Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Mairi

Alexias's father nearly killed him at birth- he was, you see, a weak, ugly little baby, deemed unworthy of his parents- but his mother begged for his life. Though she died not long after, his father spared him and grew to love him, sending him to train in the gymnasium with all of the other boys his age despite his small size. Alexias grew to be a skilled runner, but he had an interest in philosophy as well.

I have read a few of Mary Renault's other books and enjoyed them, which was why I checked this book out in the first place. From the moment I started it, I did not want to put it down. I made myself carsick (bussick?) on the way home from school because I needed to see what would have next- it doesn't sound like it would be a suspenseful book, but it is.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in ancient Greece, for it portrayed the city and culture of Athens during the Peloponnesian War as they were according to history, not myth or popular belief.