Customer Reviews

Ship of Fools

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I do not know how great the English translation is, as I have only read this novel in Spanish, yet I'm sure the novel's central message will remain in tact, that being humanity's tendency to define the norm in a world where what is considered to be abnormal has always existed and will continue to exist. Rossi uses the Tapestry of Creation as a symbol of mankind's need to find perfection in the world, yet through the character of Ecks, the reader is taken on journey where the very notion of perfection is continually questioned. Ecks travels from city to city where he encounters people and places that challenge his original objective view of the world. Dealing with issues such as homosexuality, abortion, androgyny, and pedophilia, Ecks is forced to confront his world view and eventually comes to the conclusion that these "abnormal" realities have always been a part of human existence, and therefore they may, in fact, be normal. The end of the novel ends with a final, albeit ironic, description of the Tapestry of Creation, in that it is in fact not perfect and is missing certain elements, thus reiterating the message of perfection as being both unattainable and misleading.