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aleffert's review
3.0
Essentially, this is all the most dreary parts of Foucault's Pendulum, where Eco eschews any actually interesting narrative to reconstruct the mother of all conspiracy theories by linking a bunch of disparate things. The construction of it is a little interesting, it is told by two characters who seem to be multiple personalities of the same body, with a narrating interleaved in their shared journal. Then he has his narrator say in big letters doesn't this sound suspicious, almost like the plot of a novel! So there are some interesting things going on here at a meta-level, but they're all more interesting in Foucault's Pendulum and Baudolino and the object level story is rather tedious.
maryehavens's review against another edition
1.0
Listened to about three minutes of this feces laden, racist weirdness before I noped it big time. Am I missing something?
emilyfrizz's review against another edition
1.0
I was intreigued by the premise of this book - it promised a wild plot filled with intreigue and conspiracy - but it just fell flat. The characters are all very morally reprehensible, which is fine - I enjoy a twisted protagonist from time to time, but this was simply too much. The plot itself also felt like it wasn't going anywhere - one episode melded into another with no clear sense of direction. Disappointing, but I just couldn't enjoy it.
barebookbear's review
3.0
(My rating is more a reflection of my enjoyment of the book, and not on whether the book is "good" or not.)
Like much of his writing, I don't have the degrees in European history, religions, politics, etc for this reading to be fully, immensely pleasurable. Ok...it was a chore! But one I'm glad I slugged through. It reads like a psychotically erudite series of call-outs and in-jokes to any reader with a vast expanse of knowledge. "Hey, do you get this reference? COOL!"
Ok, that's a bit snarky on my part. But admittedly, much was lost on me. Unlike his more accessible Name of the Rose, this is a murky collection of historical points and people recalled through the confused mind of an unseemly and untrustworthy Diarist with multiple personality disorder, related by an unknown and equally untrustworthy Narrator. All leading to the creation of one of the more vile texts produced by Man.
If you enjoy political intrigue with more plot points and characters than Zelda Fitzgerald and Mary Todd Lincoln's mood swings combined, this one is for you.
Like much of his writing, I don't have the degrees in European history, religions, politics, etc for this reading to be fully, immensely pleasurable. Ok...it was a chore! But one I'm glad I slugged through. It reads like a psychotically erudite series of call-outs and in-jokes to any reader with a vast expanse of knowledge. "Hey, do you get this reference? COOL!"
Ok, that's a bit snarky on my part. But admittedly, much was lost on me. Unlike his more accessible Name of the Rose, this is a murky collection of historical points and people recalled through the confused mind of an unseemly and untrustworthy Diarist with multiple personality disorder, related by an unknown and equally untrustworthy Narrator. All leading to the creation of one of the more vile texts produced by Man.
If you enjoy political intrigue with more plot points and characters than Zelda Fitzgerald and Mary Todd Lincoln's mood swings combined, this one is for you.
stefanv's review against another edition
4.0
The Prague Cemetery is quite similar to Foucaults Pendulum, except that it adds the eery antisemitism of the late nineteenth century as well as having less asides and being more story driven. As all of the works of Umberto Eco, this novel is brilliantly constructed around layers of intertextuality and the interwovenness of literature and history, while one can also disregard those subtleties and simply enjoy the book as a page turner revolving around mystery. Similar themes also return, as the plot is about the power, and nonsense - and therefore danger - of conspiracy theories. This makes it even more poignant to the reader today. Or, since it is a historical novel, has it always been this way?
periklis's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant! It would be best enjoyed in one big gulp (if one could afford the time - how many times did I wish that I could just stay home and keep on reading my book during this last month!...).
Even though it refers to the specific history behind the "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion", it could be the story behind the origin of just any conspiracy: "Ο κοσμος πιστευει μονο σε οσα ηδη ξερει και αυτη ειναι η ομορφια της Καθολικης Μορφης της Συνωμοσιας". This is the story of Simonini, a fictional character, who "αν το καλοσκεφτουμε... παρολο που ειναι το αποτελεσμα ενος κολαζ,... υπηρξε κατα καποιον τροπο. Και για να ειμαστε ειλικρινεις, ζει ακομα αναμεσα μας."!
(I've read the Greek edition of this book - scanned the English paperback edition at Waterstone's (I believe it was a Vintage edition) and was (not really) surprised to see that the quality of the many prints included in the book were evidently inferior to my Ψυχογιος Edition!)
Even though it refers to the specific history behind the "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion", it could be the story behind the origin of just any conspiracy: "Ο κοσμος πιστευει μονο σε οσα ηδη ξερει και αυτη ειναι η ομορφια της Καθολικης Μορφης της Συνωμοσιας". This is the story of Simonini, a fictional character, who "αν το καλοσκεφτουμε... παρολο που ειναι το αποτελεσμα ενος κολαζ,... υπηρξε κατα καποιον τροπο. Και για να ειμαστε ειλικρινεις, ζει ακομα αναμεσα μας."!
(I've read the Greek edition of this book - scanned the English paperback edition at Waterstone's (I believe it was a Vintage edition) and was (not really) surprised to see that the quality of the many prints included in the book were evidently inferior to my Ψυχογιος Edition!)
dontpanic42's review against another edition
2.0
Overall, I was sadly disappointed by this book. The subject matter is interesting: the protagonist, Simonini, motivated by his hatred for all others, but particularly the Jews, retells about the series of decisions and choices he has made that have gotten him involved in some of the various dramatics, scandals, and crimes of 19th century Europe. He is, in his way, the anti-Forrest Gump. We get to see the battles of Garibaldi in Italy, the unrest in France, the Dreyfus affair, and the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, among much more.
My problem, in the end, was that the book was very dry. Eco's thrillers have never been as airy as the Da Vinci Code (which is a good thing), but they've generally had more going for them in terms of reader engagement. Here, though, the characters are flat and the plot is plodding. I got the sense that this was more an intellectual exercise for Eco, who provides a wide array of true history as a setting for Simonini's misdeeds. But the novel lacks true suspense or intrigue. Without that, and without the development of any characters, what is billed as an intellectual historical thriller turns out to be little more than a deranged look at European history.
I am sure that all Eco novels get some blurb on the cover calling them the equal of the Name of the Rose, but don't be fooled on this one. The foundation is there, but this novel falls short.
My problem, in the end, was that the book was very dry. Eco's thrillers have never been as airy as the Da Vinci Code (which is a good thing), but they've generally had more going for them in terms of reader engagement. Here, though, the characters are flat and the plot is plodding. I got the sense that this was more an intellectual exercise for Eco, who provides a wide array of true history as a setting for Simonini's misdeeds. But the novel lacks true suspense or intrigue. Without that, and without the development of any characters, what is billed as an intellectual historical thriller turns out to be little more than a deranged look at European history.
I am sure that all Eco novels get some blurb on the cover calling them the equal of the Name of the Rose, but don't be fooled on this one. The foundation is there, but this novel falls short.
kurpjukaste's review against another edition
4.0
Lielisks ceļojums vēsturē, lieliska iepazīšanās ar ebrejiem un lieliska noziedzības shēma gadu un lappušu garumā.
fxp's review against another edition
2.0
I read maybe 3/4 of it and then skipped through the rest. The idea of telling the story from three perspectives is great and interesting. The story about how you can create rumors and prejudice based out of nothing is good too. But overall, for me, this book has too many passages that just drag along and feel repetitive. I enjoyed some passages, but overall I didn't enjoy it that much.
acrigger's review against another edition
This just wasn't what I thought it would be. It took way more mental involvement than I have to give right now. I may try it again later.