“It’s poetry we’re doing,” he whispers. “It wouldn’t mean a thing if it were easy.”
The above quote sums up Ferdia Lennon’s debut novel Glorious Exploits but more on that in a moment!
Lately Greek culture has been enjoying a certain renaissance. Not only do we have dozens of myth retellings, ranging from contemporary takes (Daisy Johnson’s Everything Under) to feminist interpretations (Pat Barker’s Women of Troy Series, Madeline Miller’s Circe, anything by Natalie Haynes), but there have also been new translations of Homer, not to mention comedian Stephen Fry’s attempt to modernize the myths using contemporary language. In my personal opinion we have reached levels of overkill and now I do my best to avoid anything to do with myths (unless a classic text). In short, I’m tired of them.
However, Glorious Exploits did pique my interest. Ever since it’s publication, this novel has been nominated for several book prizes, it has won a couple and it’s still going strong. Generally, when something has this level of hype, I am intrigued and so I read it.
Thankfully Glorious Exploits is not a Greek myth retelling. There is a myth that forms part of the narrative but not as one thinks. The novel is a story which features Greeks and takes place during ancient times, and therefore Glorious Exploits is different.
In 412 BCE, Athens tried to capture Syracuse as part of its empire and failed. Th book is set in this era. As a way of containing captured Athenian soldiers, the Syracuse placed them in quarries where they were treated badly, deprived of food and tortured. (Whether this last piece of information is true, I don’t know but the failed invasion definitely happened.)
The narrator of the book, Lampo and his friend Gelon are two young potters whose factory has closed during the invasion. Gelon is a lover of the arts, and after a night of heavy drinking, he comes up with an idea:
“We’re going to do Medea in the quarry. But not just bits and pieces. We’re going to do the whole play. Full production with chorus, masks and shit.”
As a bonus the Euripides play The Trojan Women (written in 415 BCE, just three years earlier) is going to be performed after Medea. This, apparently would be a first in Sicily.
Glorious Exploits then goes into the trials and tribulations of setting up the play. There are costumes, scenery and casting up to the actual dramatization, plus something of a coda afterwards. There’s also a side plot involving Lampo and a love interest, which is tied up well.
The novel is about the power of stories, despite all the hardships both Lampo and Gelon go through, the crowd are ‘tamed’ by watching the classic Medea. Towards the end of the book, without going into spoiler territory, one of the main protagonists meet a prominent Greek figure to tell him about the plays held in Syracuse, to which the book concludes:
“Yet,” he reasoned, “perhaps in the end, it was fitting, for his master was ever in love with misfortune and believed the world a wounded thing that can only be healed by story.”
Glorious Exploits explores other themes including social class is another one. Some of the Athenian prisoners are high class and are still treated badly. Lampo and Gelon are potters and are considered masters to the Athenians, yet within their own society they aren’t really treated better, In one section of the book, Lampo receives a large sum of money to buy provisions for the cast members, but he ends up buying clothes for himself, thinking he’s moving up in society.
“People are looking at me differently now. I’m not quite one of them, but I’m not getting jostled quite so much, and whereas before the shopkeepers eyed me suspiciously, now they’re crying their wares, but to all I’m imperturbable.”
Glorious Exploits is wonderfully rich with themes, which do not crowd the plot: others include the slave trade, sexism and the futility of war.
I’ve enthused about these positive aspects of this book. Another reason why this book has appealed to so many people is because of the tight plot and structure. The novel reads well and builds up nicely, with some twists thrown in to keep the reader guessing.
For me, despite all the positives was not really drawn to Glorious Exploits for two reasons:
The first one is that the book is written using Irish slang, I did find it jarring, even irritating at some points, I understand it makes the text more accessible, but it just didn’t work for me. The epilogue is written more conventionally which felt flowed. I did wish that was the more prominent style used.
The other is that Glorious Exploits has been billed as a funny, even hilarious novel. I know humour is subjective and mine can be obtuse. I also keep in mind though that if I laugh once I’ll be satisfied. The book did not make me laugh once. I never got bored but Ferdia Lennon’s idea of humour does not match mine at all.
Glorious Exploits is, no matter how the word can be understood, a good read. For me it didn’t really do that much but I can see why it’s gathering a sizeable audience, and will for the next few months.
Editor’s note: I read Glorious Exploits about a year ago when it won the Waterstones debut novel of the year award in the UK. I loved it and laughed out loud on a number of occasions, before buying it for my son immediately, and my father and brothers. I would describe the humour as a mix of wry humour and slapstick, and suggest it’s perfect for those who like the BBC’s classic Blackadder series, or the ancient Roman comedy, Plebs.
