What do you think?
Rate this book
Atto Melani #1
Imprimatur
Het is 11 september 1683. In Europa dreigt een nieuwe grote oorlog: de Turken belegeren Wenen. Angst voor de Moslims houdt christelijk Europa in haar greep.
Tien gasten uit verschillende Europese landen logeren in herberg De Schildknaap in Rome. Als een oude heer in de herberg om het leven komt, vermoedelijk ten gevolge van de pest, moeten alle gasten in quarantaine. Maar het blijft niet bij dit ene sterfgeval.Gaat het hier werkelijk om gevallen van de gevreesde zwarte dood, of is er sprake van moordaanslagen? Een van de gasten, Atto Melani, geheim agent van de Zonnekoning in Frankrijk, zoekt de zaak tot op de bodem uit en doet wereldschokkende ervaringen.
Imprimatur is een van het begin tot het eind spannend, goed geschreven raamvertelling, gebaseerd op werkelijke gebeurtenissen.
Tien gasten uit verschillende Europese landen logeren in herberg De Schildknaap in Rome. Als een oude heer in de herberg om het leven komt, vermoedelijk ten gevolge van de pest, moeten alle gasten in quarantaine. Maar het blijft niet bij dit ene sterfgeval.Gaat het hier werkelijk om gevallen van de gevreesde zwarte dood, of is er sprake van moordaanslagen? Een van de gasten, Atto Melani, geheim agent van de Zonnekoning in Frankrijk, zoekt de zaak tot op de bodem uit en doet wereldschokkende ervaringen.
Imprimatur is een van het begin tot het eind spannend, goed geschreven raamvertelling, gebaseerd op werkelijke gebeurtenissen.
607 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2002
116 people are currently reading
1424 people want to read
About the author
Rita Monaldi
43 books89 followersRita Monaldi majored in classical philology and specialized in the history of religions. She is an Italian journalist who, in collaboration with her husband, Francesco Sorti, wrote a series of literary-historical books called Imprimatur, Secretum and Veritas. They both live with their two young children in Vienna.
All the book titles of the series will create the sentence Imprimatur secretum, veritas mysterium. Unicum... The authors translate this as follows: “Even when a secret is printed, the truth is always a mystery. It remains only...” The authors are keeping secret the titles of the final two volumes.
All the book titles of the series will create the sentence Imprimatur secretum, veritas mysterium. Unicum... The authors translate this as follows: “Even when a secret is printed, the truth is always a mystery. It remains only...” The authors are keeping secret the titles of the final two volumes.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
May 24, 2016
I bought Imprimatur by Rita Monaldi and Francesco Sorti a while back, but totally forgot about it. I discovered and read it last month. I wouldn't go so far as calling it a page-turner but it was an interesting book to read. The fact that the authors did a lot of reasearch before publishing this novel was obvious but they could have done a better job presenting their finds. Long story short, it is an enjoyable read but it lacks dept. What Monaldi & Sorti wrote is not a bad book, but in opinion it is not really a novel. By that I mean it is not a great work of literature. It is not something that will be studied at the Universities. In other words, it's no Umberto Eco. The characters are a bit stereotyped and predictable. The plot is good but some things are repeated ad nauseum. I do recommend it as it seems to be better than what you can find in historical fiction genre these days. Plus, it is clear that the authors did put some effort into it. So, I give it my recommendantion, but a lukewarm one. If 'real' literature is what you go for, skip this one.
Kupila sam Imprimatura Rite Monaldi i Francesca Sortija prije dosta vremena, ali sam posve zaboravila na njim. Otkrila sam ju i pročitala prošloga mjeseca. Ne bi baš rekla da sam je pročitala u dahu, ali bila je zanimljiva. Očito je da su autori dosta istraživali prije objavljivanja ovoga romana, ali mogli su malo i bolje prikazati rezultate svojih istraživanja. Ukratko, to je zabavno štivo ali mu nedostaje dubine. Ono što su Monaldi & Sorti napisali nije loša knjiga, ali to nije roman u pravom smislu riječi. Pri tome mislim da to nije književno djelo. To nije nešto što će se izučavati na sveučilištima. Drugim riječima, baš i nije Umberto Eco. Karakteri su malo stereotipni i predvidljivi. Zaplet je dobar ali neke se stvari ponavljaju dok posve ne dosade. Preporučujem ga jer mi se čini boljim od povijesne fikcije koja se prodaje u zadnje vrijeme. Potrudili su se ako ništa drugo. Tako da ima moju preporuku, ali mlaku, jer ako tražite pravu književnost preskočite ovu knjigu.
Kupila sam Imprimatura Rite Monaldi i Francesca Sortija prije dosta vremena, ali sam posve zaboravila na njim. Otkrila sam ju i pročitala prošloga mjeseca. Ne bi baš rekla da sam je pročitala u dahu, ali bila je zanimljiva. Očito je da su autori dosta istraživali prije objavljivanja ovoga romana, ali mogli su malo i bolje prikazati rezultate svojih istraživanja. Ukratko, to je zabavno štivo ali mu nedostaje dubine. Ono što su Monaldi & Sorti napisali nije loša knjiga, ali to nije roman u pravom smislu riječi. Pri tome mislim da to nije književno djelo. To nije nešto što će se izučavati na sveučilištima. Drugim riječima, baš i nije Umberto Eco. Karakteri su malo stereotipni i predvidljivi. Zaplet je dobar ali neke se stvari ponavljaju dok posve ne dosade. Preporučujem ga jer mi se čini boljim od povijesne fikcije koja se prodaje u zadnje vrijeme. Potrudili su se ako ništa drugo. Tako da ima moju preporuku, ali mlaku, jer ako tražite pravu književnost preskočite ovu knjigu.
October 9, 2018
Πολύ καλό βιβλίο. Η ιστορία διαδραματίζεται στα 1685 όταν οι Τούρκοι πολιορκούν την Βιέννη. Σασπένς αγωνία, ένα σπουδαίο βιβλίο
August 20, 2013
Throughout this very lengthy, but absolutely intriguing novel, I couldn't figure out why this book had been banned in Rome. Sure, it deals with Innocent XI whom it took centuries to finally get beatified, and sure, despite the consistency of historians of the Papacy in depicting him as a simple, humble, saintly figure, he obviously had a few flaws. After 500 or so pages, I just couldn't figure out why it'd been banned. Until...the Addendum, the Notes, & the other historical documents at the end of the book. Then it all made sense. The authors, employing first-hand research that's freaking amazing (i.e., primary sources from the Vatican archives as well as other sources), there reveal the almost incontrovertible fact that Innocent XI, through his money-grubbing, hypocrisy, shadiness -- among other things -- set in motion a whole series of major historical currents still reverberating down to the present.
This novel helps one appreciate the scope & challenge of the dysfunctional system of the Vatican for anyone gutsy enough to attempt reforming it! But remember, this book was banned in Rome. Just as anyone who tries, from within or without, to question the Roman Catholic system & its operations, is immediately silenced, or challenged, or discredited, or made to look the fool, or bought off. It's typical behavior, learned over long centuries, and is, unfortunately, very efficient. The functionaries of the Curia, along with the privileged, inside & outside of the Vatican, share such expertise with the kind of politicians, especially the right-wing, in the U.S. who are routinely busy using it against citizens in this country currently.
I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller, and can't wait to dive into the authors' sequels: Secretum, & Veritas!
This novel helps one appreciate the scope & challenge of the dysfunctional system of the Vatican for anyone gutsy enough to attempt reforming it! But remember, this book was banned in Rome. Just as anyone who tries, from within or without, to question the Roman Catholic system & its operations, is immediately silenced, or challenged, or discredited, or made to look the fool, or bought off. It's typical behavior, learned over long centuries, and is, unfortunately, very efficient. The functionaries of the Curia, along with the privileged, inside & outside of the Vatican, share such expertise with the kind of politicians, especially the right-wing, in the U.S. who are routinely busy using it against citizens in this country currently.
I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller, and can't wait to dive into the authors' sequels: Secretum, & Veritas!
May 23, 2018
Au dos de ce livre on nous promet un thriller dans la veine du "Nom de la Rose" ce qui est vrai surtout pour les lecteurs comme moi qui considère que la vie, la culture et les débats intellectuelles dans une abbaye bénédictine française au quatorzième siècle sont identiques à ceux que l'on trouve au Vatican au dix-septième siècle. Bref, "Imprimatur" est plein de l'ambiance de l'Europe pré-moderne où l'église catholique-romaine dominait la société et les pensées.
Aussi on trouve un examen assez bien réussi de la controverse qui durent depuis plus de trois siècles sur le financement par la famille d'Innocent XI de l'invasion de l'Angleterre par Guillaume d'Orange. Monaldi et Sorti présente bien leur que cas qu'Innocent a été bel et bien le bailleur de fonds de Guillaume et donc responsable de la chute du dernier roi catholique de l'Angleterre.
"Imprimatur" qui suit très bien la recette d'Umberto Eco est très divertissant. Il la suit trop par contre pour mériter plus que trois étoiles.
Aussi on trouve un examen assez bien réussi de la controverse qui durent depuis plus de trois siècles sur le financement par la famille d'Innocent XI de l'invasion de l'Angleterre par Guillaume d'Orange. Monaldi et Sorti présente bien leur que cas qu'Innocent a été bel et bien le bailleur de fonds de Guillaume et donc responsable de la chute du dernier roi catholique de l'Angleterre.
"Imprimatur" qui suit très bien la recette d'Umberto Eco est très divertissant. Il la suit trop par contre pour mériter plus que trois étoiles.
Read
May 21, 2020Sorry, but no. Unbearable, unreadable. I had to give up halfway in, because I got to a point where I dreaded reading it. I put it down and picked it up time and time again, maybe a dozen times, and I just couldn’t continue.
Why, why, why? I so wanted to like this! I bought this book ages ago and decided to read it, since I’m spending more time at home right now and can read more paper books. The cover was beautiful, the book had stuff I like: religion, dungeons, Baroque, maybe even mummies… BUT.
I didn’t care for the plot or the characters. I didn’t like them, I didn’t hate them – not particularly – I wanted them to go away. Especially the first-person narrator/main character. Ugh! He was an orphan without any education, working as a servant in an inn, but he kept talking like this:
“Rainy Philip Neri and Saint Carlo Borromeo had indeed been in the habit of praying in the catacombs , so the abbott reminded me. And at the end of the last century, a courageous Jesuit, a certain Antonio Bosio, had descended into the most recondite and obscure crevices and had explored all the cavities under Rome, making many marvellous discoveries and publishing a book entitled Roma Subterranea, which had met with great and general plaudits. The good Pope Gregory XV had, around 1620, laid down that the remains of saints were to be removed from the catacombs so that these precious relics could be distributed to churches throughout all Christendom, and he had instructed Cardinal Crescenzi to see to the implementation of this holy programme.”
I wish I was joking, but I am not. I love and appreciate period detail, but not when it is self-serving, pedantic and jarringly out of place. The book is nothing but paragraphs upon paragraphs of similar historical mush. It’s not only irritating and boring, it’s also unrealistic, anachronistic, out of character. The guy wants to become a journalist, which is fine. But whenever I wished him to be more specific – for example when he started talking about Jansenists, or quietism, and I was interested in getting some contemporary perspective on those things – he suddenly would become elusive and vague, and say something like: “and there was that horrible heresy, which was condemned by the Holy Father in Whatever Year, and that bad person was said to follow it, but let’s not forget that we needed to hurry up, because dinner – “
Yeah, dinner. Cooking. He cooked very complicated dishes with fresh ingredients, for an inn full of people, in quarantine (I bought this book years ago!). Every day. All by himself. He had no one to help him. Very realistic.
