ARC gifted by the publisher and ALC by @prhaudio

Set during the Peloponnesian War, two Syracusans hatch a plan to direct a production of Medea. But as opening night approaches, the duo realizes that staging a play can be just as dangerous as fighting a war. While GE is a Greek myth retelling, Lennon infuses the story with contemporary language and sharp humor, making it an absorbing and hilarious read. With a singular voice and original style, Lennon explores the intersection of art and politics via extreme power imbalance. The juxtaposition of prisoners vs. actors vs. love interest is absolutely brilliant, and I've never read anything quite like GE.

My only gripe is that while I (think I) understand why the "romance" is written in a particular way, the nonchalant language used to describe the love interest is jarring. I think the story could've still delivered its message without the romance arc, especially when the friendship aspect is compelling. Overall, GE is an imaginative debut I'd recommend to lit fic lovers and readers looking for something refreshing.