The first section of the book: brilliant, one of the best things I've read in years. The last section of the book: brilliant, one of the best things I've read in years. But I'm skeptical that most things in between those parts needed to be told the way they were. Two areas in particular stand out to me:

Spoiler

1) I think the Brazil section and the cult ritual in the Italian castle felt redundant, and I'd have kept only one of them in; and 2) what was gained by giving us every last detail of the Plan?

In both of those areas, I think the sense of place that was so strong at the beginning of the book gets lost (save for the episode

Spoiler

at Belbo's villa

), and they don't feel as thought-provoking as the final section of the book. Another problem, perhaps, is that they keep taking us away from Belbo, the most intriguing character by far.

Still, with the rise of right-wing cults and cult-like thinking around the globe, this book is as relevant as ever. Ultimately, I may be somewhat ambivalent about the product in toto (sorry, but I have to drop a little Latin when talking about Eco), but the highs are high.