Lavinia

Virgil's Aeneid follows the Trojan hero Aeneas as he fights to win Lavinia, a king's daughter, and so help found an empire. In that poem, Lavinia never says a word. Ursula K. Le Guin's novel gives her the narration, telling the story from the perspective of the woman who would become Aeneas' final wife.

The story unfolds in ancient Italy, a rough and unsettled land where Rome was still a modest settlement near its seven hills. Lavinia grows up knowing only peace and freedom until suitors begin to arrive. Her mother hopes she will marry Turnus, a handsome and ambitious man. The sacred springs, however, speak through omens and prophecies: Lavinia must wed a foreigner, the match will bring on a bitter war, and her husband will not live long.

When a fleet of Trojan ships sails up the Tiber, Lavinia decides to take control of her own destiny. The novel is her account of what Virgil left out, the story of her life and of the fated love that shapes it.

Le Guin, an American author and National Book Award winner, is also known for the Earthsea series and The Left Hand of Darkness. This historical fantasy will appeal to readers who enjoy myth retold from a new point of view.