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Baudolino by Umberto Eco - my review
Aug. 4th, 2023 01:32 pmFive Stars
A novel where the primary character admits right from the start that he's a liar.
Eco is the master of the unreliable narrator, and this may be the height of the art. Starting in Constantinople in 1204 as the 4th Crusade loots and burns the Queen of Cities, Niketas Choniates is saved by the mysterious Baudolino, who confesses to having disguised himself as a crusading knight and offers safety to Niketas in exchange for writing his life story, which he had written a chronicle of, but had lost.
What follows is a fantastic tale of being adopted by Frederick Barbarossa, education in Paris, and a quest to discover the Kingdom of Prester John far to the East. The story slowly slides from reasonable to fantastic, adding each element slowly to keep you engaged. As always, there are no definitive answers, no clear explanations. We end with a sudden mystery worthy of Agatha Christie and a finale that resolves nothing but is satisfying nonetheless.
As always, Eco does not skimp on the setting. We see and smell the sack of Constantinople. The meals are richly described, and his descriptions of the Hagia Sophia and the area brought me back to our trip there. A very sensory-immersive novel that challenges the mind.
This was both an easy and deep read, and I loved every page both as a student of the history of Constantinople and as a fan of Eco's work. I highly recommend it.
A novel where the primary character admits right from the start that he's a liar.
Eco is the master of the unreliable narrator, and this may be the height of the art. Starting in Constantinople in 1204 as the 4th Crusade loots and burns the Queen of Cities, Niketas Choniates is saved by the mysterious Baudolino, who confesses to having disguised himself as a crusading knight and offers safety to Niketas in exchange for writing his life story, which he had written a chronicle of, but had lost.
What follows is a fantastic tale of being adopted by Frederick Barbarossa, education in Paris, and a quest to discover the Kingdom of Prester John far to the East. The story slowly slides from reasonable to fantastic, adding each element slowly to keep you engaged. As always, there are no definitive answers, no clear explanations. We end with a sudden mystery worthy of Agatha Christie and a finale that resolves nothing but is satisfying nonetheless.
As always, Eco does not skimp on the setting. We see and smell the sack of Constantinople. The meals are richly described, and his descriptions of the Hagia Sophia and the area brought me back to our trip there. A very sensory-immersive novel that challenges the mind.
This was both an easy and deep read, and I loved every page both as a student of the history of Constantinople and as a fan of Eco's work. I highly recommend it.