Hot Girls Read Podcast

Julia

Not to be dramatic, but I think I just found my new favourite book, like, ever.

I’m on holiday in Greece at the moment and in preparation for my holiday, before leaving Paris, I wanted to pick up a book that took place in Greece to enjoy whilst there. The book I ended up getting was one that I had actually wanted to read a good year ago, but never actually bought: Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon.

Taking place in the city of Syracuse in Ancient Greece (modern day Sicily), the story follows the impossible dream of two friends who decide to put on a play with Athenian prisoners at the end of the second Peloponnesian War. The whole story is narrated by one of the main characters, Lampo, a loveable idiot with a poet’s heart, in modern day Irish vernacular. Now, I’ve never read a novel set in Ancient Greece that included very modern speak, and at first I wasn’t so sure about it, but the effect is fantastic. The Ancient Greek world sprung to life like never before and I was able to relate to the characters so deeply. 

The writing is so clever and beautiful, and the story itself is darkly funny and heartbreaking. I laughed. I cried. And I think I need to read it all again soon because it was so freaking good the first time around.