Although Simei is planning to use these back issues as blackmail material to push himself into a high social position. The newspaper Domani (Yesterday) intends to deliver the news earlier than all the other papers, creating some backdated issues to experiment with format and methods of reaching the papers ultimate goal.

From tutoring, proofreading, being a copy editor and slush-pile reader, he has had his fair share of experience in journalism. A college drop-out, Colonna is a bitter and cynical protagonist who flitted from job to job. The narrator of Numero Zero is fifty something year-old Colonna who provides a unique view through the events of the novel. Most information or theories are told in dialogue and my biggest problem with this book was the amount of information being provided seem to detract from the historical thriller style. While Numero Zero is a very short novel, sitting under two hundred pages, there are times that it feels like an information dump. While Umberto has the ability to create a fast paced thriller that is both witty and wry, I am always impressed with the amount of information he can pack into his novels. However I feel that Numero Zero seems to be more similar to Foucault’s Pendulum. Conspiracy theories play a big role in his other novels which I have read ( The Name of the Rose and The Prague Cemetery). The first Eco novel I read (and still my favourite) was Foucault’s Pendulum and it explored ideas of religious and secret organisations and making a conspiracy theory out of it. He is often referred to as the intellectual Dan Brown, meaning they both share a similar style but Eco packs in a lot more information. Umberto Eco returns for another fast paced thriller involving an elaborate conspiracy theory in this short novel, Numero Zero.Įvery time I read an Umberto Eco novel, I have been really impressed. As he interacts with the team of journalists he learns about a conspiracy theory about Mussolini’s corpse. Assistant editor for an emerging newspaper, as well as ghost writing a memoir for Simei, the editor and creator of the paper Domani. Buy: Amazon, Book Depository, Kindle (or visit your local Indie bookstore)Ĭolonna is a down and out hack-journalist that has just stumbled on an opportunity of a lifetime.

Numero zero book review