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The Mysterious Flame Of Queen Loana
The Mysterious Flame Of Queen Loana
Nov 30, 2025 1:29 AM

Author:Umberto Eco

The Mysterious Flame Of Queen Loana

In this fascinating, abundant new novel from the incomparable Eco, Yambo, a rare-book dealer, has suffered a bizarre form of memory loss. He can remember every book he ever read but nothing about his own life.

In an effort to retrieve his past, he withdraws into his old family home and searches through boxes of old newspapers, comics, records, photo albums and diaries kept in the attic. And so Yambo relives his youth: Mussolini, Catholic education, Josephine Baker, Flash Gordon, Fred Astaire. His memories run wild, and life racing before his eyes takes the form of a graphic novel. Yambo struggles through the flames to capture one simple, innocent image, that of his first love.

Reviews

Confirms Eco as an outstanding writer of philosophy dressed as fiction

—— Stephanie Merrit , Observer

As always with Eco, there is much to admire

—— Sunday Times

A beautiful evocation of a difficult period of Italian history, full of the flair and erudition for which we love Eco

—— Metro

Genuinely clever...the writing, the quotes and the pictures often tickle the brain

—— Irish Independent

Witty, playful, and incorrigibly erudite, Eco clearly had fun writing this book. There is much to enjoy

—— Daily Mail

Another great exhilaration from Eco. Eye-poppingly fascinating

—— Guardian

Perhaps the most intellectual novelist in Europe today. A highly idiosyncratic by engrossing novel

—— Herald

Profound and moving. A wonderful entertainer

—— Scotsman

Engaging

—— Sunday Times

The opening is delightful, the sort of stuff that has readers rubbing their hands in anticipation...it is good to see Eco recapture something of his former glories, bouncing ideas of his readers with characteristic zest

—— Sunday Telegraph

Stimulating

—— Big Issue
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