Aegean Sea Island life in 7th Century BCE Greece is in the midst of great cultural change. A feisty young teen, Pandora, is unwillingly swept up in her village's colonization scheme, led by their chieftain and her father, Graecus. She resents leaving behind a budding romance and her dancing circle of friends, but embarks on the transformative overseas migration. Pandora is gifted a mysterious carved gemstone in the figure of a centaur that repeatedly haunts her dreams. Its prophetic meaning is finally revealed after many weeks of island hopping; filled with wonder, danger, and finally finding her true soul mate on board the ship.
In this Y.A. historical novella, the personal journey of Pandora and her family is enhanced by intensive research of the Archaic era she lived in. The author presents an authentic cultural, geographic, and political backdrop to the story. A careful selection of over 40 color photographs of period artifacts helps the reader visualize Archaic daily lives and the potent Greek mythology that formed their world view, from museums all over the world. Greek terms used in the story are defined in a separate vocabulary adding more context for the student of Greek history, along with a stimulating set of questions for a book club or classroom discussion.
The book is expertly printed for colorfully and crisply rendering the illustrations of the 2,600 year old Greek artifacts of human art and craft . As such, Pandora's Choice will sit well on the book shelf as both adventure story and historical reference, and make a fine gift for the time traveler in your life.
Pandora's Choice -The Oracle Must Be Obeyed has been proudly chosen as a Finalist in the Y.A. category by the Eyelands International Book Awards 2025, in Greece.