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The story is told from the perspective of Adso of Melk, a young monk who accompanies the Sherlock Holmes-inspired Franciscan William of Baskerville to a monastery where they investigate a series of mysterious deaths. The monastery, a center of learning and culture, houses a valuable library, but also hides dark secrets. The deaths of the monks are linked to a mysterious book – Aristotle’s treatise on comedy – which provokes conflicts between the monks, the Inquisition and the church authorities.

William’s rational approach to research clashes with fanaticism and dogmatic attitudes, especially with the figure of Bernardo Gui, the inquisitor. Through complex dialogues, Eco discusses the conflict between reason and faith, freedom of thought and authority. The labyrinthine library symbolizes the search for knowledge, but also the danger of its suppression. The novel culminates in a tragic denouement, where the truth comes to light, but at great cost.

Eco masterfully combines erudition, suspense, and humor, creating a novel that is both an exciting mystery and a profound meditation on the human need for meaning.