I should have quit the book early on, when I had my first moment of serious doubt. And it was brought on by another character, Abbot Melani, who is a castrato – because I don't think it was possible for a castrated man to be a priest in the post-Tridentine Catholic Church (maybe it still isn’t). People in the 17th century Italy were doctrinally savvy, – why does no one object? The main character should have known at once that the abbot was an impostor, but no one said a word; someone expressed a doubt about him being not a real abbot, but a spy (which he was), but about him being not eligible from the beginning… nothing.
I regret having spent so much time on this. Oh, I forgot, there is one woman, who is a courtesan! Oh my! What could possibly happen? Maybe there will be sex???? Someone please tell me… or not. I am out.
January 28, 2024
Not worth losing time for that one, I have been trying to finish it but it's so boring I can't stand it anymore. You might think this has the same style as the Da Vinci code but it's not, it's just a book made by some historians who think they can write a novel by just spitting out all their knowledge of the middle age
January 3, 2011
It was hard to read this book. Pages would be devoted to obscure history lessons and conjecture, as if the authors had returned from the library determined to show off everything they've read.
While there is a detective type story at the heart of the book, it is simply surrounded by too much other stuff (junk) to make for an enjoyable read.
Perhaps this book would only be enjoyable for those that truly believe the Church can do no wrong. Then, the allegations contained within might make for a more stimulating experience.
I enjoyed the muddled language of the grave robbers, and I thought the apprentice's attempts at cooking were rather fun.
But on the whole the book feels too by the numbers, to encumbered with extraneous detail and sadly too boring. Avoid.
While there is a detective type story at the heart of the book, it is simply surrounded by too much other stuff (junk) to make for an enjoyable read.
Perhaps this book would only be enjoyable for those that truly believe the Church can do no wrong. Then, the allegations contained within might make for a more stimulating experience.
I enjoyed the muddled language of the grave robbers, and I thought the apprentice's attempts at cooking were rather fun.
But on the whole the book feels too by the numbers, to encumbered with extraneous detail and sadly too boring. Avoid.
March 10, 2010
That is what I call a mystery novel!
A great mix of history, facts, nuanced characters, murder and betrayal, truth and lies. I was amused the whole time, I learned a great deal on history of France and the catholic church and I could almost smell the sewers and catacombs of old Rome!
I can't wait to read the other two books in the series!
A great mix of history, facts, nuanced characters, murder and betrayal, truth and lies. I was amused the whole time, I learned a great deal on history of France and the catholic church and I could almost smell the sewers and catacombs of old Rome!
I can't wait to read the other two books in the series!
April 8, 2015
One of the most boring books I've ever read.
July 12, 2024
I was warned by other reviews that this would not be an "easy read." Nevertheless, the book fascinated me even before I had read a word. The authors were said to be very thorough. And thorough seems to be the right term. The authors have been very thorough in their research, thorough in supporting the plot, thorough in displaying their knowledge, thorough in their enumerations. Thorough down to the last detail, as you wouldn't want an ingredient of a recipe to be missed, or an obscure remedy for the plague to go unmentioned.
I won't reveal the entire plot here, but the story is about a secret that the authors discovered about Pope Innocent XI that could hinder his canonization. The story is told through a frame narrative. The main role is played by Atto Melani, abbot, castrato singer, and spy in the service of Louis XIV, and by the servant from the inn, who writes down all the adventures and discoveries in a diary. This diary is what the reader is reading, within the so-called frame narrative.
The story is well-constructed and shows how world politics worked in the 17th century. Alliances, coalitions, opportunism, it turns out that there is nothing new under the sun.
The first 200 pages are tough to get through; the author duo goes all out in displaying their knowledge by listing endless ingredients, symptoms, and medicines. At first, it is interesting to get a glimpse into a 17th-century kitchen, but soon I started scanning the endless pages of lists instead of reading them.
Yet, if you persist, you'll find that the story gains momentum in the second part and then the book is hard to put down.
The last dozens of pages are devoted to the documents and research supporting the book. For a novel, rather than an academic publication, I found this "over the top." This could have been at least half as long.
This book had all the potential to become a five-star book for me. Had the authors been able to restrain themselves and not gone completely overboard with the details and displaying their knowledge, this book would have easily been worth five stars.
Now it's four and a half.
I won't reveal the entire plot here, but the story is about a secret that the authors discovered about Pope Innocent XI that could hinder his canonization. The story is told through a frame narrative. The main role is played by Atto Melani, abbot, castrato singer, and spy in the service of Louis XIV, and by the servant from the inn, who writes down all the adventures and discoveries in a diary. This diary is what the reader is reading, within the so-called frame narrative.
The story is well-constructed and shows how world politics worked in the 17th century. Alliances, coalitions, opportunism, it turns out that there is nothing new under the sun.
The first 200 pages are tough to get through; the author duo goes all out in displaying their knowledge by listing endless ingredients, symptoms, and medicines. At first, it is interesting to get a glimpse into a 17th-century kitchen, but soon I started scanning the endless pages of lists instead of reading them.
Yet, if you persist, you'll find that the story gains momentum in the second part and then the book is hard to put down.
The last dozens of pages are devoted to the documents and research supporting the book. For a novel, rather than an academic publication, I found this "over the top." This could have been at least half as long.
This book had all the potential to become a five-star book for me. Had the authors been able to restrain themselves and not gone completely overboard with the details and displaying their knowledge, this book would have easily been worth five stars.
Now it's four and a half.
February 27, 2010
This book was apparently popular in Europe. Its initial boycotting in Italy no doubt added to its popularity. Set in Rome in the late seventeenth century it deals with the events of nine days in that city, when a number of strangers are quarantined in an Inn. The motley group potentially holds spies, maybe assassins, etc, and as the events unfold there is more than an innuendo that the Church was very much involved in shady and undercover political operations.
As I am very much aware that the darker aspects of Church history contain much that is not 'holy' or 'sacred', I found that this 'narrative' did not add anything surprising. For those who believe that the Church has only been involved in 'good' or 'sacred' things, this book might well prove to be illuminating. Certainly the historical elements of the story's setting are well researched; but it appears to me that the authors were very much aware that their book might cause 'problems' — so they are careful to ensure that their interpretations have as much historical credibility as possible. For me, that tended to make the reading a little bit turgid and perhaps overwritten (although this might be the fault of the translator).
For the general reader the book tends to be perhaps a little too long, but in all it is intriguing enough a format to carry one through the sequences of events with a certain amount of interest. If they are unaware that the Church has throughout history been involved with intrigues involving spies and assassins then the 'innuendoes' of this book might provide them with an enjoyable read.
As I am very much aware that the darker aspects of Church history contain much that is not 'holy' or 'sacred', I found that this 'narrative' did not add anything surprising. For those who believe that the Church has only been involved in 'good' or 'sacred' things, this book might well prove to be illuminating. Certainly the historical elements of the story's setting are well researched; but it appears to me that the authors were very much aware that their book might cause 'problems' — so they are careful to ensure that their interpretations have as much historical credibility as possible. For me, that tended to make the reading a little bit turgid and perhaps overwritten (although this might be the fault of the translator).
For the general reader the book tends to be perhaps a little too long, but in all it is intriguing enough a format to carry one through the sequences of events with a certain amount of interest. If they are unaware that the Church has throughout history been involved with intrigues involving spies and assassins then the 'innuendoes' of this book might provide them with an enjoyable read.
July 24, 2014
Ρώμη, 1683. Ο μυστηριώδης θάνατος ενός Γάλλου ευγενούς θα σταθεί αφορμή ώστε οι ένοικοι του πανδοχείου του Ντοντσέλο να τεθούν σε αυστηρή καραντίνα, υπό τον φόβο μιας νέας επιδημίας πανούκλας, η οποία ήδη θέριζε στην Ευρώπη. Ταυτόχρονα, στην πολιορκούμενη Βιέννη, οι Τούρκοι είναι έτοιμοι να επιτεθούν και να κατεδαφίσουν τα τείχη που τους εμποδίζουν να ξεχυθούν στη χριστιανική Ευρώπη. Οι ένοικοι του πανδοχείου συνθέτουν ένα μωσαϊκό όλων των κυρίαρχων θρησκευτικών και φιλοσοφικών ρευμάτων της εποχής: ένας ισπανός ιησουίτης, ένας ναπολιτάνος αστρολόγος, ένας γιανσενιστής, ένα γιατρός-αλχημιστής, ένας μουσικός κ.ά. Κεντρικό πρόσωπο είναι ο καστράτος Ατο Μελάνι, πράκτορας του βασιλιά της Γαλλίας Λουδοβίκου ΙΔ΄ και κάτοχος πολλών μυστικών από τις βασιλικές αυλές του 17ου αιώνα. Με βοηθό και παραστάτη τον νάνο παραγιό του πανδοχείου, θα προσπαθήσει να διαλευκάνει τα αίτια του ξαφνικού θανάτου του Γάλλου ευγενούς και θα φέρει στο φως τη συνωμοσία που εξυφαίνεται εκείνες τις ημέρες στα υπόγεια της Αιώνιας Πόλης, και που έχει ως στόχο της τον προκαθήμενο της Ρωμαιοκαθολικής Εκκλησίας, τον πάπα Ιννοκέντιο IA΄.
Οι συγγραφείς χρειάστηκαν δέκα χρόνια ερευνών για να ολοκληρώσουν το ογκώδες και πυκνογραμμένο αυτό μυθιστόρημα. Ολα τα πρόσωπα, είναι ιστορικές προσωπικότητες, ορισμένες εκ των οποίων διαδραμάτισαν σημαντικούς ρόλους στην εποχή τους. Επιπλέον, έχουν όλα, σε διαφορετικές χρονικές περιόδους, διανυκτερεύσει στο εν λόγω πανδοχείο. Εντυπωσιακή παράθεση στοιχείων από ποικίλες πτυχές της ζωής, της τέχνης, της φιλοσοφίας και των πολιτικών ισορροπιών της εποχής.
