Lavinia (A Review)

It was a long time ago that I read the Aeneid and I could remember little of what happened. This book was wonderful for reminding me of the adventures, and much easier to understand that the original text. Ursula le Guin made a fantastic job of retelling th story through the eyes of Lavinia, getting the balance just right between following Virgil's text and imagining where it could have been different. The result is a fascinating and emotional story which tells of the struggles of balancing religion and destiny, love and state, family and independence. Lavinia comes across as a complex character whose life is anything but easy despite what it may at first seem. The story also contains some interesting ideas as to where Rome's foundation myths may have originated. I recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with the Aeneid, or simply loves Ancient History.I shall be adding this book to my permenant collection.