Scan barcode
A review by trilobiter
Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin
5.0
Lavinia is a wonderful novel that fulfills its basic premise, and then goes far beyond. In humanizing the character of Lavinia, Le Guin also revives the fantastical ancient Italy of imperial Rome's imagination. The setting is realistic and also mythic, reflecting the worldview of a genuine inhabitant of an epic poem.
In the source material, the Aeneid, the princess Lavinia does not exhibit much personality. Whatever Virgil was aiming for, he employed her largely as a means to an end, enabling the lineage of the Romans to descend both from the Trojan demigod, and from the indigenous people of Latium. This book takes that idea and lets the girl grow into an embodiment of her people, as Virgil and his audience would have imagined them. Le Guin grants her the knowledge of her role in the epic narrative, and she brings her world to life with gods and prophecies, and a sympathetic view of the Aeneid's heroes and villains alike.
A work of historical fantasy, Lavinia imbues the ordinary life of people, particularly women, with epic significance. It works equally well as a tribute to the enduring power of ancient classics, and a moving, modern work of creative originality.
In the source material, the Aeneid, the princess Lavinia does not exhibit much personality. Whatever Virgil was aiming for, he employed her largely as a means to an end, enabling the lineage of the Romans to descend both from the Trojan demigod, and from the indigenous people of Latium. This book takes that idea and lets the girl grow into an embodiment of her people, as Virgil and his audience would have imagined them. Le Guin grants her the knowledge of her role in the epic narrative, and she brings her world to life with gods and prophecies, and a sympathetic view of the Aeneid's heroes and villains alike.
A work of historical fantasy, Lavinia imbues the ordinary life of people, particularly women, with epic significance. It works equally well as a tribute to the enduring power of ancient classics, and a moving, modern work of creative originality.