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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
Medieval violence and some battle scenes in the Crusades context
Language
Some
Adult language in Eco's witty and erudite register
Sexual Content
Some
Bawdy medieval sexual humor and some explicit content
Substance Use
Barely any
Period drinking and some substance use in the medieval setting
Emotional Intensity
Some
The novel's meditation on the nature of truth and lies — and the question of whether inventing history is the same as creating it — carries philosophical depth
What this book is about
Umberto Eco's fourth novel follows Baudolino, a peasant boy who befriends Frederick Barbarossa and discovers he has an extraordinary gift for lying so convincingly that his inventions become historical reality. The novel is Eco's most playful — funny, erudite, and genuinely raucous in places. It moves from 12th-century Italy to the mythical lands east of the known world. Adult content includes bawdy medieval humor and some violence. A joy for readers of Eco's other work.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Bawdy adult content in the medieval tradition
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