Ενώ αρχικά η υπόθεση εκτυλίσσεται στο πανδοχείο, σύντομα ο καστράτο και ο παραγιός ανακαλύπτουν την είσοδο στις μυστικές υπόγειες στοές της πόλης που οδηγούν σε όλες τις άκρες της Ρώμης. Εκεί θα βρουν δύο άσχημους τυμβωρύχους, που θα γίνουν τα μάτια και τα αφτιά τους σε αυτήν τη μυστηριώδη υπόθεση. Ο παραγιός στέκεται στο πλευρό του καστράτου, όταν αρχίζει όμως να μαθαίνει κρυφακούοντας κάποιες σκοτεινές πτυχές του χαρακτήρα του και κυρίως ότι πρόκειται για μυστικό απεσταλμένο του Λουδοβίκου, η πίστη του κλονίζεται. Τελικά υπάρχει ένας δολοφόνος στο ξενοδοχείο κι αυτός έχει ως στόχο του τον πάπα Ιννοκέντιο. Γιατί όμως; Όντως ο πάπας ήταν φιλοχρήματος και είχε κρυφές δοσοληψίες
με εμπορικούς οίκους; Και γιατί;
Το πρώτο θύμα είναι ο ηλικιωμένος Γάλλος ευγενής ντε Μουρέ, ο οποίος στην πραγματικότητα είναι ο υπουργός Φουκέ, που το έσκασε από τη φυλακή που τον έριξε ο Λουδοβίκος, πέφτοντας στην παγίδα που έστησε με τις συκοφαντίες του ο αντίζηλος του Φουκέ, Κολμπέρ. Γιατί ήρθε στη Ρώμη ο Φουκέ; Και γιατί ο Άτο Μελάνι τον ακολούθησε κατά πόδας; Μαζί με τον Φουκέ ήρθαν στο πανδοχείο συνοδεία του ο Ντουλτσιμπένι (που έχει μυστικές επαφές με φίλο του γιατρό, τον οποίο επισκέπττεται μέσω των στοών, κι αυτός ο Ντουλτσιμπένι ψάχνει την κόρη του, καρπό μιας σχέσης του με σκλάβα, η οποία κόρη του απήχθη από άνθρωπο των Οντεσκάλκι, οικογένειας του Πάπα) και ο Ντεβιζί, συγκρατούμενος του Φουκέ, κάτοχος ενός φοβερού μυστικού: ξέρει τον σκοπό και τη μελωδία ενός "ρόντο" που αν παίζεται επί πολλή ώρα και με συγκεκριμένο τρόπο θεραπεύει την πανούκλα!
Έτσι λοιπόν ο καθένας έχει το ρόλο του σε αυτήν τη δαιδαλώδη και πολύπλευρη (για να μην πω πολύπλοκη) ιστορία. Απελευθέρωση της Βιέννης, θρησκευτικές διαμάχχες μεταξύ Γαλλίας και Αγίας Έδρας, κατάκτηση της Αγγλίας από τον Γουλιέλμο της Οράγγης οπότε και ο ρωμαιοκαθολικισμός παύει να έχει ισχύ στη χώρα αυτήν, απομόνωση του Λουδοβίκου ΙΔ΄ από τηην Ευρώπη, η πολιτική ισορροπία της Ευρώπης στο δεύτερο μισό του 17ου αιώνα σε τεντωμένο σχοινί. Και ο Πάπας Ιννοκέντιος ΙΑ΄ να κινεί σκοτεινά νήματα από καθαρά προσωπική φιλοδοξία.
Παραδέχομαι ότι το βιβλίο δεν είναι εύκολο. Είναι ένα καλό αλλά πολύπλοκο ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα (σαν το Όνομα του Ρόδου, μόνο που το Όνομα έχει πολυπεπίπεδες αναγνώσεις κι αν πηδήξεις κάποιες σελίδες ξέρεις ότι προσπέρασες κάποια παρένθετα ιστορικά, φιλοσοφικά ή οικονομικά στοιχεία), με εκτεταμένες πληροφορίες για την ιατρική, τη μαγειρική, τη φιλοσοφία, την αστρονομία, την τυπογραφία, τα πιστεύω της Εκκλησίας, τις επιπτώσεις και την έκταση της πανούκλας, όλος ο 17ος αιώνας καταγράφεται εδώ. Και σα να μη φτάναν όλα αυτά το βιβλίο εντάσσεται μέσα σε μιαν άλλη ιστορία, αυτήν του Λαυρεντίου του Άτζο, ο οποίος το 2040 (!) γράφει επιστολή στον Αλέξιο Τανάρι, γραμματέα της Επιτροπής για την Ανακήρυξη Αγίων, και του εφιστά την προσοχή να μη βιαστεί να αγιοποιήσει τον Ιννοκέντιο ΙΑ΄, γιατί συνάντησε ένα ζευγάρι (τους συγγραφείς της ιστορίας!), οι οποίοι εξαφανίστηκαν μυστηριωδώς όταν του εμπιστεύτηκαν τα χειρόγραφά τους (το μυθιστόρημα που διαβάζουμε). Ο Λαυρέντιος του ζητά να διαβάσει με σκεπτικισμό την ιστορία και στο τέλος της ιστορίας του περιγράφει και την Ιστορία της Ευρώπης όπως προκύπτει μέσα από το μυθιστόρημα και ισχυροποιεί με τεκμήρια κάποιες σημαντικές εξελίξεις που αναγνωρίζονται στο μυθιστόρημα, οπότε τον αφήνει να αποφασείσει είτε να αγνοοήσει το βιβλίο και να εισηγηθεί την αγιοποίηση του Πάπα Ιννοκέντιόυ είτε να αποφασίσει ότι όλα τα γεγονότα είναι αληθινά, το βιβλίο δεν είναι μυθιστόρημα κι επομένως ο Πάπας δεν είναι Άγιος και το βιβλίο πρέπει να κυκλοφορήσει προς ισχυροποίηση των απόψεών του, να δοθεί δηλαδή το περιβόητο Τυπωθήτω! Ουφ!
Δυστυχώς το βιβλίο δεν είναι απόλυτα αυτοτελές. Έχει κυκλοφορήσει και ο 2ος τόμος, με τίτλο Το μυστικό και οι συγγραφείς έχουν γράψει άλλους δύο, με τους οποίους δίνεται η πραγματική εικόνα των γεγονότων της σχετικά σύγχρονης Ευρώπης. Στον 2ο τόμο ο Λαυρέντιος έχει εξοριστεί και ξαναστέλνει γράμμα στον Αλέξιο, αναρωτώμενος γιατί, αφού δεν έδωσε ο ίδιος στη δημοσιότητα το βιβλίο που έστειλε στον Αλέξιο, αφού δεν είχε κι άλλο αντίτυπο έτσι κι αλλιώς, άρα κάτι άλλο συμβαίνει. Δεν έχω μπει ακόμη στην κυρίως ιστορία, πρέπει να ξεμπλέξω στο μυαλό μου το 1ο βιβλίο (στην Ιταλία το 1ο βιβλίο απαγορεύτηκε κι οι συγγραφείς, οργισμένοι, αποφάσισαν να κυκλοφορήσουν τα υπόλοιπα εκτός Ιταλίας!)
Λοιπόν αν θέλετε διαβάστε το αλλά θέλει χρόνο, υπομονή και συγκέντρωση. Καλό κουράγιο (ή μάλλον καλό ταξίδι).
Οι συγγραφείς χρειάστηκαν δέκα χρόνια ερευνών για να ολοκληρώσουν το ογκώδες και πυκνογραμμένο αυτό μυθιστόρημα. Ολα τα πρόσωπα, είναι ιστορικές προσωπικότητες, ορισμένες εκ των οποίων διαδραμάτισαν σημαντικούς ρόλους στην εποχή τους. Επιπλέον, έχουν όλα, σε διαφορετικές χρονικές περιόδους, διανυκτερεύσει στο εν λόγω πανδοχείο. Εντυπωσιακή παράθεση στοιχείων από ποικίλες πτυχές της ζωής, της τέχνης, της φιλοσοφίας και των πολιτικών ισορροπιών της εποχής.
Ενώ αρχικά η υπόθεση εκτυλίσσεται στο πανδοχείο, σύντομα ο καστράτο και ο παραγιός ανακαλύπτουν την είσοδο στις μυστικές υπόγειες στοές της πόλης που οδηγούν σε όλες τις άκρες της Ρώμης. Εκεί θα βρουν δύο άσχημους τυμβωρύχους, που θα γίνουν τα μάτια και τα αφτιά τους σε αυτήν τη μυστηριώδη υπόθεση. Ο παραγιός στέκεται στο πλευρό του καστράτου, όταν αρχίζει όμως να μαθαίνει κρυφακούοντας κάποιες σκοτεινές πτυχές του χαρακτήρα του και κυρίως ότι πρόκειται για μυστικό απεσταλμένο του Λουδοβίκου, η πίστη του κλονίζεται. Τελικά υπάρχει ένας δολοφόνος στο ξενοδοχείο κι αυτός έχει ως στόχο του τον πάπα Ιννοκέντιο. Γιατί όμως; Όντως ο πάπας ήταν φιλοχρήματος και είχε κρυφές δοσοληψίες
με εμπορικούς οίκους; Και γιατί;
Το πρώτο θύμα είναι ο ηλικιωμένος Γάλλος ευγενής ντε Μουρέ, ο οποίος στην πραγματικότητα είναι ο υπουργός Φουκέ, που το έσκασε από τη φυλακή που τον έριξε ο Λουδοβίκος, πέφτοντας στην παγίδα που έστησε με τις συκοφαντίες του ο αντίζηλος του Φουκέ, Κολμπέρ. Γιατί ήρθε στη Ρώμη ο Φουκέ; Και γιατί ο Άτο Μελάνι τον ακολούθησε κατά πόδας; Μαζί με τον Φουκέ ήρθαν στο πανδοχείο συνοδεία του ο Ντουλτσιμπένι (που έχει μυστικές επαφές με φίλο του γιατρό, τον οποίο επισκέπττεται μέσω των στοών, κι αυτός ο Ντουλτσιμπένι ψάχνει την κόρη του, καρπό μιας σχέσης του με σκλάβα, η οποία κόρη του απήχθη από άνθρωπο των Οντεσκάλκι, οικογένειας του Πάπα) και ο Ντεβιζί, συγκρατούμενος του Φουκέ, κάτοχος ενός φοβερού μυστικού: ξέρει τον σκοπό και τη μελωδία ενός "ρόντο" που αν παίζεται επί πολλή ώρα και με συγκεκριμένο τρόπο θεραπεύει την πανούκλα!
Έτσι λοιπόν ο καθένας έχει το ρόλο του σε αυτήν τη δαιδαλώδη και πολύπλευρη (για να μην πω πολύπλοκη) ιστορία. Απελευθέρωση της Βιέννης, θρησκευτικές διαμάχχες μεταξύ Γαλλίας και Αγίας Έδρας, κατάκτηση της Αγγλίας από τον Γουλιέλμο της Οράγγης οπότε και ο ρωμαιοκαθολικισμός παύει να έχει ισχύ στη χώρα αυτήν, απομόνωση του Λουδοβίκου ΙΔ΄ από τηην Ευρώπη, η πολιτική ισορροπία της Ευρώπης στο δεύτερο μισό του 17ου αιώνα σε τεντωμένο σχοινί. Και ο Πάπας Ιννοκέντιος ΙΑ΄ να κινεί σκοτεινά νήματα από καθαρά προσωπική φιλοδοξία.
