Rating: 8/10
Favorite Character: Penny
I think that it might have been just my Lit Hum class that read this, but it was honestly such a good addition to the syllabus. We read this right after the Oresteia, so we could very directly see the references to Greek epics here. However, it subverted and revealed the dark side of these heroic themes we had already explored. Set during the Civil War, it is an interesting explorations of how the values of ancient Greece hold up in more modern times. This book applies the values of heroic culture to a more layered society. Personally, I found the most interesting theme to be that of loyalty, particularly the ways in which the main character, Hero, is or isn’t loyal to those around him. It’s reflections on human nature, and how humans can justify slavery, are particularly fascinating.
Bookworm's Haven 