Review of Pericles and Aspasia

[Stephanie Similien]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Pericles and Aspasia" by Yvonne Korshak.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Yvonne Korshak’s Pericles and Aspasia is a historical fiction that tells the story of Aspasia, a Greek philosopher, and her lover, Pericles, an Athenian statesman. Aspasia is held captive, and her father is slain by a ship captain. She nearly escapes her captors and swims to shore, where she meets Silky, a sex worker who feeds the sea-beaten Aspasia and shows her the ropes. Aspasia sleeps with men to pay for housing, but her luck starts to change when she meets Pericles. Aspasia teaches the Athenian General how to treat her, the woman he loves. As a foreigner, Aspasia isn’t permitted to marry Pericles, a law put in place by Pericles himself for the betterment of Athens. He soon realizes that some of the Athenian customs hinder the lives of his friends and loved ones. I thought this story was a great retelling of historical figures in Athens.

I gave this book a 5 out of 5; I would recommend that anyone interested in history check it out. Aspasia, who is the daughter of a Miletus philosopher, has to face the actual lives and pain of ordinary Athenian women. She uses her relationship with Pericles to advise him politically. It’s filled with romance and adventure. It can be humorous at times with the numerous mentions of Pericles’ physical stature. His large head is a real source of emotional distress for both Pericles and Aspasia. There are several references to historical events, monuments, and figures such as Socrates and Sophocles throughout the book. I liked how Pericles struggles between his civic duties as a military general and his obligations to Aspasia, but I didn’t like that it seemed to glorify the sex industry.

Within a short time of arriving in Athens, Aspasia becomes the girlfriend of a prominent political figure after she seduces him and breaks up his marriage. As Pericles and other men shower her with gifts and jewelry, Aspasia’s social status rises in Athens. This makes her one of the most influential women in Pericles’ life and the most famous woman in Athenian history. I also think the dialogue between the main characters and some of the minor characters is a bit dull, but I enjoyed Pericles’ internal conflict. It is a tragic irony that his laws prohibited him and Aspasia's son from joining the army he led. There are no spelling issues in this book.

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Pericles and Aspasia
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