Παραδέχομαι ότι το βιβλίο δεν είναι εύκολο. Είναι ένα καλό αλλά πολύπλοκο ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα (σαν το Όνομα του Ρόδου, μόνο που το Όνομα έχει πολυπεπίπεδες αναγνώσεις κι αν πηδήξεις κάποιες σελίδες ξέρεις ότι προσπέρασες κάποια παρένθετα ιστορικά, φιλοσοφικά ή οικονομικά στοιχεία), με εκτεταμένες πληροφορίες για την ιατρική, τη μαγειρική, τη φιλοσοφία, την αστρονομία, την τυπογραφία, τα πιστεύω της Εκκλησίας, τις επιπτώσεις και την έκταση της πανούκλας, όλος ο 17ος αιώνας καταγράφεται εδώ. Και σα να μη φτάναν όλα αυτά το βιβλίο εντάσσεται μέσα σε μιαν άλλη ιστορία, αυτήν του Λαυρεντίου του Άτζο, ο οποίος το 2040 (!) γράφει επιστολή στον Αλέξιο Τανάρι, γραμματέα της Επιτροπής για την Ανακήρυξη Αγίων, και του εφιστά την προσοχή να μη βιαστεί να αγιοποιήσει τον Ιννοκέντιο ΙΑ΄, γιατί συνάντησε ένα ζευγάρι (τους συγγραφείς της ιστορίας!), οι οποίοι εξαφανίστηκαν μυστηριωδώς όταν του εμπιστεύτηκαν τα χειρόγραφά τους (το μυθιστόρημα που διαβάζουμε). Ο Λαυρέντιος του ζητά να διαβάσει με σκεπτικισμό την ιστορία και στο τέλος της ιστορίας του περιγράφει και την Ιστορία της Ευρώπης όπως προκύπτει μέσα από το μυθιστόρημα και ισχυροποιεί με τεκμήρια κάποιες σημαντικές εξελίξεις που αναγνωρίζονται στο μυθιστόρημα, οπότε τον αφήνει να αποφασείσει είτε να αγνοοήσει το βιβλίο και να εισηγηθεί την αγιοποίηση του Πάπα Ιννοκέντιόυ είτε να αποφασίσει ότι όλα τα γεγονότα είναι αληθινά, το βιβλίο δεν είναι μυθιστόρημα κι επομένως ο Πάπας δεν είναι Άγιος και το βιβλίο πρέπει να κυκλοφορήσει προς ισχυροποίηση των απόψεών του, να δοθεί δηλαδή το περιβόητο Τυπωθήτω! Ουφ!
Δυστυχώς το βιβλίο δεν είναι απόλυτα αυτοτελές. Έχει κυκλοφορήσει και ο 2ος τόμος, με τίτλο Το μυστικό και οι συγγραφείς έχουν γράψει άλλους δύο, με τους οποίους δίνεται η πραγματική εικόνα των γεγονότων της σχετικά σύγχρονης Ευρώπης. Στον 2ο τόμο ο Λαυρέντιος έχει εξοριστεί και ξαναστέλνει γράμμα στον Αλέξιο, αναρωτώμενος γιατί, αφού δεν έδωσε ο ίδιος στη δημοσιότητα το βιβλίο που έστειλε στον Αλέξιο, αφού δεν είχε κι άλλο αντίτυπο έτσι κι αλλιώς, άρα κάτι άλλο συμβαίνει. Δεν έχω μπει ακόμη στην κυρίως ιστορία, πρέπει να ξεμπλέξω στο μυαλό μου το 1ο βιβλίο (στην Ιταλία το 1ο βιβλίο απαγορεύτηκε κι οι συγγραφείς, οργισμένοι, αποφάσισαν να κυκλοφορήσουν τα υπόλοιπα εκτός Ιταλίας!)
Λοιπόν αν θέλετε διαβάστε το αλλά θέλει χρόνο, υπομονή και συγκέντρωση. Καλό κουράγιο (ή μάλλον καλό ταξίδι).
October 2, 2020
I really liked it, but it's definitely not for everyone! Best for those with an interest and background in late Renassaince European history and Catholic theology. (And astrology!)
November 5, 2023
I am always wary of books that are compared to Gone With the Wind, Lolita or, as in the case of this novel, The Name of the Rose. It is almost a guarantee that who ever makes the comparison has not read GWTW, Lolita or TNOTR and probably not even the book being hailed as a new...take your pick of the three. To be absolutely blunt comparing these authors to Umberto Eco is grotesque but it does not mean that this is not a rollicking fun read, it is, and as historical fiction it is definitely of a high order.
But the authors also insist that they are making significant contributions to historical research with regards to the early years of the reign of Louis XIV in France, the fall of Fouquet, the rise Colbert, etc. (goggle the story it would take to much space to go into here but they make Fouquet the good guy and Colbert the bad guy the opposite of what they claim is the way the story is understood). As a major sub plot this actually causes the story with the amount of exposition needed to make things clear for the reader.
The other major claim the authors make is that there book forced the Vatican to halt the canonisation process of pope Innocent XI because of their revaluations of the Pope's support of the protestant William II against the Catholic James II (again Google them for background) and that this book was effectively suppressed by the Vatican and its publication halted for several years. This is total rubbish - claiming Vatican opposition to, and machinations to suppress, your book are an old fashioned, but still effective marketing tool to attract attention to your book. Its rather like the way publishers in London during the 1950s and 60s would send a copy of some tawdry novel with a suggestive cover on the boat to Ireland were there was a good chance customs would seize and they would then promote it as banned in Ireland and thus attract customers who would be convinced the book must be full of sex. The Vatican wasn't about to canonise pope Innocent XI back in 2001 and if they were some silly novel wouldn't make them there minds. Pope Pius IX one of the most appalling 19th century pope's is well on the way to sainthood despite a catalogue of morally reprehensible acts and the opposition of every non reactionary catholic figure and Jewish groups throughout the world (again Google him).
To conclude a fun historical novel that drags a bit but don't believe anything they say is true or, even if it is true, that it is new or even important.
But the authors also insist that they are making significant contributions to historical research with regards to the early years of the reign of Louis XIV in France, the fall of Fouquet, the rise Colbert, etc. (goggle the story it would take to much space to go into here but they make Fouquet the good guy and Colbert the bad guy the opposite of what they claim is the way the story is understood). As a major sub plot this actually causes the story with the amount of exposition needed to make things clear for the reader.
The other major claim the authors make is that there book forced the Vatican to halt the canonisation process of pope Innocent XI because of their revaluations of the Pope's support of the protestant William II against the Catholic James II (again Google them for background) and that this book was effectively suppressed by the Vatican and its publication halted for several years. This is total rubbish - claiming Vatican opposition to, and machinations to suppress, your book are an old fashioned, but still effective marketing tool to attract attention to your book. Its rather like the way publishers in London during the 1950s and 60s would send a copy of some tawdry novel with a suggestive cover on the boat to Ireland were there was a good chance customs would seize and they would then promote it as banned in Ireland and thus attract customers who would be convinced the book must be full of sex. The Vatican wasn't about to canonise pope Innocent XI back in 2001 and if they were some silly novel wouldn't make them there minds. Pope Pius IX one of the most appalling 19th century pope's is well on the way to sainthood despite a catalogue of morally reprehensible acts and the opposition of every non reactionary catholic figure and Jewish groups throughout the world (again Google him).
To conclude a fun historical novel that drags a bit but don't believe anything they say is true or, even if it is true, that it is new or even important.
July 21, 2013
Το βιβλίο πάτησε πάνω σε μια από πολύ καιρό παραμελημένη αλλά όχι ξεχασμένη χορδή μου. Η αγάπη μου για τη Ιστορία ξεκίνησε από πολύ μικρός (το σχολείο δεν έκανε τίποτα για να την ενισχύσει), ειδικότερα εστίασα να μάθω τι οδήγησε στην ειρήνη της Βεστφαλίας (1648) που λίγο πολύ καθόρισε τα σημερινά σύνορα των κρατών της Ευρώπης καθώς και τις σφαίρες επιρροής τους.
Η βασιλεία του Λουδοβίκου ΙΔ΄ήταν καθοριστική για τη Γαλλία καθώς και για όλη την Ευρώπη για το τρόπο που άσκησε την εξωτερική πολιτική του καθώς και για το ότι καθόρισε πια ήταν τα όπλα με τα οποία θα διέφθειρε τις αντίπαλες αυλές και αυτά ήταν η γαλλική μόδα, η εκλεπτυσμένη γλώσσα, το πρωτόκολλο των Βερσαλλιών και ο γαλλικός πολιτισμός. Αρχιτέκτονες, Ζωγράφοι, γλύπτες, συγγραφείς, ηθοποιοί, μουσικοί αλλά και ράφτες, περουκιέρηδες, αρωματοποιοί κ.λ. μπήκαν απευθείας κάτω από την αιγίδα του και στάλθηκαν στο εξωτερικό σαν κατάσκοποι οι οποίοι έδιναν αναφορά μόνο σε εκείνον. Μπορεί στους πραγματικούς πολέμους να έχασε αλλά η νίκη του σε πολιτιστικό επίπεδο κρατάει ακόμα σε πολλούς τομείς μέχρι σήμερα.Π.χ. Η ρώσικη αριστοκρατία μιλούσε μόνο γαλλικά και υπήρχαν Τσάροι που δε γνώριζαν κάν τη μητρική τους γλώσσα!
Ένα τέτοιο βιβλίο όσο καλογραμμένο και αν είναι θα φαινόταν κουραστικό μια και η παράθεση άγνωστων ονομάτων που δολοπλοκούν υπέρ της μιας ή της άλλης δύναμης της τότε Ευρώπης (γνωστές μόνο κατ' όνομα σήμερα στους περισσότερους) θα ήταν αδιάφορες το λιγότερο καθώς και οι παραθέσεις ιατρικών συνταγών που μόνο γέλια ή τρόμο μπορουν να σου φέρουν.
Τέλος η μετάφραση είναι για τα πανηγύρια σε πολλά ονόματα όπως ο Λοζούν που είναι Λοζέν, οι Γκουίζα που είναι οι Γκυζ κ.λ.
Δυσχρηστο βιβλίο σε βάζει κατευθείαν στα βαθιά σίγουρα δεν απευθύνεται στο μέσω αναγνώστη που θέλει να περάσει απλώς την ώρα του αντιθέτως θέλει αναγνώστη που ξέρει αρκετά καλά το κοινωνικοπολιτικό πλαίσιο του 17ου αιώνα και διάθεσει να ψάξει την αλήθεια.
Ένα ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα με τα όλα του.
Η βασιλεία του Λουδοβίκου ΙΔ΄ήταν καθοριστική για τη Γαλλία καθώς και για όλη την Ευρώπη για το τρόπο που άσκησε την εξωτερική πολιτική του καθώς και για το ότι καθόρισε πια ήταν τα όπλα με τα οποία θα διέφθειρε τις αντίπαλες αυλές και αυτά ήταν η γαλλική μόδα, η εκλεπτυσμένη γλώσσα, το πρωτόκολλο των Βερσαλλιών και ο γαλλικός πολιτισμός. Αρχιτέκτονες, Ζωγράφοι, γλύπτες, συγγραφείς, ηθοποιοί, μουσικοί αλλά και ράφτες, περουκιέρηδες, αρωματοποιοί κ.λ. μπήκαν απευθείας κάτω από την αιγίδα του και στάλθηκαν στο εξωτερικό σαν κατάσκοποι οι οποίοι έδιναν αναφορά μόνο σε εκείνον. Μπορεί στους πραγματικούς πολέμους να έχασε αλλά η νίκη του σε πολιτιστικό επίπεδο κρατάει ακόμα σε πολλούς τομείς μέχρι σήμερα.Π.χ. Η ρώσικη αριστοκρατία μιλούσε μόνο γαλλικά και υπήρχαν Τσάροι που δε γνώριζαν κάν τη μητρική τους γλώσσα!
