Young scribe Nico and his friend Thrax investigate the destruction of a vase that was supposed to be part of a big wedding ceremony in Corinth. A young enslaved girl is accused of smashing it, and she says that it was destroyed by a Cyclops. It’s up to Thrax and Nico to prove that she is innocent, and they soon discover that there’s much more to the crime than meets the eye. This book is an interesting mystery, but it also gives the reader a glimpse into the lives of average people living in 5th century BCE Greece. Nico and Thrax are part of the household of an Athenian singer, Ariston, who was invited to take part in the wedding festivities. They travel to Corinth with him, where they attend symposia, take a dip in the baths, and visit the Corinthian market square looking for clues. They meet athletes, craftsmen, artists, and politicians and learn about their professions. Their employer takes them to a revival of Euripides’ play Alcestis, and they even get to know the great playwright himself. 

I particularly appreciate that Saviour Pirotta populates his Greece with a realistic mixture of people from around the Mediterranean. The protagonist duo befriends Africans, Egyptians, and Phrygians in the course of their adventure. Pirotta makes sure to introduce a little bit of the culture of each person, too, which makes Corinth feel like it’s really a major trading port. Also, Pirotta provides a close look at the harsh realities of slavery in Ancient Greece without turning his enslaved characters into helpless victims.  Nico is a free boy employed by the household, and Thrax is enslaved, but Thrax’s intelligence and experience make him the main sleuth while Nico plays Dr. Watson to Thrax’s Sherlock Holmes. Pirotta makes the injustice of slavery very clear, but Thrax is very good at tricking Ariston into giving him plenty of time for his investigations. He isn’t resigned to his fate, and it’s clear that he’ll find a way to free himself and his family by the end of the series. 

I love books about kings and heroes as much as anyone, but I have to say that this book’s focus on the lives of normal people was a breath of fresh air. Mark of the Cyclops is a great little mystery and an excellent view into ancient Greek culture, rolled into one. I recommend it for adventurous readers age seven and up.—Krishni Burns