baronessekat | 2018 reading challenge: a book involving time travel

The Just City by Jo Walton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

whoa. This was one of those books that I didn't know what to expect going into it, but I'm pretty sure it's not what I got. And for that I'm glad of it.

Across the centuries, people have prayed to the Goddess Athena to take them away from the life they were living and let them live in Plato's Republic. Eventually she goes "ok" and does just that. Selecting people from across time to found the city on the island that eventually becomes known as they mythical city of Atlantis. Once the adults have established it, she brings in the children, all 10 years of age, all of whom society would not miss - mostly orphans or those stolen to be slaves, and the experiment begins. And then at year 5 of the city, she drops the ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates into it all.

But of course, as with anything that involves Divine Intervention, the attention of the Gods and human nature, things do not necessarily go as planned or desired.

This was a thinky book but still entertaining and enjoyable. It has already become one that I am recommending to others and book 2 is on the TBR list.

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