has a profound effect on the future of a couple in 2012. Together, these intertwined stories will take you on the journey of DISCOVERY.
Abbé François Bérenger Saunière arrives in Rennes-le-Château in 1885 as impoverished as the remote mountain village itself. Inspired by the true story, this unconventional priest amasses a fortune, creates a magnificent estate and brings his ancient, crumbling Church of Saint Maria Magdalena to glory. During the renovation he unearths a first century urn containing two shocking documents--a parchment with grave consequences for his friend, Father Antoine Gélis, and a papyrus he feels morally bound to hide for safekeeping.
Dr. Giselle Gélis is resigned to living within the insular world of biblical scholarship until Dr. David Rettig, a gregarious American archeologist, bursts into her life in 2012. He's more familiar with Shakespeare and poetry than the Gospels; she's a pragmatist, he's a dreamer--but it's kismet, nonetheless. A trip across the south of France to learn more about her great-great-uncle's life is transformed into a romantic sojourn, with nights spent in old castles and days devoted to atmospheric holy sites linked with Giselle's heroine, Marie-Madeleine. The pièce de résistance of this idyllic week would have been exploring Rennes-le-Château and puzzling over the unsolved clues; instead, they stumble on the discovery of a lifetime.
As the threads of these stories intertwine, an intriguing and little known historical mystery is woven through a contemporary tale of sweeping emotional intensity, illuminating the complexities of human relationships--and the power of love."
I was initially attracted to this book because the plot seemed similar to The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown, which I loved. There are many similar plot points between the two books - a world renowned religious scholar traveling to a beautiful European location who discovers and stumbles upon an ancient document that might reveal a massive secret about the history of Christianity - but this book did not have the action that I was expecting. While this book definitely shares similar themes with The DaVinci Code, this is actually much more a romance novel peppered with biblical themes. When I reached the end of the book, it sort of felt anticlimactic; I wanted so much more from the plot.
I have one other note, that can be taken as either a positive or a negative, depending on the reader: the dialogue in this book is extremely sophisticated. The two main characters speak in a very formal way and frequently reference poetry and Bible verses. For me, it felt, at times, unnatural. However, I think more sophisticated readers than myself would enjoy this writing style.
I recommend this book for fans of romance novels who are looking for something different than their usual reads.
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