This book is such a slow-going one to read because it's just... too much? There are too many parts where I feel like everything goes over my head because I zone out from all the details (or all the Latin!), which makes me feel like maybe I've missed something.

In a lot of ways, it reminds of of Les Mis because of all the irrelevant detail. You could probably rip out a couple hundred pages and have roughly the same story. But I think it annoys me more because there's a 'mystery' for the reader to solve, and it feels like it's buried beneath far too many details (with many of those necessary details being easily forgotten due to the sheer volume).

Like, I feel like I need to take notes in order to remember which monk or priest is which.