A review by camoverride
Hypnerotomachia Poliphili: "the Strife of Love in a Dream" by Francesco Colonna

4.0

This book is a bit of an enigma -- but not because of the mystery surrounding its author, conception, intended purpose, or the layers of hidden messages embedded inside it (and these mysteries certainly remain). Instead, I think this book is enigmatic because although the quality of the text itself isn't impressive, there's a strange beauty in the way that these words have been embellished (externally) and turned into something larger and more beautiful than what's contained in the text itself. This book is an example of how the weight of time and many fruitless attempts at interpretation can create a work of beauty that is external to the book itself.