Death and the Compass

Book Review

«Death and the Compass» by Jorge Luis Borges is a refined intellectual game in which the detective plot serves only as a fragile backdrop for philosophical reflections on the nature of truth, the labyrinths of the mind, and fatal inevitability. Borges masterfully weaves into the fabric of the story motifs of Kabbalah, the symbolism of mirrors, and endless paths, turning the investigation into an allegory of the search for meaning in the chaos of the world. Critics note the author’s exquisite command of language: every word here is polished, every detail significant, and the atmosphere of mystery and intellectual challenge holds the reader until the very last line. «Death and the Compass» is a work in which detective intrigue dissolves into metaphysical mist, and the solution is not so much an answer as a new turn in the eternal quest. This story is a true masterpiece by Borges, where logic and chance, order and chaos are woven into an insoluble knot, leaving the reader in fascinated bewilderment.