Ένα τέτοιο βιβλίο όσο καλογραμμένο και αν είναι θα φαινόταν κουραστικό μια και η παράθεση άγνωστων ονομάτων που δολοπλοκούν υπέρ της μιας ή της άλλης δύναμης της τότε Ευρώπης (γνωστές μόνο κατ' όνομα σήμερα στους περισσότερους) θα ήταν αδιάφορες το λιγότερο καθώς και οι παραθέσεις ιατρικών συνταγών που μόνο γέλια ή τρόμο μπορουν να σου φέρουν.
Τέλος η μετάφραση είναι για τα πανηγύρια σε πολλά ονόματα όπως ο Λοζούν που είναι Λοζέν, οι Γκουίζα που είναι οι Γκυζ κ.λ.
Δυσχρηστο βιβλίο σε βάζει κατευθείαν στα βαθιά σίγουρα δεν απευθύνεται στο μέσω αναγνώστη που θέλει να περάσει απλώς την ώρα του αντιθέτως θέλει αναγνώστη που ξέρει αρκετά καλά το κοινωνικοπολιτικό πλαίσιο του 17ου αιώνα και διάθεσει να ψάξει την αλήθεια.
Ένα ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα με τα όλα του.
February 29, 2016
Libro scritto in modo banale, con gran sfoggio di erudizione (da sempre la sensazione che dica "Guardatemi, abbiamo studiato un sacco!!") spesso messa a caso rompendo il ritmo. Un romanzo storico è difficile da costruire non tanto o non solo per la trama, ma per rendere viva l'ambientazione scelta, e non uno stucchevole manuale di Storia poco approfondito.
Fino all'ultimo non ho compreso il grande scandalo su questo libro, nè ricordavo le polemiche (quelle sul "Codice da Vinci" me le ricordo tutte invece), nè il coinvolgimento del Vaticano come censore, anche perché qui non c'è nessuna verità rivelata, nessuno scandalo nascosto, ma solo una storia che si potrebbe leggere e trovare anche in una rivista di settore che si trova in edicola alla portata di tutti.
Sono stati tutti bravi a montare questo caso, ma alla fine è tantissimo fumo e nemmeno l'ombra dell'arrosto.
Un arrosto che poi dovrebbe essere un saggio storico? Mah, sono perplessa anche di quello...non so, mi ha dato la sensazione, in ogni momento, che fosse un po' una trovata editoriale in ogni sua parte.
Per quanto riguarda lo specifico, la narrazione è lenta, il giallo non è giallo se non alla fine, i personaggi sono stereotipi teatrali molto bidimensionali, la situazione tirata per i capelli e in fine un protagonista che è già stato "visto altre volte" (nel senso di un ragazzetto, preso sotto l'ala del personaggio importante che lo usa per l'investigazione).
Di certo non leggerò altri loro libri.
Fino all'ultimo non ho compreso il grande scandalo su questo libro, nè ricordavo le polemiche (quelle sul "Codice da Vinci" me le ricordo tutte invece), nè il coinvolgimento del Vaticano come censore, anche perché qui non c'è nessuna verità rivelata, nessuno scandalo nascosto, ma solo una storia che si potrebbe leggere e trovare anche in una rivista di settore che si trova in edicola alla portata di tutti.
Sono stati tutti bravi a montare questo caso, ma alla fine è tantissimo fumo e nemmeno l'ombra dell'arrosto.
Un arrosto che poi dovrebbe essere un saggio storico? Mah, sono perplessa anche di quello...non so, mi ha dato la sensazione, in ogni momento, che fosse un po' una trovata editoriale in ogni sua parte.
Per quanto riguarda lo specifico, la narrazione è lenta, il giallo non è giallo se non alla fine, i personaggi sono stereotipi teatrali molto bidimensionali, la situazione tirata per i capelli e in fine un protagonista che è già stato "visto altre volte" (nel senso di un ragazzetto, preso sotto l'ala del personaggio importante che lo usa per l'investigazione).
Di certo non leggerò altri loro libri.
February 8, 2025
I purchased this novel in a small Roman bookstore in 2019. Until now, it sat on my bookshelf gathering dust. I believe I had opened once or twice to read the introductory matter penned by a fictional bishop in 2040, yet never proceeded further. After now completing the novel, I'm quite happy I picked up the book only now, specifically because only now, after serious graduate study of the political, theological, and ecclesiological culture of Baroque Rome could I enjoy this book.
A novel rich and overflowing with historical details, facts, narratives, and characteristics that convincingly reconstruct the world of 1680s Rome, Imprimatur centers around a group of individuals quarantined in an inn by the Congregation for Public Health on suspicion that the inn's inhabitants are infected with plague. Of the interesting group of characters in the inn, including a Jesuit priest, a doctor, Neapolitan artisans and artists, an elderly Frenchman, a courtesan, and a Venetian glassblower, the novel centers on the innkeeper's unnamed adolescent apprentice and a snobby and shrewd Pistoian abbé and their gradual uncovering of layered plots involving Blessed Pope Innocent XI, Louis XIV, Nicolas Fouquet, Athanasius Kirchner, Maria Theresa of Spain, William of Orange, and Leopold I of Austria. Masterfully interwoven by the authors' admirable knowledge of Baroque Rome political theory, contemporary Curial and worldly politics, theological controversies, Jesuit science, astrology, and daily life in the 17th century Eternal City, the novel's storylines and plots, despite unfolding over the course of nearly 600 pages, are utterly enthralling.
Of personal enjoyment is that the novel is unequivocally drenched in the language of a moral or Christian "reason of state", a theory of politics and political practice articulated by Giovanni Botero (against "bad reason of state", of men like Machiavelli), a late 16th and early 17th century bureaucrat of the Roman Curia. While the words "reason of state" or "Botero" are not once mentioned (though Tommaso Campanella, who was greatly inspired by Botero, is of some peripheral importance to the plot), it is all but clear that the authors knew that Botero's theory of politics shaped the political and ecclesiological life of both Rome and the 17th century Europe. As it seems to me, the authors, by constructing plotlines that seem to be based on some of Botero's advice to rulers, demonstrate how Botero's theory of politics, with its prescriptions that Popes and princes ought to use knowledge of many disciplines and sciences to conserve and expand their spiritual or political state and that in the course of "politicking" simulation and dissimulation, all possibly justified by moral casuistry championed by the Jesuits, may be necessary, shaped the 17th century world. (Notably, the Jesuit character in the novel is a casuist, and while he is not involved in the novel's political plots, his exposition of casuistry, should the realize, gives much exposition to how Popes and princes thought about politics in the period.) Central to the plot, for example, is the Papacy's expansion and defense of Christendom's frontiers, as well as its careful mediation, direction, and balance of Christendom's internal hierarchy of secular sovereigns and their Christian citizens via the use and manipulation of knowledge in political space via governance and diplomacy; Botero championed this very mode of politics. Central to the plot is not merely the fact that the Papacy governed Christendom in a manner that might be called "Boteran", but if in doing so in, Innocent XI acted rightly or justly. As for secular rulers, the novel also recognizes the pervasiveness of reason of state among the kings and queens of Europe. Just as in the actual 17th century in the course of the development of "reason of state" by Catholic authors, so in this novel, questions of the moral liceity of deception, simulation, dissimulation, espionage, dealing with heretics, realist politics, and the contention between a "good, Christian reason of state" and a "bad reason of state" seem to be on display. In many ways, the narrator himself struggles with recognizing in both the Pope and secular princes the boundary between "good reason of state" and "bad reason of state." The novel also rightly recognizes the multifaceted relationship between the practice of "reason of state" politics and diplomatic relations and gazettes, which were seen as both as a source of knowledge and a way to utilize knowledge to manipulate subjects in one way or another. That is all to say, while this book is not necessarily a conscious meditation of the culture of "reason of state" and how it shaped the rule of Popes and kings in the period, it nevertheless presents a masterful and wonderful story opportune for reflection on the subject, especially from the perspective of the governed, who individually uncover much of what is behind the simulation and dissimulation of princes.
The book makes some claims about the character of Innocent XI, I have no serious comment. I also do not know if there is any truth in the claim that this book interfered with Innocent's canonization process. While seemingly well-researched, it is unclear to me if the authors selectively constructed a narrative about Innocent or if the picture of Innocent's actions are incomplete. My knowledge of Innocent XI extends mostly to his actions as a reformer and a jurist, so I can make no serious appraisal. However, it is worth noting that the book quietly invites the reader to carefully scrutinize Innocent's actions and not simply accept a given narrative of a fact as complete or fully relevatory of the moral content of an individual's actions or of the truth of a matter. After all, central to the characterization of politics in the book is "reason of state", and as a corollary, the moral casuistry of the Jesuits (profferred by the Jesuit character in the book!) that analyzed the morality of an act on a case-by-case basis. If that is the case, then to judge Innocent's character, the most ample set of facts and circumstances is necessary. If it is the case that this book has revealed fully the facts of Innocent's character, then as a Catholic, it's for Rome to judge, not me. If they have and if their judgment is positive or negative, so be it.
All-in-all, I highly suggest this novel. It is an absolute treat for anyone who has interest in 17th century Catholicism, Rome, the Papacy, political intrigue, or history. I look forward to reading the sequel.
A novel rich and overflowing with historical details, facts, narratives, and characteristics that convincingly reconstruct the world of 1680s Rome, Imprimatur centers around a group of individuals quarantined in an inn by the Congregation for Public Health on suspicion that the inn's inhabitants are infected with plague. Of the interesting group of characters in the inn, including a Jesuit priest, a doctor, Neapolitan artisans and artists, an elderly Frenchman, a courtesan, and a Venetian glassblower, the novel centers on the innkeeper's unnamed adolescent apprentice and a snobby and shrewd Pistoian abbé and their gradual uncovering of layered plots involving Blessed Pope Innocent XI, Louis XIV, Nicolas Fouquet, Athanasius Kirchner, Maria Theresa of Spain, William of Orange, and Leopold I of Austria. Masterfully interwoven by the authors' admirable knowledge of Baroque Rome political theory, contemporary Curial and worldly politics, theological controversies, Jesuit science, astrology, and daily life in the 17th century Eternal City, the novel's storylines and plots, despite unfolding over the course of nearly 600 pages, are utterly enthralling.
