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The Island of the Day Before- Umberto Eco

  • 26-11-2013 7:11pm
    #1
    Einhard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,920 ✭✭✭


    I searched for Eco here to see if anybody had posted on this book, but it seems to be well down the list of popular Eco reads after The Name of the Rose and Focault's Pendulum. After reading it, I can probably understand why! I quite enjoyed it, but it wouldn't exactly be light reading. If I had stopped to look up the meaning of every word I didn't quite understand, I'd be reading til this time next year! But the language was one of the reasons I enjoyed it. He has such a flair with languaage, such a way with words that, even if one doesn't understand every single word, the combined effect is quite exhilirating. There's not many authors that can achieve this.

    The plot itself is really just a device for Eco to meditate on the scientific and philisophical understanding of the 17th century. That's not to say that the plot is threadbare, and the characters non-existent- indeed, the protagonist is a richly drawn character, and one that is quite sympathetic. It's just that the plot serves another purpose.

    I quite enjoyed his philosophising for the most part, but found it something of a drag towards the very end. I was in a rush to finish the novel, and I don't think I fully committed to the final 70 pages or so. Maybe that affacted my experience. I'll have to come back to the closing chapters again, and fully mine them.

    Having said that though, I still thoroughly enjoyed the novel. Not for everybody, but those who enjoy it will be enthralled.

    Anyone else read it? What did you think? And don't mention his other works...they have enough threads and mentions of their own!! :D


Comments

  • #2
    TwoGallants
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 159 ✭✭TwoGallants


    I'm a huge fan of Eco. The Island of the Day Before is one of his more difficult works in that its so f*cking confusing! But give the man credit, he treats his reader's like adults. Its been a couple of years since I read it, so humour me. What did you make of that whole business with the priest going down to the ocean bed in his giant bell thing...


  • #3
    Einhard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,920 ✭✭✭Einhard


    TwoGallants wrote: »
    I'm a huge fan of Eco. The Island of the Day Before is one of his more difficult works in that its so f*cking confusing! But give the man credit, he treats his reader's like adults. Its been a couple of years since I read it, so humour me. What did you make of that whole business with the priest going down to the ocean bed in his giant bell thing...


    Ha, I enjoyed that part. Father Caspar is a great character! The part that really boggled my mind was towards the end when an entire chapter is gven to dealing with the nature of a stone. "I am stone..." Hmmm, ok Umberto! :pac:


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