Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Name of the Rose

I’m going to miss being able to lose myself in this book! At once a thrilling example and a brilliant subversion of the mystery novel, this story is just as much of a labyrinth as the library at its center. And it is magnificently researched! The medieval world is so painstakingly constructed that we are able to live in the abbey with the characters. (Because it is so unflinching in depicting the past using the same wording as its sources, there is some brutal content especially relating to women and treatment of heretics—see warnings.) I loved finishing the novel and being able to read U.E.’s notes on his method and literary theory—that took this book from a 4.5 to a 5 for me. The ending isn’t anything like I expected, which disappointed me at first (even though that is very clearly the point). I do think it would be a disservice to the story and to what we’ll call “natural law” for it to have ended any other way. I wish I could start it again from the beginning blind!

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seanml's review

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challenging dark informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A very well-written story, centered on a mysterious death at a Catholic abbey in the 1320s, and the two monks that set to uncover the truth. Despite its length, I thought this book was very well written (Or perhaps, translated since it was originally published in Italian) and goes by quickly. However, if one half of this book is mystery, the other half (And I’m not exaggerating: 50% of the narrative at least) is all theological discussion in the setting of medieval Italy. If that doesn’t sound very interesting to you, brace yourself. And even if that does sound interesting, brace yourself even further because with medieval Abrahamic religion comes intense, indoctrinated misogyny. Is it culturally and historically, accurate? Perhaps. Does the author actually believe in the evil of women? Luckily, no. Nevertheless you’ll encounter multiple sections where monks preach the evils of womanhood, all while the abbey is beset by lies and murder. But as our main characters trudge on, they must ask: Where is the goodness of their God? Where is the justice in His cosmic plan? The answer becomes less and less confident. Equal parts mystery, equal parts Catholic history, equal parts theological skepticism, I thought this was a captivating story. 8/10.

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