Of personal enjoyment is that the novel is unequivocally drenched in the language of a moral or Christian "reason of state", a theory of politics and political practice articulated by Giovanni Botero (against "bad reason of state", of men like Machiavelli), a late 16th and early 17th century bureaucrat of the Roman Curia. While the words "reason of state" or "Botero" are not once mentioned (though Tommaso Campanella, who was greatly inspired by Botero, is of some peripheral importance to the plot), it is all but clear that the authors knew that Botero's theory of politics shaped the political and ecclesiological life of both Rome and the 17th century Europe. As it seems to me, the authors, by constructing plotlines that seem to be based on some of Botero's advice to rulers, demonstrate how Botero's theory of politics, with its prescriptions that Popes and princes ought to use knowledge of many disciplines and sciences to conserve and expand their spiritual or political state and that in the course of "politicking" simulation and dissimulation, all possibly justified by moral casuistry championed by the Jesuits, may be necessary, shaped the 17th century world. (Notably, the Jesuit character in the novel is a casuist, and while he is not involved in the novel's political plots, his exposition of casuistry, should the realize, gives much exposition to how Popes and princes thought about politics in the period.) Central to the plot, for example, is the Papacy's expansion and defense of Christendom's frontiers, as well as its careful mediation, direction, and balance of Christendom's internal hierarchy of secular sovereigns and their Christian citizens via the use and manipulation of knowledge in political space via governance and diplomacy; Botero championed this very mode of politics. Central to the plot is not merely the fact that the Papacy governed Christendom in a manner that might be called "Boteran", but if in doing so in, Innocent XI acted rightly or justly. As for secular rulers, the novel also recognizes the pervasiveness of reason of state among the kings and queens of Europe. Just as in the actual 17th century in the course of the development of "reason of state" by Catholic authors, so in this novel, questions of the moral liceity of deception, simulation, dissimulation, espionage, dealing with heretics, realist politics, and the contention between a "good, Christian reason of state" and a "bad reason of state" seem to be on display. In many ways, the narrator himself struggles with recognizing in both the Pope and secular princes the boundary between "good reason of state" and "bad reason of state." The novel also rightly recognizes the multifaceted relationship between the practice of "reason of state" politics and diplomatic relations and gazettes, which were seen as both as a source of knowledge and a way to utilize knowledge to manipulate subjects in one way or another. That is all to say, while this book is not necessarily a conscious meditation of the culture of "reason of state" and how it shaped the rule of Popes and kings in the period, it nevertheless presents a masterful and wonderful story opportune for reflection on the subject, especially from the perspective of the governed, who individually uncover much of what is behind the simulation and dissimulation of princes.
The book makes some claims about the character of Innocent XI, I have no serious comment. I also do not know if there is any truth in the claim that this book interfered with Innocent's canonization process. While seemingly well-researched, it is unclear to me if the authors selectively constructed a narrative about Innocent or if the picture of Innocent's actions are incomplete. My knowledge of Innocent XI extends mostly to his actions as a reformer and a jurist, so I can make no serious appraisal. However, it is worth noting that the book quietly invites the reader to carefully scrutinize Innocent's actions and not simply accept a given narrative of a fact as complete or fully relevatory of the moral content of an individual's actions or of the truth of a matter. After all, central to the characterization of politics in the book is "reason of state", and as a corollary, the moral casuistry of the Jesuits (profferred by the Jesuit character in the book!) that analyzed the morality of an act on a case-by-case basis. If that is the case, then to judge Innocent's character, the most ample set of facts and circumstances is necessary. If it is the case that this book has revealed fully the facts of Innocent's character, then as a Catholic, it's for Rome to judge, not me. If they have and if their judgment is positive or negative, so be it.
All-in-all, I highly suggest this novel. It is an absolute treat for anyone who has interest in 17th century Catholicism, Rome, the Papacy, political intrigue, or history. I look forward to reading the sequel.
March 4, 2013
This was a difficult book to rate. And it wasn't an easy book to read, either. If you're all for fast-paced action, this isn't for you. This unfolds slowly, with a great deal of mystery, and a great deal of attention to historical detail. I read it slowly, but I enjoyed reading it. Up until the last 100 pages or so, that is. Since the book is huge, a 100 pages from the end is practically nothing. But the thing is that, by that point, I was already tad disappointed. The mystery (for me) had been solved, and I wasn't bowled over by the revelations. For that reason, I'd give it 3 stars. But for the beautiful writing, and for the attention to detail, and the book's ability to transport you, completely, into the 17th century, it deserved at least 4 stars. That means 3 and 1/2 stars. Which isn't possible. I always round up when scoring, so that means it's a 4.
Read
December 13, 2017آتو با رنگ پریده از اتاق بیرون رفت و در راهرو با چنان ترس و احتیاطی به چپ و راست سرک کشید که گویی کسی برایش دام گسترده و در کمین نشسته است. ولی دلیل هول و وحشت آتو ملانی، که اینک بالاخره واضح و آشکارا به منصه ی ظهور رسیده بود، دیگر برای من معمای لاینحل و یا سرّ نهفته ای نبود. دیگر به او رشک نمی بردم؛ دیگر نه به خاطر ماموریت مخفی اش به او حسد می ورزیدم ، نه به خاطر روابط نزدیکش با دربار شاهان اروپا و نه به خاطر دانش و توانایی اش به عنوان مرد عمل و عامل توطئه.
این خواجه به عنوان مامور مخفی شاه فرانسه به رُم آمده بود تا ماجرای مرموز و اسرار آمیزی را حل و روشن کند .ولی اینک می دانست که برای حل مسئله، باید در مورد خود شاه و توطئه های او هم تحقیق و بررسی کند ....
این خواجه به عنوان مامور مخفی شاه فرانسه به رُم آمده بود تا ماجرای مرموز و اسرار آمیزی را حل و روشن کند .ولی اینک می دانست که برای حل مسئله، باید در مورد خود شاه و توطئه های او هم تحقیق و بررسی کند ....
March 12, 2013
The first book of the series by Monaldi and Sorti has an interesting publishing history as it was not appreciated by the Catholic church in Italy. An engaging mystery, and as with Secretum, the characters actually existed, with the exception of the narrator in the two books so far published. A tight close read which leads one into interesting, historical spaces in Rome and a study into the politics of the 17th century preceding the second book. It is not a fast read, or you will miss something important. Leaves you with much to think about and retrace. Loved it, frankly.
February 26, 2018
Slow, tedious. This novel is all over the place, except where it should be: somewhere in the vicinity of a plot.
November 19, 2017
Naturalmente un manoscritto.
E' davvero particolare la storia di “Imprimatur” romanzo d'esordio dei giornalisti Rita Monaldi e Francesco Sorti. Il libro pubblicato per la prima volta da Mondadori ebbe un successo crescente ed inaspettato ma dopo la seconda ristampa fu misteriosamente boicottato dalla stessa casa editrice che lo aveva promosso. Cos'era successo? La storia di questa censura è romanzesca e merita di essere raccontata. Il libro è ambientato a Roma nel 1683, proprio quando a Vienna si svolge uno delle battaglie cardine della storia europea, l'assedio di Vienna che vedrà fermarsi definitivamente quello che sembrava l'inarrestabile slancio della conquista islamica. Il 12 settembre 1683 il re polacco Jan Sobiecki sconfisse definitamente il Gran Visir Kara Mustafà facendo tirare un sospiro di sollievo all'intero continente che temeva la terribile invasione turca. Tra i protagonisti della guerra, il più preoccupato era sicuramente Papa Innocenzo XI che aveva fatto di tutto per organizzare, armare e motivare l'indocile armata europea. Facciamo ora un balzo di più di trecento anni e arriviamo all'11 settembre 2001 al tremendo attentato alle Torri gemelle di New York. Nel confuso periodo seguente al tragico attacco si sente il bisogno di contenere la minaccia islamica in qualsiasi modo e la chiesa decide di utilizzare il Papa che mobilitò l'Europa nel XVII secolo come simbolo di questa nuova resistenza antiislamica. Bisogna tener conto che Innocenzo XI fu beatificato solo nel 1956 come monito ad un'altra invasione che veniva dall'Est e ora si pensava che fosse arrivato il momento adatto per renderlo Santo. Tutto sarebbe andato come nelle previsioni della curia se non fosse stato pubblicato “Imprimatur” romanzo storico in cui Innocenzo XI è protagonista e se i due giornalisti, nelle ricerche preparatorie del romanzo non avessero fatto una scoperta clamorosa. Innocenzo XI, al secolo Benedetto Odescalchi, la cui famiglia possedeva una influente banca, secondo i documenti ritrovati nell'Archivio di Stato di Roma, avrebbe finanziato a più riprese Guglielmo d'Orange, principe protestante che detronizzò il Re cattolico Giacomo I. A questo punto i preparativi per la santificazione del Papa si interrompono e al suo posto viene beatificato il predicatore Marco d'Aviano che con le sue prediche sul campo di battaglia galvanizzò i difensori di Vienna contribuendo alla storica vittoria cristiana. Naturalmente l'impatto mediatico e simbolico di queste due figure era nettamente diverso e ciò fu fatale alle sorti del romanzo. La Mondadori, in seguito a forti e altolocate pressioni, pur in presenza di una richiesta da parte dei lettori, bloccò le ristampe del libro senza dare nessuna spiegazione mentre “Imprimatur” diventava un caso editoriale all'estero. Stanchi di lottare contro i mulini a vento Monaldi e Sorti riacquistarono i diritti editoriali e trovarono un editore olandese De Bezige Bij che pubblicò il libro anche in italiano per non privare i lettori del Bel Paese di questo avvincente thriller storico. Sino a qualche anno fa “Imprimatur” si poteva acquistare solo tramite Internet attraverso la libreria Hoepli di Milano.
Protagonista del libro e degli altri che seguono, “Secretum, “Veritas” “Mysterium” “Unicum” tutti bestseller all'estero, è l'abate Atto Melani, musico castrato, spia, uomo dalle mille astuzie e dai mille intrighi che indaga sui misteriosi fatti accaduti nella Roma barocca nel torno di tempo in cui si svolge la battaglia decisiva a Vienna. Scritto con una grandissima attenzione a tutti i particolari e all'ambientazione a partire dalla locanda dove si svolge l'azione “La locanda del Donzello dell'Orso” (realmente esistente nella Via dell'Orso, nelle vicinanze di Piazza Navona, che ospitò tanti personaggi illustri come Montaigne e Rabelais che però non riuscì a trovare soddisfacenti rapporti diplomatici con le pulci per cui dovette fuggire dall'albergo) il libro coinvolge e attrae per i diversi livelli di lettura che consente ricordando il piacere della lettura di scrittori del calibro di Dumas e di Eco e come il romanzo più famoso di Eco e come “I Promessi sposi”, nasce dal ritrovamento di un vecchio manoscritto che rievoca la vicenda.
Le vicende del libro e della vita reale si intersecano indissolubilmente anche nel caso di don Giorgio amico degli scrittori e personaggio sotto false spoglie del romanzo, che sospettato dalle gerarchie ecclesiastiche di aver ispirato gli autori, dalla sua parrocchia di Castel Gandolfo e in odore di promozione a cardinale, viene trasferito improvvisamente a Costanza sul Mar Nero, l'antica Tomi, luogo d'esilio del poeta Ovidio, sospettato di avere divulgato dei segreti dell'Imperatore Augusto. Proprio una punizione simbolica per un prete colpevole solo di essere amico di due scrittori “maledetti”. Sulla storia di questo “libro proibito” un cacciatore di libri perduti, Simone Berni ha pubblicato la ricostruzione puntuale di quanto accaduto in “Il caso Imprimatur, storia di un romanzo italiano bestseller internazionale, bandito in Italia.
