Though I am a big fan of the historical fiction genre and generally interested in Ancient Greece, for some reason, the description of Stealing Athena didn't capture my interest like it should have. I wanted to read it because I have heard so many positive things about Karen Essex' novel Leonardo's Swans. So, bearing that in mind, I approached my review copy with some trepidation and discovered, to my surprise, that my apprehensions were completely without merit. Stealing Athena is a well researched story that is extremely interesting and beautifully written.

As the description suggests, the novel follows the storylines of two women: Mary and Aspasia. While these two stories are both interesting, they have their respective strong and weak points. There were times I was sorry to leave Aspasia for Mary, and also times when the opposite was true. However, the story seems to be a bit weighted in Mary's direction, as the novel seems to belong to her rather than Aspasia.

Through the novel's progression, these two women find their positions in male-dominated societies unbearable and begin to question the rules that keep their sex subjugated. They are strong-willed and determined to carry out their own wishes. Mary and Aspasia are both well written female characters, which is refreshing, especially in Aspasia's case. There are not many novels of Ancient Greece that are told from a woman's point of view.

Another important character in this novel is that of the Elgin Marbles. According to the British Museum's website:

The 'Elgin Marbles' is a popular term that in its widest use may refer to the collection of stone objects - sculptures, inscriptions and architectural features - acquired by Lord Elgin during his time as ambassador to the Ottoman court of the Sultan in Istanbul. More specifically, and more usually, it is used to refer to those sculptures, inscriptions and architectural features that he acquired in Athens between 1801 and 1805. These objects were purchased by the British Parliament from Lord Elgin in 1816 and presented by Parliament to the British Museum.

The article goes on to detail the size of the Elgin Marbles collection.

This aspect of the novel was one I knew I would dislike greatly. Essex handles the gutting of the Parthenon with as much grace as possible, but it still is painful to read. It did help that Mary had second thoughts about her husband's work many times throughout the novel. The justification that they later offer is that if they hadn't removed the items from the Acropolis, the Turks would have destroyed them. Whether true or not, it is always sad to read about or hear of archaeological treasures being removed from sites for personal gain. However, the Elgin Marbles are a subject that, to my knowledge, have not been approached in historical fiction. They are an important piece of history, and Essex writes them well. She is to be commended on her delicate handling of this difficult subject and her exceptional research into the history of their removal from Greece.

In sum, Stealing Athena is a solid piece of historical fiction. While not absolutely captivating, it is definitely interesting enough to warrant a read. And with that, I leave you with some photographs of the Elgin Marbles from Google Images.