Mars, Mavors, macte esto
So. The other day I saw a review of Ursula K. Le Guin's Lavinia somewhere online. I think it was Bookslut. Anyhow, I immediately knew I had to go and buy it even though I had no money, if only because I could chalk it up to a professional expense (which happens less often in Classics than it could. All that focus on old stuff). Admittedly, no one who's heard me talk about the Aeneid at any point would expect me to dash out and buy this book, but... professional interest is professional interest. An added impetus was the fact that the review was pretty much hyper-positive.
If you didn't follow the link, Lavinia is Le Guin's take on the Aeneid from the point of view of a notoriously underwritten character - Aeneas' eventual wife, Lavinia, who says nothing in the poem, IIRC, and is only focused on at one point, really, and all she does is blush. Maidenly virtue FTW!
The Bookslut review was not wrong. Le Guin is a hell of a writer, and if there's one thing the Aeneid needs, it's a hefty dose of originality (I did not just say that out loud), which she certainly provides. The beginning of the book is electrifying; there was one particular moment when I felt like she'd lit my brain on fire (and not my hair, which is one of the things Vergil does to poor Lavinia). I am not going to tell you why. Le Guin's characterization is very cool; in particular, she made me like Aeneas, which is a pretty stunning achievement, let me tell you. Her perspective on the nature of poetry also pervades the book, and her attention to the various ethnic groups in "Rome" during the novel and how they interact is one of the more interesting parts of the novel, and one thing I would have liked to see more of. Her grasp of pre-Trojan, pre-Greek Roman religion is pretty nifty too.*
She has definitely, definitely done her research. I approve.
I did feel like the book basically lost momentum about halfway through, although it took a while for it to really become bothersome. I don't know whether this is because I was so fascinated by what Le Guin was doing at the beginning of the novel, or whether it's actually because the second half of the book is actually less interesting. Actually, I take that back. I think it's the latter... but you may not think so, and if you do, please let me know. Absolutely beautiful poetic writing, though. Definitely worth reading.
The "Roman" writing on the dust jacket looks like second-century epigraphy to me, though, which is so wrong that it makes me want to froth at the mouth, but pfft. Book designers. What do they know? :D**
Wow, there's an epigraphy blog. That's amazing. *subscribes to feed out of sheer amusement*
In other news, improv is hard. (But it keeps getting easier.)
*I'm only a master's student and therefore cannot yet be construed as an expert. Dammit.
** The first footnote still applies.
If you didn't follow the link, Lavinia is Le Guin's take on the Aeneid from the point of view of a notoriously underwritten character - Aeneas' eventual wife, Lavinia, who says nothing in the poem, IIRC, and is only focused on at one point, really, and all she does is blush. Maidenly virtue FTW!
The Bookslut review was not wrong. Le Guin is a hell of a writer, and if there's one thing the Aeneid needs, it's a hefty dose of originality (I did not just say that out loud), which she certainly provides. The beginning of the book is electrifying; there was one particular moment when I felt like she'd lit my brain on fire (and not my hair, which is one of the things Vergil does to poor Lavinia). I am not going to tell you why. Le Guin's characterization is very cool; in particular, she made me like Aeneas, which is a pretty stunning achievement, let me tell you. Her perspective on the nature of poetry also pervades the book, and her attention to the various ethnic groups in "Rome" during the novel and how they interact is one of the more interesting parts of the novel, and one thing I would have liked to see more of. Her grasp of pre-Trojan, pre-Greek Roman religion is pretty nifty too.*
She has definitely, definitely done her research. I approve.
I did feel like the book basically lost momentum about halfway through, although it took a while for it to really become bothersome. I don't know whether this is because I was so fascinated by what Le Guin was doing at the beginning of the novel, or whether it's actually because the second half of the book is actually less interesting. Actually, I take that back. I think it's the latter... but you may not think so, and if you do, please let me know. Absolutely beautiful poetic writing, though. Definitely worth reading.
The "Roman" writing on the dust jacket looks like second-century epigraphy to me, though, which is so wrong that it makes me want to froth at the mouth, but pfft. Book designers. What do they know? :D**
Wow, there's an epigraphy blog. That's amazing. *subscribes to feed out of sheer amusement*
In other news, improv is hard. (But it keeps getting easier.)
*I'm only a master's student and therefore cannot yet be construed as an expert. Dammit.
** The first footnote still applies.