It is the year 1327. Franciscans in an Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, but Brother William of Baskerville’s investigation is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths. Translated by William Weaver. A Helen and Kurt Wolff Book
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Umberto Eco: The Name of the Rose
JmeDoom(Asheville, The Sea)
Umberto Eco, the great Italian writer, philosopher, and historian has woven a thick murder mystery about human nature, government, intellectualism, Catholicism, superstition, linguistics, greed, poverty and history. Even though The Name of the Rose is my favorite Eco book, I would not say it is always easy going. Indeed, once you have set out into its depths you will sometimes need to blink your eyes or take a break and jog in place to get the blood flowing. You may, like me, be able to literally feel your brain expanding. This is a smart work of fiction that wants to educate the reader. Having said that, I wouldn't want to scare the average reader away. The writing itself is fairly simple, though sometimes Latin phrases are used and long explanatory passages can besiege.
The Name of the Rose is a murder mystery set in 14th Century Italy at a Catholic monastery. The story is told by young Adso of Melk, who is the student/assistant to the hero of the story, William of Baskerville. Baskerville is called in from out of town to investigate the murders. During this time, William uses logic to untangle much of what has happened at the monastery. There is also a great deal of theology discussed in the book including a wonderful discussion on the Poverty of Christ.
As the novel gains steam, more people at the monastery are murdered. The quiet daily life of the Abbey is thrown into chaos. Monasteries at this point in history were charged with preserving history, medical treatments, folklore, theology, philosophy, magic in the form of books. The monks were appointed to copy old works that were falling apart onto new parchment and create a new book. It soon becomes apparent that the answer to the mystery will be found in the library, which only one person had access too: the librarian.
I enjoyed the fictional, but vivid, portrait of Europe in the 1300s. We often see medieval times in a more dark light. In this book, the towns people down in the town are happy and chipper even though the Inquisition is fresh on the minds of everyone. I like the contrast between between the monastery and the town. Sometimes I feel I suffer from anachronistic displacement, and reading a book such as this makes me thankful for my times and quiets the longing I feel for another era.
This book reminds us about the power and responsibility of knowledge and clear thinking and the ......
full review2005-12-20 09:46 | 9 comments
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