Customer Reviews

The Courtesan's Daughter

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Priscilla Galloway's young adult novel The Courtesan's Daughter, set in Athens in the mid-fourth century B.C., tells the story of a young girl, Phano, who has been raised in Athens by her citizen father Stephanos and his paramour Nera, a former courtesan. ("Nera" is Galloway's Anglicization of the Greek name more usually spelled Neaira or Neaera.) Phano's upbringing has not been typical for an Athenian girl, in large part because of her step-mother's licentious past. In particular, when she was nine Phano had had to live virtually as a slave in the house of a certain Phrynion, an abusive character who had figured in Nera's past, this after legal troubles had forced Stephanos to flee Athens. Phrynion claimed that Nera was his slave and that Phano, whom he maintained was Nera's daughter rather than step-daughter, was likewise his property. Galloway follows Phano's story as she marries Theo (short for Theogenes) and settles into her husband's family, during which time Phrynion continues to cast a shadow over Phano's future.

Galloway's novel is based on a true story. Neaira, Phano, Stephanos, Theogenes, and Phrynion were all historical figures whom we know about primarily because of a still extant speech that was delivered in an Athenian court in the 340's B.C. Neaira was brought to trial on a charge of living with an Athenian citizen (Stephanos) as his wife--an offense because Neaira herself was not a citizen. In making his case against Neaira the prosecutor in the case, Apollodoros, dredges up all manner of dirt about Neaira's sordid past as one of ancient Greece's most infamous courtesans. Apollodoros had a lot to say about Phano in his speech as well.

The speech against Neaira is a highly biased account, and much of what Apollodoros says in it cannot be taken at face value. The text thus leaves readers with a great many perplexing questions about Neaira's history--and Phano's. Galloway, whose novel is set in the decade before Neaira's trial, has done a wonderful job of filling in the blanks in her account of Phano and Neaira. Much of her plot revolves around the question of Phano's parentage, for example, which is likewise one of the principal questions raised by Apollodoros' account. Galloway very neatly makes Phrynion a stooge of Philip of Macedon--who at the time was an increasingly menacing presence to the north of Greece--and pits him against Stephanos and Theogenes in the political arena. At the same time Galloway simplifies Phano's story, leaving out the brothers we know her to have had as well as a first, unhappy marriage.

Sticklers will find a few causes for complaint in Galloway's book. The author writes that Theogenes became a member of the Athenian Areopagus Council, in which "most citizen men could expect to serve," but she is presumably confusing that august body with the Athenian boule. It is hard to imagine, too, that an Athenian girl of the period would entertain the thought of becoming a courtesan in order to earn a few dollars, er, obols, as Galloway suggests Phano does. And I believe that Galloway attributes too much political authority to the office of archon basileus, the position which Theogenes held.

These are minor complaints, however. There is much to celebrate in Galloway's well-written and richly-imagined account, not least that her book may interest young adults, as well as their parents, in learning more about the society of which Phano and her family were a part.

Debra Hamel -- author of Trying Neaira: The True Story of a Courtesan's Scandalous Life in ancient Greece (Yale University Press, 2003)

The Courtesan's Daughter appeared in galley form some time ago and finished copies were not received; but Galloway's title is so outstanding that even given its unfinished appearance, we could not pass this by. Teen Phano dreams of a respectable life as a married woman; but as the daughter of an Athens courtesan, she has little hope of achieving her goals - especially as the cruel Phrynion resents her independence and covets her for his own. Her marriage to the beloved Theo doesn't end his challenges to her life and happiness, and eventually Phano will have to confront not only Phrynion's mischief, but the truth about her own heritage in The Courtesan's Daughter, a wonderful and riveting story of early Greece, not to be missed.

The Courtesan's Daughter was a great book. The characters were carefully drawn out, creating a mental image that made it easy to read. Im not a person who likes history, but this book made me forget that I was actually learning. The Greek mythology was described very well, making it easy to understand ancient Greek times and traditions. The book was captivating from the start, and it was a breezy read, I finished it in 2 days. I was amazed that Galloway could take history, romance, mythology, suspense, and action, and mix it all into an amazingly written book. I reccomend The Courtesan's Daughter to anyone who wants to indulge themselves in a time and culture very different from todays.

This delightful little story was excellent. You follow the main character Phano in her journey to womanhood and marriage, and all of her trying times in between. What's even better is this story was based on a true story according to an ancient Athenian prosecutor's speech against a courtesan by the name of Neaira.

What I enjoyed the most about this book was, as you read each page you were swept away into the lives of the ancient Greek, and you imagine what live was like in Athens more then 2000 years ago.

This was beautifully written and your never to old to read this tale history and fiction.

I expected the book to be a lot more captivating. I do not think it is to do with the storyline. I think the setting is ripe with potential, a coming-of-age novel, set in ancient Greek about a courtesan's daughter and how she finds love and freedom. The author has done her research so most details are accurate.

No, it is the writing that fails it. A boring portrayal of a very interesting setting. The writing was stunted and not at all smooth, making the novel an agony to read because one couldn't read it quickly enough to get involved. It was like being on a train with jerks every two minutes. It could not hold my attention. I gave up on it after the second chapter.

The Courtesan's Daughter isn't such a good book. When I first picked it up, I thought it would be more, well, interesting. The beginning was exciting enough, it started with a kidnapping. Then the main character, Phano, meets her true love, Theo. But she cannot marry him because rumor is that she is a slave's daughter, and a slave cannot marry a citezen of Athens. Her mother's greatest enemy, Phrynion, has not only spread vicious lies about her, but threatens to attack her and betrays Athens. In the end, this heroine must find her strength in the gods.