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tomleetang's review against another edition
4.0
Eco is always a complex read, and this book is more confusing than most for its wide expanse of European history, politics and subterfuge in the 19th century, as well as the unreliable narrations that attempt to lead you astray and fill the book with paranoia and uncertainty. Nevertheless I greatly enjoyed it as a thought-provoking novel - as I did The Name of the Rose. Just be prepared to look up a lot of esoteric info if you wish to understand the intricacies of the plot.
franklyfrank's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
brenna_law's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
odin45mp's review against another edition
2.0
This book was something.
It is expertly researched and crafted. It jumps back and forth in time so much that the author included a breakdown of what happened when at the end of the Kindle copy I read. The prose, at least in translation, flowed well and evoked people and scenes in larger than life detail.
BUT! The plot centers around "The Protocol", a paper that purports to be a record of a meeting of influential Jews who plotted to control the world. In this story, a fictional forger is tasked with forging this document - and most of the rest of the cast are real people, who acted as they did in real life outside of these fictional interactions. This main protagonist is vehemently anti-Semitic. It was painful to read. I almost threw my Kindle early on when he rants on about how they are vile and evil and set out to control the world for half a chapter. Half a chapter. Then later he is shown to be a racist in his comments regarding "the Negro race". It has been a long time since I hated a protagonist this much.
I think I am glad that I read it? I doubt I will read it again. I do look forward to reading the author's The Name of the Rose, which I have heard is quite good.
It is expertly researched and crafted. It jumps back and forth in time so much that the author included a breakdown of what happened when at the end of the Kindle copy I read. The prose, at least in translation, flowed well and evoked people and scenes in larger than life detail.
BUT! The plot centers around "The Protocol", a paper that purports to be a record of a meeting of influential Jews who plotted to control the world. In this story, a fictional forger is tasked with forging this document - and most of the rest of the cast are real people, who acted as they did in real life outside of these fictional interactions. This main protagonist is vehemently anti-Semitic. It was painful to read. I almost threw my Kindle early on when he rants on about how they are vile and evil and set out to control the world for half a chapter. Half a chapter. Then later he is shown to be a racist in his comments regarding "the Negro race". It has been a long time since I hated a protagonist this much.
I think I am glad that I read it? I doubt I will read it again. I do look forward to reading the author's The Name of the Rose, which I have heard is quite good.
flo2137's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
librarian_kj's review against another edition
2.0
Abandoned. Too slow and rambling. If there is a plot, I missed it.
humito's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0