E' davvero particolare la storia di “Imprimatur” romanzo d'esordio dei giornalisti Rita Monaldi e Francesco Sorti. Il libro pubblicato per la prima volta da Mondadori ebbe un successo crescente ed inaspettato ma dopo la seconda ristampa fu misteriosamente boicottato dalla stessa casa editrice che lo aveva promosso. Cos'era successo? La storia di questa censura è romanzesca e merita di essere raccontata. Il libro è ambientato a Roma nel 1683, proprio quando a Vienna si svolge uno delle battaglie cardine della storia europea, l'assedio di Vienna che vedrà fermarsi definitivamente quello che sembrava l'inarrestabile slancio della conquista islamica. Il 12 settembre 1683 il re polacco Jan Sobiecki sconfisse definitamente il Gran Visir Kara Mustafà facendo tirare un sospiro di sollievo all'intero continente che temeva la terribile invasione turca. Tra i protagonisti della guerra, il più preoccupato era sicuramente Papa Innocenzo XI che aveva fatto di tutto per organizzare, armare e motivare l'indocile armata europea. Facciamo ora un balzo di più di trecento anni e arriviamo all'11 settembre 2001 al tremendo attentato alle Torri gemelle di New York. Nel confuso periodo seguente al tragico attacco si sente il bisogno di contenere la minaccia islamica in qualsiasi modo e la chiesa decide di utilizzare il Papa che mobilitò l'Europa nel XVII secolo come simbolo di questa nuova resistenza antiislamica. Bisogna tener conto che Innocenzo XI fu beatificato solo nel 1956 come monito ad un'altra invasione che veniva dall'Est e ora si pensava che fosse arrivato il momento adatto per renderlo Santo. Tutto sarebbe andato come nelle previsioni della curia se non fosse stato pubblicato “Imprimatur” romanzo storico in cui Innocenzo XI è protagonista e se i due giornalisti, nelle ricerche preparatorie del romanzo non avessero fatto una scoperta clamorosa. Innocenzo XI, al secolo Benedetto Odescalchi, la cui famiglia possedeva una influente banca, secondo i documenti ritrovati nell'Archivio di Stato di Roma, avrebbe finanziato a più riprese Guglielmo d'Orange, principe protestante che detronizzò il Re cattolico Giacomo I. A questo punto i preparativi per la santificazione del Papa si interrompono e al suo posto viene beatificato il predicatore Marco d'Aviano che con le sue prediche sul campo di battaglia galvanizzò i difensori di Vienna contribuendo alla storica vittoria cristiana. Naturalmente l'impatto mediatico e simbolico di queste due figure era nettamente diverso e ciò fu fatale alle sorti del romanzo. La Mondadori, in seguito a forti e altolocate pressioni, pur in presenza di una richiesta da parte dei lettori, bloccò le ristampe del libro senza dare nessuna spiegazione mentre “Imprimatur” diventava un caso editoriale all'estero. Stanchi di lottare contro i mulini a vento Monaldi e Sorti riacquistarono i diritti editoriali e trovarono un editore olandese De Bezige Bij che pubblicò il libro anche in italiano per non privare i lettori del Bel Paese di questo avvincente thriller storico. Sino a qualche anno fa “Imprimatur” si poteva acquistare solo tramite Internet attraverso la libreria Hoepli di Milano.
Protagonista del libro e degli altri che seguono, “Secretum, “Veritas” “Mysterium” “Unicum” tutti bestseller all'estero, è l'abate Atto Melani, musico castrato, spia, uomo dalle mille astuzie e dai mille intrighi che indaga sui misteriosi fatti accaduti nella Roma barocca nel torno di tempo in cui si svolge la battaglia decisiva a Vienna. Scritto con una grandissima attenzione a tutti i particolari e all'ambientazione a partire dalla locanda dove si svolge l'azione “La locanda del Donzello dell'Orso” (realmente esistente nella Via dell'Orso, nelle vicinanze di Piazza Navona, che ospitò tanti personaggi illustri come Montaigne e Rabelais che però non riuscì a trovare soddisfacenti rapporti diplomatici con le pulci per cui dovette fuggire dall'albergo) il libro coinvolge e attrae per i diversi livelli di lettura che consente ricordando il piacere della lettura di scrittori del calibro di Dumas e di Eco e come il romanzo più famoso di Eco e come “I Promessi sposi”, nasce dal ritrovamento di un vecchio manoscritto che rievoca la vicenda.
Le vicende del libro e della vita reale si intersecano indissolubilmente anche nel caso di don Giorgio amico degli scrittori e personaggio sotto false spoglie del romanzo, che sospettato dalle gerarchie ecclesiastiche di aver ispirato gli autori, dalla sua parrocchia di Castel Gandolfo e in odore di promozione a cardinale, viene trasferito improvvisamente a Costanza sul Mar Nero, l'antica Tomi, luogo d'esilio del poeta Ovidio, sospettato di avere divulgato dei segreti dell'Imperatore Augusto. Proprio una punizione simbolica per un prete colpevole solo di essere amico di due scrittori “maledetti”. Sulla storia di questo “libro proibito” un cacciatore di libri perduti, Simone Berni ha pubblicato la ricostruzione puntuale di quanto accaduto in “Il caso Imprimatur, storia di un romanzo italiano bestseller internazionale, bandito in Italia.
July 5, 2021
I'm wavering between two and three stars for this because while I didn't like it, I don't necessarily think it's bad.
Three main issues for me:
- it's clearly very well researched, but... I don't think all that research really needed to be put into the book. Three pages of listing ingredients for plague remedies here, three of dry political 'intrigue' there. Show don't tell, kill your darlings etc.
- the narrator is a bit of a Magical Boy; suspiciously highly educated and capable and full of youthly vigour... yet dumb as a brick when the plot requires him to be (not quite IT'S AN APPLE level of dumb but not far from it)
- the only female character of note is basically just a simpering be-titted plot device; the sexy lamp in written form. You could rip out the pages with her speaking and it would make almost no difference to the plot at all. Sure, we could go all That's Just The Way Things Were Back Then, women being unseen and/or disrespected, but I'm reading the book now and I want better? idk. 🤷♀️
Much of this (and my other complaints) can be explained by the positioning of it as a... meta-narrative I guess. That's nodded at in the various closing chapters and I respect that... but it also irritates the snot out of me. Hence, two stars seems unfair but it annoyed me too much for three.
Three main issues for me:
- it's clearly very well researched, but... I don't think all that research really needed to be put into the book. Three pages of listing ingredients for plague remedies here, three of dry political 'intrigue' there. Show don't tell, kill your darlings etc.
- the narrator is a bit of a Magical Boy; suspiciously highly educated and capable and full of youthly vigour... yet dumb as a brick when the plot requires him to be (not quite IT'S AN APPLE level of dumb but not far from it)
- the only female character of note is basically just a simpering be-titted plot device; the sexy lamp in written form. You could rip out the pages with her speaking and it would make almost no difference to the plot at all. Sure, we could go all That's Just The Way Things Were Back Then, women being unseen and/or disrespected, but I'm reading the book now and I want better? idk. 🤷♀️
Much of this (and my other complaints) can be explained by the positioning of it as a... meta-narrative I guess. That's nodded at in the various closing chapters and I respect that... but it also irritates the snot out of me. Hence, two stars seems unfair but it annoyed me too much for three.
July 16, 2025
Un romanzo giallo a sfondo storico molto appassionante che tiene presa sin dall'inizio, in cui gli ospiti di una locanda di Roma detta "del Donzello", a seguito della morte improvvisa di uno di loro, vengono messi in quarantena per sospetto caso di peste. Ma ben presto si intuisce che le cause del decesso sono altre e su questo cominciano ad indagare, nottetempo, l'abate Atto Melani assieme al garzone del gestore della locanda messo fuori gioco da un malore. Le indagini notturne dei due porteranno ad una serie incredibile di eventi e situazioni (che non sto a rivelare per non togliere al lettore il gusto di scoprirli) e alla verità finale. In mezzo a tutto ciò ci sono diverse derive narrative necessarie per la ricostruzione storica del periodo in cui si svolgono i fatti e per meglio capire i risvolti delle indagini che metteranno alla luce un complotto rimasto per molto tempo occultato. Una incredibile vicenda storica, a quanto pare, realmente accaduta (tutti i fatti che vengono raccontati sono accuratamente documentati) che il lettore non dimenticherà facilmente. Per quanto mi riguarda, finzione o realtà che sia, Imprimatur è una delle più belle letture che abbia mai fatto.
February 28, 2020
Ако ви се странства из Средновековието, това е вашата книга. Вярно е, че разчита и на провокацията с нетрадиционния си прочит на историята (книгата е била забранена за издаване в Италия), но това далеч не е единственото и достойнство.
September 11, 2022
I started this book and half way through I lost interest and enthusiasm! I usually finish the books I start but continuing reading it felt like tormenting myself! I'm sorry the authors did a tremendous research but that would be praised for a thesis not for a novel. So many names, places, historical events etc meant nothing to me as I couldn't find the aim or purpose of this novel. I certainly NOT recommend it.
August 27, 2008
J'ai un peu de peine à ne donner que 2 étoiles à ce livre... Je lui en aurais bien donné une troisième, si seulement je m'étais un peu plus amusée à la lecture. L'intrigue pourtant est prometteuse, et l'érudition des auteurs n'est pas en faute. Au contraire, c'est peut-être l'ambition de ce livre qui le rend un peu indigeste; il y a en effet au moins trois livres dans ce roman…
Premier livre: le roman historique, qui est plutôt bien servi. La langue sonne juste, les détails sont travaillés avec amour (des recettes de cuisine à celles de médecine, ils sont même fascinants), et même les préjugés et les limitations du héros semblent fidèles à la période.
L'intrigue? Rome, septembre 1683. Toute la ville ne parle que du siège de Vienne par les Turcs, et avec la modération que cause toujours la proximité d'un événement historique, spécule sur la chute prochaine de la civilisation -- si les Turcs l'emportent, si Vienne tombe, bien sûr l'Occident brûlera, les vierges seront pillées et les églises violées. Une étrange compagnie s'assemble dans une auberge romaine, qui pourrait bien avoir une influence sur l'issue du conflit.
Deuxième livre: le roman d'apprentissage, traité je trouve avec assez de finesse. Certes, il y a une sensibilité moderne un peu anachronique en termes de mœurs ou d'acceptation de la diversité, mais elle rend au final les personnages plus attachants, plus accessibles au lecteur d'aujourd'hui.
L'histoire sous cet angle est celle d'un jeune apprenti, orphelin et sans appui, pris au cœur des intrigues politiques de l'Europe de Louis XIV et des luttes d'influence religieuses de l'époque, sans compter l'appel insistant de l'amour – ou est-ce celui des hormones? Il lui faudra grandir bien vite pour ne pas y perdre des plumes.
Troisième et dernier livre: le roman policier, qui lui en revanche me reste un peu en travers de la gorge. C'est un classique "murder mystery" à la Agatha Christie, en huis presque clos – mais pour le coup, je peine à comprendre pourquoi les conventions un peu poussives du premier vingtième siècle sont en usage dans ce livre situé au 17ème siècle et écrit au 21ème.
Dans cette version, alors que la peste semble s'effacer en Europe, une maladie suspecte en fait craindre une résurgence à l'auberge du Damoiseau. Pour contenir la menace, les autorités imposent une quarantaine dans l'ombre de laquelle d'étranges événements ne tardent pas à se produire. Un diplomate et un jeune apprenti forment une alliance inattendue pour mener l'enquête…
Bref. Bildungsroman policier historique, avec de grandes incises où se déverse un fatras d'érudition et de superstition du 17ème siècle, c'est beaucoup. Sauf si vous êtes un vrai passionné de l'époque, ou si comme moi vous aimez à rafraichir quelquefois vos connaissances historiques chancelantes.
