I’ve been a little off with my reading lately. I’ve picked up and left off many books, unable to get into them, and I blame this book for that. When a book is this fun and sad, and mad, and so vivid and totally unexpected all at the same time, it’s hard for the following books to match up to that energy.
About Glorious Exploits
On the island of Sicily, amid the Peloponnesian War, the Syracusans have figured out what to do with the surviving Athenians who had the gall to invade their city: they’ve herded the sorry prisoners of war into a rock quarry and left them to rot.
Looking for a way to pass the time, Lampo and Gelon, two unemployed potters with a soft spot for poetry and drink, head down into the quarry to feed the Athenians if, and only if, they can manage a few choice lines from their great playwright, Euripides.
Before long, the two mates hatch a plan to direct a full-blown production of Medea. After all, you can hate the people but love their art.
But as opening night approaches, what started as a lark quickly sets in motion a series of extraordinary events, and our wayward heroes begin to realize that staging a play can be as dangerous as fighting a war, with all sorts of risks to life, limb, and friendship.
~ Synopsis from goodreads
My Review
The summary of this book was so outsized and kinda bonkers, I wasn’t sure if I’d even like it.
It also took me a little while to get into the writing style, which is a very Irish voice. And that kind of threw me off a bit in the beginning.  I almost DNFed early on because the voice of the narrator did not fit and lacked the nobleness or solemnity I had been expecting. However, once I got used to it, I really came to love it. This book has energy, a zing, and although there are some sad bits, it was a positive and fun story that left me feeling very uplifted.
At the heart of the story is Lampo, a character who is, frankly, a bit of a mess. He’s selfish, manipulative and rarely does the right thing, but that’s exactly what makes him so compelling. He is frustrating at times and his lack of self-awareness cringeworthy, but you can’t help but be drawn in even when he’s making terrible decisions. His best friend Gelon is the visionary, dreamy theater lover of the duo, and he is the one who initiates the plans, Lampo is sceptical, cynical, that anything will come from this, but soon he is swept up in the dream, and thus begins a really serious go at directing a play.
I felt like I was literally there with these two crazy guys trying to stage a play. I felt like I witnessed the play live. I laughed out loud at the funny bits, and cried when things went awry. And I came away with a renewed appreciation for Greek drama. It’s crazy to think that a play written and performed in 431 BC has such an impact still and inspired this existentialist buddy comedy!
One of my favorite books of the year. Very funny. Great voice. A truly original story. Highly recommend.
