The Name of the Rose

Rating:
Summary: Incredible, but can be ponderous
Review: This medieval mystery novel is an incredible blend of medieval history, mystery, and believable characters. The research compilated in order to construct this book is practically flawless.

The preface or "Naturally a Manuscript" immediately draws the reader in to the development of the book, the narrating character, and one forgets that this is a novel, not a true event. Umberto Eco cleverly weaves his story and snares the reader almost immediately.

As the story unfolds, the characters introduced are believable, the mind's eye can see the setting, and feel the cold chill of winter. One particular piece that readers may find interesting is that geomancy, or "sacred geometry" is slightly touched on and explained.

The post script is an excellent accompaniment to the book. The author explains the research, the writing, and his ideas thoroughly. His point of view and rationales leave the reader respecting and admiring his work of art.

The only drawback I could find, was that some characters had an annoyingly human propensity to keep talking because they liked to hear their own voices. In writing this statement, I realize that Umberto Eco has truly captured the frailities and strengths of humans in this novel. 5 stars from me.

Rating:
Summary: Intriguing, thrilling historical & philosophical literature
Review: In 1327, Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy. Brother William of England and his scribe, who is a Benedictine novice and the narrator of the book, arrive to investigate. The timely arrival of the perspicacious brother coincides with seven bizarre deaths at the abbey. The spree of deaths from surreptitious cause claims the life of an illustrator Adelmo, a Greek scholar Venantius and other monks at the abbey.

The first fifty or so pages of the book brief the vicissitudes of churches and the emergence of heresies and diabolical practices. My first impression of the novel is some circuitous unraveling of heretics and power struggles between the Pope and the emperor. After trudging through these historical backgrounds and religious overtones, the book becomes nothing but an intriguing thriller in probing and unraveling the mystery behind all the deaths.

As Brother William traces to the bone of the mystery that seamlessly entangles the relationships and the paths overlapped the victims, it becomes perspicuous that the possession and theft of a banned book from the abbey library has led to deaths of scholars and monks in vein. The library, its promise, prestige, and prohibitions, incurs a strong hold on the monks and scholars who have sinfully coveted and hoped one day to violate all its secrets and gain access to the books.

While the abbot sternly tightens the grip of library access and so to thwart falsehood and infidel knowledge from befalling into wrong hands, barred from such knowledge only inevitably creates in everyone an insatiable lust for such materials. The very knowledge that the abbey has accumulated is used as barter goods, cause for pride, and motive for boasting and prestige. It has been adumbrated that a monk, stirred by unquenchable desires for intellect, will even comply with carnal desire in order to satisfy the pursuit of intellect.

The probe for truth sheds light as Brother William and our narrator indomitably ventures into the library, collects evidence, deciphers secret zodiac symbols and manuscripts, notes the library's subjects and arrangements, and thus cracks the labyrinth. Evolution of the librarian appointments at the abbey indubitably gives away the identity of the ultimate devil.

The Name of the Rose deftly evokes the paradox of truth. As William's investigation takes an unexpected turn and sheds light on the truth, the very unbearable truth that the abbot refuses to recognize and confronts out of fear of besmirching the abbey's prestige, Eco obfuscates readers with the ghastly consequence and the toll of the obsession with truth. Does truth really set one free as the Bible claims, or does it come with a price?

The Name of the Rose is a tale of a master's journey in unraveling a complicated knot at a sacred institution. Under the veneer of scholastic and immaculate surface is prurient desire for knowledge, covet for power, and scruple for sin against chastity. The interminable discourse on church history and heresy will be elucidated throughout the novel (so don't be discouraged by the difficult prose), as relevant personalities will recount their involvement with heretics. It's an ingenious, fine piece of literature that challenges bright minds. 4.5 stars.

Rating:
Summary: Not up to expectations
Review: While I found Eco's writing to be quite good, the book fell short of my expectations as a mystery novel. It seemed to move too slowly, and digress way too often. I had read reviews suggesting that the book is a mystery for history lovers, but that statement should be amended to only include the history of religion.

Rating:
Summary: it's about philosophy, not primarily an historical mystery
Review: Ultimately this is a deeply philosophical book about the nature of truth. The conclusions are a bit too deconstructionist for my taste, but I think there are important things to consider here. I do not agree that there is no such thing as truth, but I do agree that truths are hard to come by, that even our most sacred scientific laws are approximations that have exceptions, that the world ultimately always defies our attempts to categorize it. Ultimately all we have are the particulars. The only certainties we can have are about particular things. General principles are useful, but they always fall short and there are no absolute truths. Still, I believe the search for order and meaning is worthwhile and useful. All I can say is that we should maintain a healthy doubt about our beliefs. I also agree with Eco that the search for absolute truths and the certainty some people feel that they posses absolute truths can be dangerous. Take life with a grain of salt and keep an open mind.

About more specific aspects of the book: though excellent there were places where it drags. All the talks of heresy contribute to the philosophical thrust of the book, but they are a little overdone for my taste.

Over all this is an excellent book for readers who have some interest in or prior knowledge of philosophical issues. Even if you do not agree with the overly-deconstructionist view (and I do not) you will be intrigued by how Eco uses most of what happens to address his main question which is namely: what is the nature of truth.

However, if you are not interested in the deeper issue and are looking for an historical mystery this book will not please. It is not really a mystery and is not an action book (in my opinion!).

Rating:
Summary: one of my all-time favorites
Review: Thank you for the opportunity to write about a classic story I had the pleasure of reading a few years ago. It is one of my favorite vhs movies and look forward to seeing the dvd in letterbox form.

