Through Umberto Eco's Looking Glass

I highly suspect that I would have gotten more out of this book if I was more familiar with 1990s Italy. Or perhaps the Italian press.

I enjoyed the Oliver Stone-like tangled web of conspiracy that the character Braggadocio (nice name) weaves about the "true" fate of Mussolini. This makes for a neat companion to the "true" conspiracy at the heart of the story which is the newspaper in the story, Domani, itself. Media magnate Commendator Vimercate is bankrolling this fake paper in hopes that it and its revelations are read by the folks in power and that they allow him into the club of the ruling elite lest Domani spill even more beans.

And I liked the cynicism of the editor and some of his writers which sometimes descends into contempt for the readers of the newspaper that is not to be published.

It's all about lies, covering up the truth, and misdirecting those who seek the truth. Interesting stuff, to be sure. But it never quite gels for me. It feels undercooked as it less than 200 pages. Perhaps cultural literacy would help me here.