The Eye of Cybele [Paperback]

Daniel Chavarrķa (Author), Carlos Lopez (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2005

The Eye of Cybele is equal parts historical epic, whodunnit-style thriller, highbrow erotica and philosophical discourse. Set in fifth century B.C., the novel fictionally recreates the behind-the-scenes scandals and political intrigues that occupied the Athenian home front at the height of the Peloponnesian War.

Daniel Chavarría was born in Uruguay in 1933. He has taught Latin, Greek and classical literature, and has won numerous literary awards around the world. His comic suspense novel about a bicycle hooker in Havana, Adios Muchachos (Akashic, 2001), won an Edgar Award and has been translated into 15 languages.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The political scandals and bedroom intrigues of sixth-century B.C. Athens swirl around hero Alcibiades, a courageous (and sexy) Athenian general, in Daniel Chavarr¡a's (Adios Muchachos) dense, imaginative and often extremely pretentious The Eye of Cybele. The Uruguayan-born mystery writer combines historical fact, Socratic discourse and plenty of plot twists in a novel that ponders everything from the disappearance of the titular jewel to the establishment of a bizarre new religion.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Spanish --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 450 pages
• Publisher: Akashic Books (February 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188845167X
• ISBN-13: 978-1888451672
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,342,337 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quite astonishing, April 2, 2007

By 

Shem "francis_crawford" (Zurich, Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eye of Cybele (Paperback)

As a Classicist, I read a lot of fiction that takes place in Ancient Greece. Some of it's quite good, most is pretty poor - and a few precious gems are truly excellent.

The Eye of Kybele is perhaps the best 'retelling' of Classical Athens I have come across - it is a thoroughly real, busy place peopled with authentic men and women of all stripes and shades.

The writing (even in translation) is at times sublime, and always interesting; the story is a grand sweep of images and events, and Chavarria, rare in novelists, knows his historical stuff and thus the details are both fascinating and accurate.

Those expecting conventional parameters may miss the fact that there is not really a central protagonist. But why keep to the 'rules' if you can produce something this good?

When you read it, take your time, savour both the penmanship and the story, for you'll not often come across its like.