With a handful of fictional characters tossed in with actual historical figures of ancient Greece, Laura Amy Schlitz has created a captivating multilayered story. An enslaved boy, Rhaskos, works in the stables and dreams of drawing horses and making fine things out of clay. Melisto, a wealthy girl, knows him. Their futures are linked in unexpected ways that could well be called a Greek tragedy.
The careful research of the author forms the basis of the story and expands it from a mere tale to an epic. Rhaskos becomes friends with philosopher Sokrates. It may take a minute for younger readers to get comfortable with the Greek spellings used in the book, but it IS the famous Socrates. Gods and goddesses speak and are also characters, but not in the Rick Riordan style. Most of the narrative is in free verse, but Melisto's story is prose. Interesting black-and-white illustrations make divisions in the print and bring related information into more of what modern readers might see in a museum.
Schlitz has provided a meaty and unexpected story. Readers with any interest in Greek mythology will welcome this thoughtful addition to their libraries.
No comments:
Post a Comment