The Dream of Scipio by Iain Pears
I recently borrowed The Dream of Scipio by Iain Pears – a superb novel, though I’m not sure I can say I truly enjoyed it, given the air of impending doom from the very beginning.
The novel is set in Provence, in three interwoven time periods – in the dying days of the Roman Empire, during the medieval Black Death, and during the time of Vichy France.
To a large extent, the novel is a defence of Neoplatonism, which is not a philosophy I’m particularly taken with. On the whole, I didn’t find the characters particularly attractive, either. Nevertheless, a fascinating novel, and a well-painted historical background.
The Dream of Scipio by Iain Pears: 3½ stars
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