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Title: A Disappointment Compared to Other Eco Novels
Review: I am a great fan of Umberto Eco, but I found "Island of the Day Before" to be a huge disappointment. Perhaps my expectations were just too high, after reading "Foucault's Pendulum" (a masterful work, in my opinion) and "Name of the Rose" (my wonderful introduction to Eco). Although "Island of the Day Before" has some interesting portions, it seems to lack cohesiveness in the novel form, and what little plot there is seems to drag on incessantly. Perhaps it would have been better told in an essay format (or as a series of short stories)? I thoroughly enjoyed the other Umberto Eco novels that I've read ("Foucault's Pendulum" and "Name of the Rose"), and I've liked reading some of his non-fictional works in semiotics/philosophy ... but, for me, "Island of the Day Before" was a great disappointment. I'm so glad that this wasn't my first exposure to Eco ... I would probably have never wanted to read his other wonderful novels.
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