Lavinia

By: Ursula K. Le Guin

Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan

Highly acclaimed author Ursula K. Le Guin lends a resonant voice to a pivotal yet often overlooked character of Virgil's The Aeneid. Born into peace and freedom, Lavinia is stunned to learn that she will be the cause of a great war - or so the prophecies and omens claim. Her fate is sealed, however, when she meets a man from Troy.©2008 Ursula K. Le Guin (P)2008 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"... masterful" ( Publishers Weekly, starred review)

Fate, love & war

I appreciate that this character er ties to ancient history was delivered with such finesse.

Simply beautiful

What can I say? What LeGuin could do with simple words, we all dream about. This is a gorgeous story, beautifully read. It reframes Virgil's epic poem as defining the limitations of sanctioned history, recognizing what is lost when only part of the story is told.

Fascinatingly well written

I found this book to be wonderful in three ways. While the story is well trodden territory, the author continuously weaves it with fascinating and well thought out insights and commentary from the narrator. The narrator herself is a wonderful contraption, occupying a unique space between first-person and third-person. Finally, the writing itself is a joy to listen to. The author has clearly put thought into simplicity and elegance of phrasing.

The only down-side I found in this book is that the last half of the book is not as strong as the first. However, the book only slacks off from "excellent" to "very good."

The reader does the book justice. She speaks clearly, at a good pace, and with an appropriate amount of intonation and acting.

Heart-felt, deep, engaging, and beautiful

This story is perfectly read. The story itself evokes myth and legend and the old religions and ancient people beyond anything else in Le guin's rich oevre. The time of Lavinia, just before, Rome, is a distant fantasy world made so alive and real as to feel both historical and magical, ancestral and fascinatingly other-worldly.

Roman Origin Myth with a Touch of Fantasy

Ursula LeGuin, a master of sci-fi and fantasy, takes an obscure character from Virgil and weaves a touching historical novel. Satisfying in a sweet and feminist way without much actual historical record.