Novel By Umberto Eco Novels & Stories

As she was scanning for books that would interest her, she found a peculiar one on the top part of the shelf that seems to be purposely hidden from their sight. ‘what is that? Did father bought a new classic?’ With the strange book piquing her interest, she found a taller stool to stand upon and laboriously reaching the velvety green looking book in the farthest side of the top shelf. ‘Almost there. A little bit more….’ “Uhhh, what are you doing?” The sudden question shocked Utopia, resulting of her to lose her balance and landing on her butt pitifully. Shuffles of feet and clothes, along with the groans of pain from the princess was heard inside the library.

She gave him a cold shoulder and continued her hunt before fishing out a book, amused by the title because Nicholas isn’t a man who encourages romance novels. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. Don’t tell her, he has hidden interests? She opened the book to see a note inside, written in Italian by Nicholas and a smile adorned her face as she saw his neat handwriting. Nicholas frowned as he moved closer to her, confused about her choice of novels. He thought she is more into Love & Gelato than The Name of the Rose. His suspicions got cleared after few seconds as Clarissa closed the book with a thud and put it back in it’s place, rolling her eyes in disgust.

Suede stood beside her and maintained the rhythm of the silence without demanding explanation. At the antiquarian bookshop three buildings down, Elena found a worn copy of La Coscienza di Zeno—a novel she had read twice in different lives; once for satisfaction, once to erase memory. Suede pulled out a half-century-old atlas, opened it to a map of Eastern Europe, then closed it again with the careful hands of someone afraid of leaving traces of longing on the page. Both items changed hands. Dante’s black card completed its function. ✘ ✘ ✘