This book had been on my list for a while as it combines two areas of particular interest for me: Georgian Britain and Greek mythology. Whilst I have thoroughly enjoyed many of the current forays into feminist retellings of various Greek stories, Stokes-Chapman has written a thoroughly entertaining and cleverly conceived story, which is different from many other attempts at Classical Reception for a popular audience.
The novel tells the story of the eponymous Pandora, a young woman who, having been orphaned at a young age, has been brought up by her not-so-kindly uncle. Dora is a well-constructed character, who constantly pushes boundaries and who displays ambition and bravery throughout the story. The other lead character is a young antiquarian named Edward Lawrence and, between them, they unravel a mystery relating to a strange Greek artefact which has come in to Dora's uncle's possession.
Stokes-Chapman sets a lively pace and the various twists and turns in the narrative are revealed gradually. I experienced a real sense of foreboding as the tale progressed, possibly because I knew implicitly that there could not be an entirely happy outcome, given the original source material. Most people reading this book will have at least a rudimentary knowledge of the myth of Pandora, the woman allegedly sent by Zeus to reduce the population of earth (according to one version of the myth) and the opening of the jar (not a box) which brought various ills into the world. However, this is not to say that Pandora is a predictable story; indeed, it is a well-designed narrative which weaves significant elements of the source material in with Stokes-Chapman's own story-arc, resulting in the production of a very enjoyable page-turner.
It is clear from the Author's Note that much research went into the book and the scene setting within Georgian London is very evocative. I especially enjoyed the introduction of the real historical figures, such as Cornelius Ashmole and William Hamilton (and his wife Emma, mistress of Nelson). The book is certainly not a comedy, but moments of light relief are found, in the enjoyable character of Lady Latimer especially.
Overall, I can highly recommend this book. Students of Classics will undoubtedly enjoy the reworking of an old tale, but lovers of historical fiction more generally will find this hugely entertaining and very moving in places. I have no doubt that reading this will spark a wider interest in some of the mythology which is explored, and there is a handy list of further reading provided for anyone who wants to follow up. Stokes-Chapman is clearly another author to watch in the future.
Open access
