The Latinist: A Novel

This is one of the most intelligent, interesting, and suspenseful novels I have read/heard in a long time. If you like ancient myth and have some knowledge of Roman myth, you would find it doubly interesting - if not, then you will learn something valuable. The author captures the world of academia, and doctoral study perfectly in this work. He also develops the characters well. One is never quite sure of what they are capable of doing to get what they want. In addition, the author really expresses some ideas beautifully, like when a character recognises that another person shares a love of something that is often not known to others. These moments in the book are precious. I have read a few reviews of this book and have been surprised that reviewers have not picked up more on the women's issues raised in the book which actually shape the whole novel. The man who thinks he loves someone but is willing to kill that person's chances at a career in order to keep her nearby. Tessa's "speech" to Charles towards the end of the book is a powerful indictment of men who think they love someone and are blind to the fact that they just want to use and to manipulate them - just like Apollo with Daphne.