The Name of the Rose (Vintage Classics)
Registered by stephjb of Torquay, Devon United Kingdom on 1/22/2014
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
1 journaler for this copy...
Purchased second-hand from Livros da Ria Formosa in Lagos, Portugal.
A brilliant book, certainly one of the most difficult I have ever read and not least because of how much GCSE Latin I have forgotten. The Name Of The Rose is billed as a murder mystery but is also so much more. The mystery plot is interesting but what kept me gripped is the amazing portrayal of medieval life with its insane yet deadly serious theological arguments. Dozens of different sects, all of which claim to be the true Christians, gain or lose power and prestige dependent on the current definition of religious truth. And woe betide any man finding himself on the 'wrong' side - torture and death await. Women, of course, are practically sub-human so are not even afforded the right to argue! This is a fantastic book that beautifully illuminates a bizarre world, one I am grateful I did not experience first hand.
On the book exchange shelves in reception.