Book I Read: “The Name of the Rose” by Umberto Eco. This ebook is available through Overdrive (Libby) and Hoopla. The audiobook is available through Overdrive (Libby). You can find more information about accessing downloadable ebooks, audiobooks and more at https://www.dbrl.org/download.
Why I Checked It Out: When I was in high school I took a detective literature class. My teacher introduced me to Edgar Allan Poe’s C. Auguste Dupin, whose work solving “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” surely inspired the development of detectives Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Towards the end of class, we watched the film version of “The Name of the Rose,” which starred Sean Connery. It followed two monks in the Middle Ages who set out to solve some mysterious murders in a remote monastery. I remember enjoying the movie, and since I love mysteries, devouring several a year, and I also enjoy historical fiction, it seemed like a book I would surely want to try.
Around 2005 I picked up a copy of the book at a book sale, and then for the last 15 or so years, I’ve carted that book around from one rental house to another. I would pick it up from time to time, but at over 500 pages, I never felt like the time was right. With the recent development of social distancing, it seemed like I was finally at the right time for this weighty text. I checked out the audiobook so that I could “read along” with this text and I’m glad that I did. The narrator gave a beautiful reading, which helped me get through some of the more confusing parts of the book (more on that later).
What It’s About: Trying to describe the plot is a bit daunting (there is a lot of meandering through philosophical arguments on things like the poverty of Christ and whether laughter is a good thing or not), but to summarize briefly: Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and Benedictine novice Adso of Melk, who is traveling under William’s protection, arrive at a Bendictine monastery in the mountains of northern Italy. Upon arriving they find that a monk has died, seemingly by his own hand just before their arrival. William, who is quite shrewd, is asked by the abbot to look into what happened. He is given free rein to speak with the other monks throughout the abbey, but is restricted from entering the library. Soon more monks have died and a clear link to the library becomes apparent. So William and Adso set out to solve the mystery of how to get into the library and once inside, use the knowledge they gain to find the murderer.
Why I Liked It: I loved a lot of things about the book. Willam and Adso are two characters who I instantly connected with. William, with his love of learning, is a man who is almost too soon for his time, but it is those traits that make him the perfect man to solve the mystery. Adso is Watson to William’s Holmes, narrating the story through rather innocent eyes and watching William solve the mystery is an experience that deeply shapes him. For a reader who is not all that familiar with the Middle Ages, Adso’s clear narrative, filled with his own curiosity, helped create a story that I could follow and William offered thoughtful explanations that clarified many of the medieval beliefs and customs that in this modern time seem so strange. The setting in a wintery, isolated monastery is also delightfully creepy, as is the labyrinth that is the library. I was also intrigued by the history of the Catholic Church and the political issues of the day, which were woven into and indeed a huge part of the story.
To be honest, reading this book took me back to my days as an English major, with me wanting to study more about what I was reading so that I might get a better understanding. When I was a few chapters in and realized just how dense of a tome I’d picked up, I found an online resource that summarizes and discusses the chapters. It was really nice to read the overviews — they helped me to understand some of the history and religious themes, but also made me feel good because I realized I was understanding much more of the text than I had first thought I was.
Who Will Like It: Readers who like historical fiction written by Elizabeth Kostova, Carlos Ruiz Zafón or Hilary Mantel will want to pick this up. It is a mystery, but ultimately it’s a lot deeper than just who killed whom. The why of the murders turns out to be quite complicated and twisty. As I mentioned, this is a challenging read — some of the characters like to go on some long, tangential diatribes — but it is not something to be feared. William and Adso are endearing characters who many will enjoy spending a little time with.
Happy Reading!
