The Name of the Rose Kindle Edition

_The Name of the Rose_ is a challenging read: Eco infuses the dialogue with Latin, the primary plot doesn't really develop until after the first 100 pages, and he provides a superabundance of sub-plots and historical details. But where the journey is difficult, the rewards are tremendous - and I encourage readers who otherwise might consider leaving the book after the first dozens of pages to hang in there - the details Eco provides in the opening chapters are what make this such a marvelous, masterful work.Eco is writing on several levels: as a mystery, to be sure. Who is killing the monks at the abby and why? And why is there an apocalyptic theme to the deaths? What are the secrets being hidden by the monks, and how are they related to the crimes committed? But there is another level to the story: Brother William and his novice (Adso, the author of the story) are part of a larger theological mission regarding the nature of the Church - should it emphasize poverty? And if so, how does one reconcile this with the tremendous wealth and power the Church wields in the 14th century? (The backdrop of the story is set during the "Avignon Papacy" which resulted in two Popes claiming leadership of the Church). This conflict, in fact, may play a role in the murders; as a stand-alone issue, Eco not only shows remarkable historical accuracy, but also makes a commentary on the Church specifically and religion more generally. Yet Eco goes further still for those readers who are looking: while many of the characters and issues are drawn from history, Eco also gives a nod and wink to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in several respects - Brother William is "William of Baskerville"; the methods used by Brother William are identical to those used by Doyle's creation (deduction, inference and Occam's Razor - in fact, Occam is cited as an acquaintance of William's) - in fact, as the pair arrive at the abbey, the deductions William makes are too reminiscent to be overlooked. Further, the narrator writes as did Dr. Watson - _The Name of the Rose_ is essentially an account written by the investigator's side-kick.Eco's brilliance is also demonstrated in the organization of the book: it opens with the same lines as Genesis ("In the beginning was the word ...") and is broken up into seven days, each day divided into the monastic measurement of time (Matins, Lauds, Prime,Terce, Sext, Nomes, Vespers and Compline). This not only reinforces the sense of authenticity of the story, but it also draws readers into the rhythms and pattern of monastic life. The details of the monastery - and especially the library around which the investigation revolves - speaks to the conflict between reason (as exemplified by Brother William) and faith (as exemplified by the monks). This is a conflict that continues to the present and is related to the other issue of wealth and Christianity that is at the heart of the internal conflict within the Church in the 1300s.Perhaps my analysis is more than the casual reader is interested in, in which case Eco provides a top-notch mystery that is complicated, difficult to solve and rewarding in its conclusion. The only complaint I have plot-wise is the resolution: I was frustrated at the way in which Eco chose to end the mystery, if only because of my tremendous reverence for and love of the written word. That being said, the conclusion certainly does point to the value of monastic work in the Middle Ages, and the miracle that we have so many texts from the ancient world still extant._The Name of the Rose_ is dense and sometimes difficult to read (because of Latin, because of the historical details, and yes, because the mystery itself is a real challenge). But it is truly a masterpiece of writing - I highly recommend it.

Review of The Name of the Rose by Umberto EcoI bought this book after its title appeared three times in rapid succession in different articles I read. The most intriguing reference was in an article about one person’s pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago, in which she mentioned she’d hoped the cathedral would be like the one in The Name of the Rose.As I began the book, I was very confused about what I was reading. Was this a translation of an ancient manuscript? On the ISBN label, the book is categorized as FICTION/Mystery & Detective. But there is a preface, a note, and a prologue at the start of the book that make it seem as if the book is at least based on an ancient account. I still don’t know if that’s true or not.The story is told from the viewpoint of Adso of Melk, a 14th century Benedictine novice monk, who is assigned to be a scribe for a Franciscan monk, William of Baskerville, who was to investigate accusations of heresy at an Italian monastery. However, when he arrives, the abbot tells him about the death of a young monk at the abbey a few nights ago, and hopes that William can determine what happened to him.Over the next few nights, there are additional deaths. Something very evil is going on.The abbey is also home to a famous library. Strangely, no one is allowed in it except the librarian. If anyone wants to see a book, they tell the librarian, who gets it for them.Throughout the book, much church and political history is discussed, as well as many theological arguments, which all served to make my head spin. I didn’t understand much of it. This was during the time of the Spanish Inquisition.I’m not going to tell you much more of the plot, but it was interesting how William, with Adso’s assistance, discovers the truth of what is happening in the abbey. The ending disturbed me greatly.An interesting addition to the book is a section about the author’s process, and his notes and sketches in preparation for writing the story. He drew sketches of all the main characters, and architectural diagrams of the buildings of the abbey, including a layout of the entire complex. There are multiple sketches of the Aedificium, the large structure that contains the scriptorium (where manuscripts were hand-copied and illuminated) and the library, which was laid out like a labyrinth and required many tries to get an arrangement that satisfied Eco.Although there were sections that were very hard for me to read (the aforementioned historical and theological discussions), other parts of the more-than-500-page book had me totally engaged. I understand why this book is considered a classic. I don’t recommend it as a beach read, but if you enjoy deep reading combined with mystery, The Name of the Rose might be for you.