Le Guin, who was also a renowned anthropologist’s daughter, fills the novel with visceral paganism. The gods are not glamorous Olympians; they are terrifying, local forces. The forest speaks. The Tiber river has a voice. Lavinia performs sacrifices where she must offer the correct verbena (sacred herb) or risk divine wrath. You can smell the smoke and blood. It feels authentic in a way that sanitized fantasy never does.

Have you read Le Guin’s Lavinia? How does it compare to other myth retellings on your shelf? Let us know in the comments below.

The character of Lavinia, whether in Shakespeare's play or novelistic interpretations, embodies several key themes and motifs. These include the objectification and silencing of women, the consequences of violence and trauma, and the quest for justice and revenge.

Available in hardcover, paperback, audiobook (narrated by Marguerite Gavin, though a full-cast dramatization is highly sought after), and eBook.