The Name of the Rose
by Umberto Eco
Published: 1980
Genres: Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery
Format: Paperback (536 pages)
Source: Library
The year is 1327. Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. When his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths, Brother William turns detective. His tools are the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, the empirical insights of Roger Bacon—all sharpened to a glistening edge by wry humor and a ferocious curiosity. He collects evidence, deciphers secret symbols and coded manuscripts, and digs into the eerie labyrinth of the abbey, where “the most interesting things happen at night.”
A great murder mystery set in medieval times. I felt like the main character, William, was a modern character in medieval times. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one that thought this because he addresses it the post script and says that the passages that most people find too “modern” are direct quotes from 14th century texts. I thought the medieval attitude was well portrayed in this book. You could feel the attitude that the world is in decline and that the old days were better than they are now. I like how he also mentions that there isn’t a story that hasn’t already been told. He talks a lot about books and how “books speak of other books.” I loved this book, but the beginning was hard to get through. There’s a lot of history that he goes through so get out your Google skills, but it was worth it by the time I got to the end.
Content Rating: Medium, for some suggestive material and some violence.
About Umberto Eco
Umberto Eco is an Italian writer of fiction, essays, academic texts, and children's books, and certainly one of the finest authors of the twentieth century. A professor of semiotics at the University of Bologna, Eco’s brilliant fiction is known for its playful use of language and symbols, its astonishing array of allusions and references, and clever use of puzzles and narrative inventions. His perceptive essays on modern culture are filled with a delightful sense of humor and irony, and his ideas on semiotics, interpretation, and aesthetics have established his reputation as one of academia’s foremost thinkers.
My name is Jessica. I love to read Young Adult and classic literature. I’ve been a book blogger for six years and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. I’m a very curious reader. Writing about all the questions and thoughts I had while reading a book is the best hobby ever.
This sounds intriguing! I love historical stuff, and with a murder mystery to boot it seems like the kind of thing I would really like. Thanks for the rec!
No problem! I love reading stuff people haven’t always heard of. I checked out your blog and it’s awesome!