The Island of the Day Before
 

The Island of the Day Before

by Umberto Eco


After a violent storm in the South Pacific in the year 1643, Roberto della Griva finds himself shipwrecked-on a ship. Swept from the Amaryllis, he has managed to pull himself aboard the Daphne, anchored in the bay of a beautiful island. The ship is fully provisioned, he discovers, but the crew is missing.

As Roberto explores the different cabinets in the hold, he remembers... (read more)

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Amazon Reviews (5)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

daimira
  • Rated 4 stars

Roberto della Griva abandons his sinking ship only to wash up aboard the mysteriously abandoned Dutch ship, Daphne. Within sight is the island of the day before, and if he could only swim, he could reach it, and change the direction of his fate.

Island of the Day Before has a deceptively simple premise, but goes way beyond it. There are actually a LOT of things going on in this book. The book not only chronicles Roberto’s days on board the Daphne, but also most of his life: from...

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Didn’t Like It

ghost of a rose
  • Rated 2 stars

This was the most excruciatingly boring book I've ever read. I pride myself on having the self-discipline to finish it! If you haven't read Umberto Eco before, try The Name of The Rose instead, which is one of the BEST books I've ever read.

It is saved from being rated one star by Eco's trademark brilliant intellect, knowledge of history, philosophy, and literature; and prodigious command of language. But The Name of The Rose has all this too AND is extremely interesting.

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Community:
  • Rated 3.545455 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 3.5 stars
 

Newest Comments

  • Highflung

    highflung said:

    A curl-up-with-your-dictionary, scientific jewel of a poem

    Robert de la Griva, our protagonist is first shipwrecked then washed up on a deserted ship anchored off a mysterious Island. Our story follows the rantings of this slightly unhinged and lonely, lovesick, sailor. With equal energy he pines over his immaginary love and yearns for the safety of the island within tantalizing proximity to his lonely outpost. Langauge in all its complexity and glory, history with its heroes and discoveries, love, poetry, death, and disappointment - they're all here. Just beware, when you set out to enjoy this book, be ready to keep a good dictionary handy.
    ______________________________________________

    What I liked:
    immaginative, unconventional, thought provoking, beautiful, fun, poetic, lots of new words to learn


    What I didn't:
    not a light read, numerous unfamiliar words really required me to stop often and use my trusty Webster's

    posted Sunday, June 8 2008
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