Rating:
Summary: Best novel of the 80's
Review: Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose" can be really named the best novel of the 80's. The fascinating intrigue: the murders of the monks in a medieval Benedictian abbey, with the background of fight for the Pope's domination over the different monk orders. The detective plot is rather uneven, so the distinguished reader understands that it isn't true a detective story.
The composition is brilliant. Eco's description skills are at their best in the book.

Rating:
Summary: No Shrinking Violet
Review: In a prior review, for Eco's Baudolino, I stated that I had no foundation of Eco to compare Baudolino to. Now, having read The Name of the Rose...I do.

I plan someday to revisit this book, to glean more than just the basis of the story, the murder mystery. There is a wealth of knowledge to be had from this book; everything from day-to-day life in an abbey in the 1300's; to herbology; to theology....Eco has skillfully woven a glittering tapestry of insight into the lives of the brothers involved in this series of murders. But more about that some other time.

Eco has crafted a thrilling, intoxicating, thoroughly exhilarating chase through a labyrinth of murder, lust, greed, deception, and intrigue. First called upon to discern the cause of death of a young monk, Brother William arrives with his novice apprentice in tow, and immediately impresses all with his acumen at deciphering the details of a missing horse he has never laid eyes upon. He delivers not only path of travel and location, but also the name of the beast to the astonished monks searching high and low without success.

Brother William goes on to investigate the death, a fall from a high window in the abbey scriptorium, and is drawn into a series of further deaths that are each more baffling than the first. A body left in a vat of pigs blood; a corpse with blackened tongue and fingers in a tub of water...each new death serves to lessen the population of the abbey, but adds to the frustration and mystery plaguing Brother William as he tries to locate the killer before he can strike again.

William finds much more than anticipated in his investigations; a secret affair; a covert system of prostitution; a coveted path of succession; ancient remedies and poisons; not to mention jealousy, theft, and betrayal.

Compared with Baudolino, I must say that this book DOES have more style, and better pacing...but there seems to be no prevarication in his story-crafting skills from this; his first novel, published in the early 1980's, to twenty years later, with the release of his most recent work. Eco is a wonderful storyteller, enough so that I will have to give Island of the Day Before a third try, now that I know the promise of his works.

Though Name of the Rose is a first rate whodunit with a HIGHLY satisfactory conclusion; that is only the tip of what is to be found in the pages of the book. Eco invites readers to empty their minds of their day-to-day cares, and travel with him back to 1300's Italy, where he delivers a stunning display of life, faith, and political intrigue.

I cannot recommend this book more highly. A wonderfully entertaining read from start to finish.

Rating:
Summary: conflict between old and new generations
Review: This book not only shows the religious conflict of whether

Jesus laughed or not, but also the conflict between the old and

young generation. Since it illustrates the incidents happened

in a very strict Benedictine monastery, the story is quite

religious and written in restricted language which we cannot

find in modern detective novels. This has also been made into a

movie starring Shawn Conery, and thus known better to people.

In the old time, there were a lot of debates over the topic of

whether Jesus truly laughed or not. Some even argued that he

didn't even smile at all because laughing or smiling was not

regarded as noble or high. However, there was an ancient

philosopher who proved and left the record that Shakespeare

actually wrote not only tragedies but comedies. Then

unfortunately the book had been stolen by some Jesus followers

and disappeared since then. However, the main character

happened to stay in the monastery with his teacher. With the

main character's appearance and curiosity, the uncertain fact

of the existence of the book uncovers through chain murders of

the old librarian. It was poison on the book that the librarian

used for killing the monks. The book was so old and dry that it

needed saliva to turn its pages. This is how he murdered them

without any armors.

I can understand his feelings of resistance against new world.

All the old generation wanted was to keep the secret only to

protect in what he believes by removing rebellious elements.

After all, it turned out to be still unknown of the fact of

Jesus's smile or laugh because the book was burned away and the

librarian died in the burning monastery, which seems to me that

it was more likely to be a commitment of suicide.

Regardless time and place, There are always the same kind of

conflict of the two generations; the old and young. One tries

to innovate and reform the reality, the other struggles to keep

the existing stability and position wishing no change at all.

Maybe Eco wanted to deliver something more than this but what

he efforts to say is definitely clear enough. It really doesn't

matter if Jesus laughed. What matters is that whether we

believe it or not. Often a hypothesis turns out to a fact when

people begin to have faith in it. Moreover, whether you accept

it is up to you. To be left as the old fallen monument or to

lead the world progressively in your own way depends on you.

Rating:
Summary: The book is much better than the Film!!
Review: The Italian Umberto Ecco is a magician when it comes to plays with words, religious dogmas and medieval history. This is a kind of a mistery thriller at the Middle Ages with all the necessary ingredients to have the reader glued to the book till he/she finds out who killed who and, when and, most importantly, why. A certain knowledge of the history of the schisms at catholic church at the time is a plus. Also, a good map of Europe at the time will be helpful to a good understanding of the development of the trhiller.

Nothing happens by chance, and all the elements to the difficult deciphering of this very particualar whodunit are there from the very beginning. The number of the relevant details is astounding and one has to proceed very slowly to grab all the situations in a very clear way.

Also of special appeal is the erudiction of the author, who sprinkles the book with Latin sentences of very difficult translation (which are not provided in the book).

This is a good book to everyone interested in medieval history, the history of the catholic church and loves a good trhiller.

Rating:
Summary: Possibly the best mystery ever written
Review: Filled with fascinating historical details, this is possibly the best mystery ever written. It is a great plot that works on its surface in the manner of Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot. Underneath it is a profound commentary on mysticism and the manipulation of humanity's views of itself and its beliefs. It is the Ur mystery and yet very readable. (The Theodore Bikel book-on-tape is also great.)