Super Short Summary

The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco follows Roberto della Griva, a seventeenth-century nobleman and spy, who becomes stranded on an abandoned ship, the Daphne, anchored near an unreachable island just beyond the International Date Line. Roberto records his reflections and the events leading to his situation through his diaries, blending historical context with philosophical and scientific musings. The story explores Roberto's unrequited love, his mentors, and his fabricated evil twin brother, while depicting his increasing paranoia and disillusionment.