Review – Shadow of Colossus

Set in 227 BC, Shadow of Colossus by T.L. Higley, takes place near one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The descriptions of the statue and the city surrounding it make you feel like you’ve been there. It’s awe-inspiring to think of what it must have been like to live during this period of time and Higley does a great job bringing it to life.

Living at the feet of the enormous statue of Colossus, Tessa of Delos is simply trying to survive. Tessa “works” as a courtesan to a powerful politician, Glaucus. While she detests the life she’s forced to lead, she’s earned the respect of her owner and uses it to influence the politics of the day.

When her employer is killed accidentally, Tessa’s life is turned upside-down. In order to avoid the next patron on her owner’s list, she must keep everyone thinking that Glaucus is alive – at least long enough to plan her escape. When a new employee shows up the same day as her employers death and discovers what she’s planning, she must decide whether she can trust him to help and risk losing the chance of escape.

This is such a unique historical novel that it really sets itself apart from all others. Higley’s portrait of day-to-day life in the ancient drew me in and her strong heroine kept me reading. I’m already looking forward to the next installment in this new series.