A review by trogdor19
The Light Bearer by Donna Gillespie

5.0

This is an absolutely stunning work of historical fiction. I've never seen a thousand page book use each page so well. This book is 24 years old, and I first read it well over a decade ago. It's stayed in my mind as my favorite roman historical for a long time and I was shocked that on the re-read, I only liked it MORE. Many of my old favorites from the 90s feel outdated now, but this feels fresh with feminist overtones that fit neatly with the themes of contemporary books being published this year. I'm even more impressed now that I know more about the craft of writing, to see how intricately the author plotted this so that every event ties in and strengthens later events and themes; so it feels fated by one of the gods that feel very much a presence in the world of this story.

I love the ending, and how the author truly makes you feel how interconnected all beings and all events are. I adore the juxtaposition of a barbarian pagan warrior princess falling in love with a rich philosopher/politician and marveling at the cruelty and base nature of his "civilized" culture. The fight scenes are physically, emotionally, and even spiritually involving and kept the stakes and tension high. This is truly a masterwork on so many levels: the deep and nuanced themes, the huge cast of characters, the historical and cultural detail work...

I can't wait to dig into the sequel!