Book Review

[kenjari]

Lavinia
by Ursula K. Le Guin

This beautiful and thoughtful historical novel retells the last part of Vergil's Aeneid from the point of view of Lavinia, the Latin princess he marries when he arrives in Italy. Lavinia does not speak in the original poem, but Le Guin gives her a full inner and outer life. In the process, she also explores what it means to forge your own path in the context of a society that provides limited options and roles.
The writing is as lovely as any reader would expect from Le Guin. It's lyrical and evocative without being flowery. While a lot happens, Lavinia is not focused on plot, but rather centers around how Lavinia experiences her life and the events that shape it.

Comments

[a-dodecahedron.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this review! I have this book but I haven't read it yet. I also don't know much about the Aeneid other than it's long and Roman. In your opinion, should I familiarize myself with it before I read Lavinia?

[kenjari.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's necessary to be familiar with the Aeneid beyond the absolute basics. I wasn't (except for knowing Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas), and I didn't feel lost or confused at any point.