Island of The Day Before by Umberto Eco

Island of The Day Before is a historical fiction novel set in the 17th century during the search for the secret of longitude. The central character, Roberto della Griva, is an Italian nobleman who finds himself shipwrecked on an abandoned ship, the Daphne, anchored off a mysterious Pacific island.

He convinces himself that the International Date Line runs through the island, which adds to his slowly decaying mental state. The novel explores the theme of how perception and experience alter each other in a never-ceasing dance. Perception is conditioned by experience but also modified by rhetorical training, philosophical systems, and special lenses.

What I Liked

It’s complex, interesting, with an intriguing setting.

What I Did Not Like

I needed a lot of Sparknotes and online summaries to make it through this one.