Member Reviews
Rebekka S, Reviewer
I expected more from Umberto Eco, but honestly Numero Zero just kind of went on and on. Okay, but very far from his best.
Daphne S, Reviewer
This was a VERY slow and difficult read. Set in 1945, Mussolini and his mistress have been murdered by local partisans, but some believe the event was staged and part of a Fascist plot,where body doubles were used.
Colonna, a struggling writer, is offered the chance to ghost write a memoir, that will prove whether or not, there was a conspiracy. What follows is a story about double crossing agencies, paranoia and suspicions in his search to find out the truth, that puts his life in great danger.
This was not as good as The Name of the Rose, and I am ashamed how long it has taken me to finish this book.
Jenny A, Reviewer
The book is very clever, it is very witty, and I nearly gave it four stars.
But, when I had to click on the stars, it was more 'It's okay' than 'I like it'.
However, it was very interesting and I had always wanted to see if the author was as good as his reputation. Perhaps this is not one of his best? I liked it reasonably well during the book, but the ending was sudden and I felt more could have been done to wind up the story.
sue w, Reviewer
Numero Zero by Umberto Eco.
1945, Lake Como. Mussolini and his mistress are captured and shot by local partisans. The precise circumstances of Il Duce’s death remain shrouded in confusion and controversy.
1992, Milan. Colonna, a depressed hack writer, is offered a fee he can’t refuse to ghost-write a memoir. His subject: a fledgling newspaper financed by a powerful media magnate. As Colonna gets to know the team, he learns the paranoid theories of Braggadocio, who is convinced that Mussolini’s corpse was a body-double and part of a wider Fascist plot. It’s the scoop he desperately needs. The evidence? He’s working on it.
This was a slow but ok read. I took it slow and managed to read it. 3*. Thanks netgalley and vintage, penguin random house.
