I know a lot of people who were required to read this book in high school or when they started college and it seems strange to me that this book would be used, where there are so many other books (such as Kafka's The Metamorphosis, wherein the main character inexplicably turns into a large bug and has an orange rot on his back) that would leave a more lasting impression. Actually, I know why. It's the complexity and length of the sentences once the book had been translated to English. A really sadistic English teacher would force a student to diagram some of these babies out.
Actually, the book is a richly detailed murder mystery (which you probably already know if you watched the movie), set in twelfth century Europe, under the "gentle" auspices of the Catholic Church. Contrary to the Sean Connery character, Brother William is deeply devout as well as brilliant and has successfully managed to integrate these seemingly disparate positions. It's great fun to read and contains way more historical reference than you really needed to live. Vespers anyone?