The novel is driven by Tom, a Princeton senior, who is torn between his developing realtionship with Katie, a sophomore, and the Hypnertomachia, a Renaissance text shrouded in mystery and murder. Tom must choose between continuing his father's legacy and helping his best friend solve the text's mystery and going to the big dance. Seriously, that's the conflict. Sure, people are killed, professors are brought low, relationships are brought to the brink, but the main problem is Tom. He can't have his two loves -- the book and the girl -- and so he must choose.

The problem, perhaps, was in the marketing. I expected a historical mystery. The book never makes up it's mind just how important that mystery is. Granted, that may be the point. But I never really felt for Tom, with his internal dialoge full of mixed metaphors, art allusions, and Latin phrases (Does everyone at Princeton think and talk like the people in this novel? I kinda doubt it). I just wanted him to pick one -- the girl or the book -- so we could get on with the story.

It wasn't horrible. I don't feel like I wasted my time or my $8.00. It did generate a pretty good idea for a D&D game (more on that later). But I really can't recommend the book to anyone else -- unless you REALLY like Princeton.

On a realted note, am I the only one that gets a little depressed whenever I finish a novel? "Post Fiction Depression"? I just know that I'll never be able to read that book for the first time again, which bums me out a little.