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Title: Forgettable
Review: I've only read half the book, and don't plan to read the rest. While the subject is certainly worthwhile, the execution is, in my opinion, poor. Mr. Trent's writing isn't particularly good. The characters are broad caricatures, to the extent that St.-to-be Cyril becomes a comic villain. I could picture him twirling a Snidley Whiplash-style moustache while scheming against the non-Christians. There also seems to be an obsession with sex on the part of many of the characters (whether for or against it). I won't speculate on whether this reflects the author's state of mind, or whether he somehow felt it was integral to the story. I would expect that a scholarly biography of Hypatia's life would be a much more satisfying read. If it's done nothing else positive, this book has at least made me curious about the history of the Library of Alexandria, and the librarians and other scholars who studied there.
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