Codex is Lev Grossman's book about a rare book hunt in Manhattan by an investment banker who was roped into doing this prior to a transfer to London. It is full of unlikeable characters (except on very sympathetic researcher), and is chock full of interesting facts about medieval books that nevertheless fails to interest me.
I have no idea why I kept reading it despite the lack of interest. The protagonist, for instance, doesn't seem like the kind of person who would unpack books themselves rather than hire a task rabbit. While hunting for this rare book, he encounters an attractive young scholar, and they develop a relationship. Yet in the final section of the novel when he has a chance to bring Margaret along he doesn't for no reason other than for the author to finish off the novel with some sort of a moral.
Lev Grossman's novels are not generally very good --- the Magicians, for instance is a much better TV show than the books would indicate. I cannot recommend this book to anyone.
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