The Name of the Rose

The Name of the Rose is a type of book that might not be everyone’s cup of tea.  In all honesty, I might not have actually watched the movie had it not been for Sean Connery himself.  Yes, terrible, I know.  I might miss a good many films if I decide what to watch them based on which actors play the characters.

But it’s not the movie or the book it was based on which are really on my mind.  It’s the nameof the book that intrigues me.  If you have seen The Name of the Rose, you may question, as I did, what the name had to do with the story at all.  I thought I was missing something and I didn’t quite understand why the name had been chosen for that particular type of story.

However it happened, the title is in fact completely neutral.  If I saw this name on a book in the store, I doubt I’d give it a second glance.  The only reason the book would have drawn me in is if the cover gave me the impression it was about a good ole’ murder mystery at the abbey.  I’ve seen different variations for this book as far as covers go and I can’t say any of them really draw me in.

Well, right now I’m focused on how a book earns its title, which I believe is one of the most important elements of any book besides the cover art and the story inside.  Until I read about the history behind The Name of the Rose, I’d never heard of an author who took such a blasé look at choosing a title.

How can I not have a title?  Read on…

And then one day, as my husband and I were browsing through the books at Costco, my husband came across an unexpected sight.  There, perfectly nestled between hundreds of other books, was a new book with the exact same name I had chosen.

Don’t get me wrong.  There are many books out there with the same name.  Some titles have even been overused to the point of a gag reflex when I see them.  But I don’t wish to publish a book with the same title as another book which has been published within a few months of my own. 

Back to square one, I’ve been mulling over the issue of what title might work and I’ve played with a handful of possibilities.  I believe I may have finally found a title that will work and which actually corresponds in some fashion with the first book.  If I could echo Eco, I might just chose a name and stick with it, regardless of how neutral it may be.  Or, maybe I’ll throw a handful of names out to my friends and ask them to choose.