Premier livre: le roman historique, qui est plutôt bien servi. La langue sonne juste, les détails sont travaillés avec amour (des recettes de cuisine à celles de médecine, ils sont même fascinants), et même les préjugés et les limitations du héros semblent fidèles à la période.
L'intrigue? Rome, septembre 1683. Toute la ville ne parle que du siège de Vienne par les Turcs, et avec la modération que cause toujours la proximité d'un événement historique, spécule sur la chute prochaine de la civilisation -- si les Turcs l'emportent, si Vienne tombe, bien sûr l'Occident brûlera, les vierges seront pillées et les églises violées. Une étrange compagnie s'assemble dans une auberge romaine, qui pourrait bien avoir une influence sur l'issue du conflit.
Deuxième livre: le roman d'apprentissage, traité je trouve avec assez de finesse. Certes, il y a une sensibilité moderne un peu anachronique en termes de mœurs ou d'acceptation de la diversité, mais elle rend au final les personnages plus attachants, plus accessibles au lecteur d'aujourd'hui.
L'histoire sous cet angle est celle d'un jeune apprenti, orphelin et sans appui, pris au cœur des intrigues politiques de l'Europe de Louis XIV et des luttes d'influence religieuses de l'époque, sans compter l'appel insistant de l'amour – ou est-ce celui des hormones? Il lui faudra grandir bien vite pour ne pas y perdre des plumes.
Troisième et dernier livre: le roman policier, qui lui en revanche me reste un peu en travers de la gorge. C'est un classique "murder mystery" à la Agatha Christie, en huis presque clos – mais pour le coup, je peine à comprendre pourquoi les conventions un peu poussives du premier vingtième siècle sont en usage dans ce livre situé au 17ème siècle et écrit au 21ème.
Dans cette version, alors que la peste semble s'effacer en Europe, une maladie suspecte en fait craindre une résurgence à l'auberge du Damoiseau. Pour contenir la menace, les autorités imposent une quarantaine dans l'ombre de laquelle d'étranges événements ne tardent pas à se produire. Un diplomate et un jeune apprenti forment une alliance inattendue pour mener l'enquête…
Bref. Bildungsroman policier historique, avec de grandes incises où se déverse un fatras d'érudition et de superstition du 17ème siècle, c'est beaucoup. Sauf si vous êtes un vrai passionné de l'époque, ou si comme moi vous aimez à rafraichir quelquefois vos connaissances historiques chancelantes.
January 22, 2014
Ένα ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα μαζί με ιστορία μυστηρίου που διαδραματίζεται στην Ρώμη γύρω στο 1683 σε ένα πανδοχείο κοντά στην πλατεία Ναβόνα. Πολλά ιστορικά στοιχεία που αποδεικνύουν πως οι συγγραφείς δούλεψαν πολύ για να τα συγκεντρώσουν και να γράψουν το βιβλίο. Ξεκινά με το τέχνασμα ενός κληρικού που γράφει αρκετούς αιώνες αργότερα σε έναν άλλο που θα εξετάσει το θέμα αγιοποίησης του πάπα Ιννοκεντίου ΙΑ΄ και του στέλνει το χειρόγραφο του παραγιού του πανδοχείου.
Πολλά πρόσωπα, πολλές δολοπλοκίες και πολλά στοιχεία. Μακρυσκελές βιβλίο που καταντά λίγο κουραστικό. Ειδικά το κομμάτι των σημειώσεων στο τέλος λυπάμαι αλλά δεν διαβάζεται. Η ιστορία ελαφρώς περίπλοκη. Πανώλη, αιμάτωμα στο κεφάλι, δηλητηρίαση αστρολογία, τυμβωρύχοι, υπόγειες διαβάσεις στην Ρώμη, βενετσίανοι, ναπολιτάνοι, γάλλοι, αββάδες και ιησουίτες, ένας τρελός γιατρός, μια πόρνη πολυτελείας και ένας νάνος παραγιός. Πολλά στοιχεία μπερδεμένα όλα μαζί. Διασκέδασα την περιήγηση μέσα στην Ρώμη, την οποία επισκέφθηκα πριν από τρεις μήνες και προσπαθούσα να τοποθετηθώ στον χώρο. Αστείο το γκρμφ των τυμβωρύχων που κατά τα άλλα σημαίνει τα πάντα. Και χάπι εντ για τον νάνο πρωταγωνιστή που στο τέλος είναι με την αγαπημένη του Κλορίντια, την πόρνη πολυτελείας. Ενδιαφέρον ανάγνωσμα αλλά όχι το καλύτερο βιβλίο που έχω διαβάσει. Δύσκολο, πολύ δύσκολο...
Πολλά πρόσωπα, πολλές δολοπλοκίες και πολλά στοιχεία. Μακρυσκελές βιβλίο που καταντά λίγο κουραστικό. Ειδικά το κομμάτι των σημειώσεων στο τέλος λυπάμαι αλλά δεν διαβάζεται. Η ιστορία ελαφρώς περίπλοκη. Πανώλη, αιμάτωμα στο κεφάλι, δηλητηρίαση αστρολογία, τυμβωρύχοι, υπόγειες διαβάσεις στην Ρώμη, βενετσίανοι, ναπολιτάνοι, γάλλοι, αββάδες και ιησουίτες, ένας τρελός γιατρός, μια πόρνη πολυτελείας και ένας νάνος παραγιός. Πολλά στοιχεία μπερδεμένα όλα μαζί. Διασκέδασα την περιήγηση μέσα στην Ρώμη, την οποία επισκέφθηκα πριν από τρεις μήνες και προσπαθούσα να τοποθετηθώ στον χώρο. Αστείο το γκρμφ των τυμβωρύχων που κατά τα άλλα σημαίνει τα πάντα. Και χάπι εντ για τον νάνο πρωταγωνιστή που στο τέλος είναι με την αγαπημένη του Κλορίντια, την πόρνη πολυτελείας. Ενδιαφέρον ανάγνωσμα αλλά όχι το καλύτερο βιβλίο που έχω διαβάσει. Δύσκολο, πολύ δύσκολο...
January 12, 2022
Το πρώτο από μια σειρά ιστορικών μυστηρίων με πρωταγωνιστή τον αββά/κατάσκοπο/διπλωμάτη/ευνούχο/σοπράνο Άτο Μελάνι.
Οι συγγραφείς έκαναν μια τεράστια έρευνα για να μας δώσουν όλη την ατμόσφαιρα της ιστορικής εποχής που πραγματεύονται έτσι ώστε και αυτός που δεν έχει καθόλου γνώση ιστορίας,να μπορεί να ακολουθήσει τη πλοκή του βιβλίου χωρίς προβλήματα.
Δυστυχώς όμως, υπερέβαλαν εαυτόν.
Από πολύ νωρίς αρχίζει η υπερπροσπάθεια να μιμηθούν έναν Ουμπέρτο Έκο (πού πάς ρε Καραμήτρο....) με μια γερή δόση Νταν Μπράουν σε σάλτσα Σέρλοκ Χολμς με ολίγη από Game of Thrones .
Βαρετό , αρχικά με κάποια έξυπνα plot twist που ύστερα καταντούν προβλέψιμα και συνεπώς βαρετά.
Οι συγγραφείς μακρηγορούν λες κι ο εκδότης τους πλήρωσε το βιβλίο με το κιλό.
Οι τελευταίες δύο ώρες (έχω το audiobook) ήταν για μένα εντελώς περιττές, γενικά θα μπορούσε να μειωθεί στο μισό χωρίς να επηρεάσει καθόλου την εξέλιξη της ιστορίας.
Δε ξέρω αν στα επόμενα βιβλία το διορθώνουν κάπως αυτό, εγώ δε θα πάρω άλλο, ευχαριστώ.
(Τα 2 αστέρια γιατί σέβομαι το χρόνο των συγγραφέων για την έρευνα τους και γιατί σε κάποια φάση αναφέρουν ένα σωματοφύλακα ονόματι Ντ'Αρτανιάν - ναι, καλά διαβάσατε, από εκείνον εμπνεύστηκε ο πατέρας Δουμάς για το δικό του βιβλίο. )
Οι συγγραφείς έκαναν μια τεράστια έρευνα για να μας δώσουν όλη την ατμόσφαιρα της ιστορικής εποχής που πραγματεύονται έτσι ώστε και αυτός που δεν έχει καθόλου γνώση ιστορίας,να μπορεί να ακολουθήσει τη πλοκή του βιβλίου χωρίς προβλήματα.
Δυστυχώς όμως, υπερέβαλαν εαυτόν.
Από πολύ νωρίς αρχίζει η υπερπροσπάθεια να μιμηθούν έναν Ουμπέρτο Έκο (πού πάς ρε Καραμήτρο....) με μια γερή δόση Νταν Μπράουν σε σάλτσα Σέρλοκ Χολμς με ολίγη από Game of Thrones .
Βαρετό , αρχικά με κάποια έξυπνα plot twist που ύστερα καταντούν προβλέψιμα και συνεπώς βαρετά.
Οι συγγραφείς μακρηγορούν λες κι ο εκδότης τους πλήρωσε το βιβλίο με το κιλό.
Οι τελευταίες δύο ώρες (έχω το audiobook) ήταν για μένα εντελώς περιττές, γενικά θα μπορούσε να μειωθεί στο μισό χωρίς να επηρεάσει καθόλου την εξέλιξη της ιστορίας.
Δε ξέρω αν στα επόμενα βιβλία το διορθώνουν κάπως αυτό, εγώ δε θα πάρω άλλο, ευχαριστώ.
(Τα 2 αστέρια γιατί σέβομαι το χρόνο των συγγραφέων για την έρευνα τους και γιατί σε κάποια φάση αναφέρουν ένα σωματοφύλακα ονόματι Ντ'Αρτανιάν - ναι, καλά διαβάσατε, από εκείνον εμπνεύστηκε ο πατέρας Δουμάς για το δικό του βιβλίο. )
April 3, 2016
De plot is goed, erg goed zelfs. Maar de hele uitwerking vind ik nogal langdradig. Vooral die nogal vergezochte inleiding en vooral het veel te uitgebreide addendum en noten die je wel moet lezen om het geheel te begrijpen. Ik snap de bedoeling van de schrijvers wel maar het maakte me niet enthousiast om verder te lezen (dit was dan ook al de 3de keer dat ik er aan begon).
De omschrijvingen van de samenstelling van medicijnen of de gerechten die het knechtje klaar maakt (en die soms meer dan een bladzijde duren) zijn de eerste keer leuk om lezen. Maar na de zoveelste ingrediëntenlijst wordt het saai.
Uiteindelijk heb ik het toch uitgelezen en zoals gezegd zit alles wel goed in mekaar maar je moet geduld hebben en vooral geen afleiding ...
En ik heb nog de 2 vervolgen liggen. Toch nog even bezinnen voor ik daar aan begin.
De omschrijvingen van de samenstelling van medicijnen of de gerechten die het knechtje klaar maakt (en die soms meer dan een bladzijde duren) zijn de eerste keer leuk om lezen. Maar na de zoveelste ingrediëntenlijst wordt het saai.
Uiteindelijk heb ik het toch uitgelezen en zoals gezegd zit alles wel goed in mekaar maar je moet geduld hebben en vooral geen afleiding ...
En ik heb nog de 2 vervolgen liggen. Toch nog even bezinnen voor ik daar aan begin.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews