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. He collects evidence, deciphers secret symbols and coded manuscripts, and digs into the eerie labyrinth of the abbey where extraordinary things are happening under the over of night. A spectacular popular and critical success, The Name of the Rose is not only a narrative of a murder investigation but an astonishing chronicle of the Middle Ages. (2003-05-13)
The Name Of The Rose
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"The late medieval world, teetering on the edge of discoveries and ideas that will hurl it into one more recognisably like ours...evoked with a force and wit that are breathtaking" (Financial Times)
"A novel of sunning intelligence, linguistic richness, thematic complexity" (Il Giorno)
"This novel belongs with Voltaire' philosophical tales-in the entertaining guise of an erudite fiction story, it is also a vibrant plea for freedom, moderation and wisdom" (L'Express)
"A brilliant deconstruction of the traditional crime novel" (Iain Rankin Mail on Sunday)
"Whether you're into Sherlock Holmes, Montaillou, Borges, the nouvelle critique, the Rule of St. Benedict, metaphysics, library design, or The Thing from the Crypt, you'll love it. Who can that miss out?" (Sunday Times)
"A novel of sunning intelligence, linguistic richness, thematic complexity" (Il Giorno)
"This novel belongs with Voltaire' philosophical tales-in the entertaining guise of an erudite fiction story, it is also a vibrant plea for freedom, moderation and wisdom" (L'Express)
"A brilliant deconstruction of the traditional crime novel" (Iain Rankin Mail on Sunday)
"Whether you're into Sherlock Holmes, Montaillou, Borges, the nouvelle critique, the Rule of St. Benedict, metaphysics, library design, or The Thing from the Crypt, you'll love it. Who can that miss out?" (Sunday Times)
Book Description
The ground-breaking first novel from Umberto Eco - a murder mystery, an enthralling chronicle of the Middle Ages, a piece of biblical analysis and a stunning popular and critical success all at once.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 34 people found the following review helpful
By Nigel Collier
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
My favourite Eco novel and one of my all-time favourite books. I keep returning to this informed and wonderfully crafted story time and time again. It _is_ very dense but Eco's narrative style is so smooth and captivating that it's not at all intimidating.
Just like 'Foucault's Pendulum' with all its Hebrew, mysticism and Kabballah (which I love), if you don't like the incidental stuff (like the Latin) in Name of the Rose then just plough through it - and then savour the richness of the characterisation and the clever and meticulously dove-tailed intricacies of the plot which is unravelled at a perfect pace before you.
The basic story is pure Conan Doyle - with the aptly named main Holmes-esque character William of Baskerville being one of the most wonderful characters of any book I've read (on a par with John Le Carre's Barley Scott Blair - coincidentally both characters being played by Sean Connery in the movie versions of their respective books). Baskerville makes the same observations and inferences as the Victorian detective and even says, "elementary" as a playful reference to his fictional mentor (Eco has that sense of fun - like concluding that an encoded scrap of paper thought to hold the secrets to an ancient secret world order of Templars (in Foucault's Pendulum) was actually just a shopping list).
The other characters at the Monastery are utterly vivid, disturbing and grotesque - straight out of an Hieronymus Bosch painting. I really can't rate this book highly enough. Eco needn't be hard work, he does try and be clever (which, let's face it, he is.....very, very clever) but there's no need to get bogged down by the peripheral stuff and commentary if that's not your thing. If it is your thing then this novel will become one of the most cherished and well-thumbed items in your book case - just don't lick your finger when turning the pages.......(you'll need to read the book to understand that last comment).
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I can't recommend this book highly enough. The way Eco unravels the labyrinthine plot whilst evoking with such supreme stylistic clarity the intrigues, seductive heretical undercurrents and atmosphere of a time and a place unknown to us is little short of extraordinary - the late medieval world is given a forceful and remarkable immediacy that draws the reader in and focusses attention on every word. I'm aware that people have found the background detail and historical elements overly imposing and generally obstructing to the plot, and although I agree to a point ( Adso's description of the church door in one of the opening chapters goes on far too long and doesn't really add anything ) those who complain about things like the almost obssesive repetitions of the doctrines and actions of Fra Dolcino as slowing down the narrative miss the point a little, as without an understanding of this the revelations towards the end of the book seem a little disingenuous. Incidentally, the parallels between the library of the monastery and that of the library described in the Jorge Luis Borges story 'The Library of Babel' are worth noting, and the presence of a character named Jorge of Burgos surely can't be a coincidence. If this encourages more people to read Borges, then this can't be a bad thing. In conclusion, a book to be both savoured and revisited ...
33 of 35 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
People will probably either love or hate this book. Those expecting a straight forward medieval 'whodunnit' in the tradition of Ellis Peters might be in for a little surprize, as Umberto Eco adds a great deal of background information (history, theology, linguistics) to his murder mystery. For Adso, the narrator of the work, there is much more to discover than just the identity of the murderer.
I would also like to reassure readers, who might think that knowledge of Latin is essential to understanding and enjoying this work. It is not. A good grasp of Latin will add to the enjoyment, no doubt, but the casual reader can just skip through the quotations. What is given in Latin is background information, also making the work more authentic. However, nothing relevant to the actual plot is hidden from the reader who only knows vernacular languages.
All in all a gripping read, which will change the reader's perception of libraries for ever!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A 'Who done it' with a difference
This film is based on the original novel of the same name, but reduces it to a whodunnit detective romp through the mediaeval goings on of a monastery somewhere in Europe (probably... Read more
Published 15 days ago by J. P. Boot
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic.
This book, I will admit, is a slow starter, but perseverance will reward you with a fascinating and gripping murder mystery, in the most unlikely of settings.
Published 1 month ago by T. ODonnell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pleased with the product. . . . . . Did the job as expected! . . . ....
Pleased with the product. . . . . . Did the job as expected! . . . . . . .
Published 1 month ago by Y Bashmakova
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Masterpiece, But...
I enjoyed and admired this book when it first came out in English. Returning to it around 30 years later, my enjoyment and admiration are undiminished. Read more
Published 2 months ago by AHW Rea
5.0 out of 5 stars
best novel ever?
This has to be one of the all time greats
Eco transports you back in time with his descriptive writing
Eco transports you back in time with his descriptive writing
Published 3 months ago by Stephen Luke
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very very beardy
Having just finished this book, I am entirely unsure how to rate it.
The story is exceptional. This is a 14th century murder mystery novel set in a monastery. Read more
The story is exceptional. This is a 14th century murder mystery novel set in a monastery. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Dan Crawford
1.0 out of 5 stars
A real page turner
I found this one of the most boring books I have ever had the misfortune of reading, it had numerous pages devoted to theology which had absolutely nothing to do with the plot... Read more
Published 4 months ago by r burns
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sublime
A book to 'wallow' in rather than to 'get through', this work is hugely enjoyable.
I almost never read fiction so when I do read a fiction work it has to be (to me) nigh... Read more
I almost never read fiction so when I do read a fiction work it has to be (to me) nigh... Read more
Published 4 months ago by N. Phillips
4.0 out of 5 stars
Slow and deep
I enjoyed reading the book in paper back but lost it - So I have purchased the electronic version - not got to the end yet but I am sure it will be similar to the film !!!
Published 4 months ago by J. Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars
Name of the Rose
A wonderful engaging book packed with historical details, philosophical thought, and symbols. An intelligent book that, through its strong story telling is an easy and very... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Janet Wilson
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