Sophie and the Sibyl

            “Sophie and the Sibyl” is Victorian Romance set in second half of the 19th century. Author of this book, Patricia Duncker, is a British novelist and Professor of Contemporary Literature at the University of Manchester. Finding out that German publishers of George Eliot’s work shared the same surname as author herself, she created a story around Max Duncker, son of the founder of the publishing firm Duncker and Duncker. Mary Anne Evans, known for her pen name as George Eliot, and as the leading writer of the Victorian Era, also found her place in this novel. In this book, author depicted last decades of George Eliot’s life, when she was very famous, and presented her as the leading author in Duncker and Duncker publishing company. Her intelligence, authority, and strong personality amazed young Max, who will soon find himself in the triangle between famous writer, and his childhood love Sophie. On the other side, Sophie went a way from the biggest admirer of the famous writer, always impatient for her next books, only to become her great enemy. 

            I love how in this book fiction is mixed with history, and it’s really hard to distinguish facts from the fictions. Also, author intertwined different eras in great and natural way, Greek and Roman periods, 19th century and 21st century. Also, great intellectual puzzle in the book is the Lucian Philosopher, who is debated as Roman and Greek as well, so as the characters in the book tried to learn more about him, no doubt the readers will try to find out who he actually was. Also, author describes big European cities such as Berlin, Homburg, London and Venice as they were in 19th century in a way that is very easy for reader to feel vibrations of those cities in the past times. 

            At the end of the book, author helps readers in their search for truth by recommending the reading list for all those who are interested in learning more about George Eliot, her interesting and controversial life and her work as well. 

            This book is very unusual, interesting, real intellectual puzzle, mix of the fiction and history, which will left you thirst for more knowledge, in attempt to better understand human nature, especially famous writer George Elliot. I think that after this book, it will be hard to resist diving deeper in George Eliot’s books and biographies.