Excellent narrative of the early life of Empress Theodora, wife of Justinian I. Her story is told by Stephen, who was imprisoned by her, then released after 5 years when she is dying and wants an honest account of her life. The author describes her as a great beauty, and I’m sure she must have been to rise to such heights. Hers is not the kind of life anyone would expect to lead to the imperial throne. Raped at the age of twelve, she determined not to follow her older sister into a life of prostitution. Instead, she had quite a list of ‘careers’: a popular comedic actress, which led to her mostly unclothed still portraits, such as Leda and the Swan, then as a seamstress and part of a troupe of leaping dancers. (6th-century term for ballet, I assume.) When one of her lovers becomes governor of an African province, she goes with him with the expectation of marriage and a better life. When that doesn’t work out, she is cast adrift in the world, penniless, friendless, and far from home.
Theodora is a wonderful character, and the author draws her with precision. She never gives up. When she is thrown down by the troubles that fall on women in a man’s world, she manages to drag herself upright again. Strong, resilient, and ambitious, she is determined to rise not just for her own sake but to improve the circumstances of her two sisters.
On the ship carrying her home to Constantinople, she meets Philip, who tells his own story along with hers. A beautiful boy, he was sold by his father to become one of the ‘cut ones’. He is a gentle youth with a good heart. The pathos of his mutilation is amplified by his love for Theodora and described movingly by the author.
If I have to nitpick, I would say that the end of the book seemed a little rushed. However, there is now a second book about Theordora and I look forward to reading that.
Great book, memorable characters, an altogether satisfying read. Highly recommended.
*****
I started “Fortune’s Child” when I lived in Hollywood a couple of decades ago. An agent who was trying to sell an incomplete Push Not the River told me to start working on something else. As it happened, I was taking an Art Appreciation course at a community college. One day we were studying the exquisite mosaics of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora from the Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy, and the professor pointed to Theodora and said, “I’m not a writer, but if I were, that is the woman I would write about.”
Little did he know what he had unloosed.
I went down to the Hollywood Public Library and took out at least a dozen books on the period and the reign of Justinian and Theodora. The empress seemed to me like the Eva Peron of the sixth century, and I was hooked. I made a good start on her story, but life threw some curves. I went back to finishing Push Not the River, but when it didn’t sell, other agents came and went. One publisher held on to it for two years. I returned to teaching and the years passed. When St. Martin’s Press picked up Push Not the River in 2003, I figured my Theodora book would follow. Ah~but St. Martin’s wanted a sequel, so that led to other books and more years.
So~now Theodora is getting her just due. Please give Fortune’s Child a chance.
Fate goes ever as it must.
DIGGING INTO THE PAST 