Tessa Templeton, the protagonist of Mark Prin’s debut novel The Latinist, is a graduate student at Oxford studying with the world-renowned classicist Christopher Eccles. Despite writing a brilliant dissertation about “the nature of power and subversion in Ovid’s Metamorphoses,” specifically in the myth of Apollo and Daphne, she receives rejection after rejection from the many colleges and universities to which she has applied for tenure-track faculty positions. One day when she is sorting through yet more disappointing responses, she opens an anonymous email suggesting that her advisor has damaged her career prospects by writing a negative recommendation.

At first, Tessa is sure the letter attached to the email is merely a prank pulled by one of her friends. Gradually, though, she realizes that her mentor has indeed written the treacherous letter in order to keep her with him at Oxford for another year. When she confronts Chris, he claims that he has only Tessa’s interests at heart. Soon, however, it becomes clear to the reader (and eventually to Tessa) that his real goal for keeping her at Oxford is the same kind of obsessive love that led Apollo to chase Daphne despite her refusal of his advances.

She tries to escape his grasp by traveling to research a project her advisor had encouraged her to dismiss. Fascinated by a Silver Age Roman poet’s use of choliambic meter (“limping iambs”), Tessa joins forces with classical archaeologists to piece together and translate grave markers and even to exhume the remains of the tomb where the poet lies. What she finds at the necropolis, including evidence of a previously-overlooked female poet, promises to change the entire field of classics.

After her discovery, Tessa returns to Oxford to give a lecture at an important classics conference which she hopes will help her restore her reputation. Chris, who has learned many of the details of her academic conclusions by breaking into her online account and reading her emails and texts, is furious that she has found a way to circumvent his control, stages his own presentation designed to undermine her work. For the rest of the novel, he continues to act like Apollo and tries “to have [Tessa] treed” like Daphne.

This descriptive phrase comes from one of the most fascinating features in The Latinist: the author’s creative construction of classical scholarship. Although most of Prin’s academic references are fictional, they are inserted into the real academic discourse about the Roman world. For example, although the account of the Silver Age Roman poet is completely fictional, the book in which Tessa looks up that poet is quite real, even though the specific entry is not. Even more fascinating is that Prin invents his own supposedly-second-century poetry in not only English translation (such as the phrase above) but also in the “original” Latin, using the complicated metrical system of limping iambs (reversing the stresses at the ending of a line).
Prin also constructs Tessa’s academic presentation in which she raises the possibility that choliambic verse was not merely about poetic style but “the prosody of [the] human form” — that is, a way of giving voice to the bodily experiences of a poet living with a disability. Prin’s literalizing of what Tessa finds in her research (in this example and elsewhere) is clever and thought-provoking, although not fully convincing.

The greatest weakness in the book is the inconsistent portrayals of the main characters. Tessa is an especially confusing mix of timidity, confidence, and aggression. Although she is sure she is deserving of a top place in her field, she cowers in closets before major academic presentations where she eventually comes out swinging. Although Prin gives Tessa a backstory which ought to help us not only understand but sympathize with her motivations, the reader may still feel unclear about what drives her actions. Why, for example, does she continue to trust Chris or give him the benefit of the doubt, even after he has confessed to atrocious behavior?

The Latinist is every bit as suspenseful as it is intellectually intriguing. The book, a mash-up of literary fiction and potboiler thriller, fits well in the trendy style of Dark Academia and conveys a menacing vibe from its earliest pages. For most of the novel, the two genres fit together quite well, primarily because of Prin’s ability to draw parallels between the story of Apollo and Daphne and the story of Chris and Tessa.

Unfortunately, the intimidation and violence that occur in the final pages of the book threaten to turn it into a mechanical account of a somewhat-sympathetic psychopath and the impact he has on the people around him rather than allowing the novel to end with the nuanced analysis of how power is used and abused in academia that Prin so successfully paints in the rest of the novel. In the end, The Latinist has many of the strengths of A.S. Byatt’s Possession, but it finishes with scenes that feel more like the 1980’s film Fatal Attraction.

Engaging and expertly crafted. A recommended purchase for collections where dark academia is popular.

Welcome to another book I picked up and put down multiple times. The Latinist has some incredibly beautiful moments, but not nearly enough to override the eye roll worthy pseudo relationship. Not one I'd go out of my way to recommend by any means.

Obsession, control, and the inherent power imbalances of mentor relationships in academia (complete with the conflict of interest inherent in recommending someone for a job elsewhere) are all featured throughout ths novel. Latin translation and scholarship are sprinkled throuhout. Anyone who has studied Latin will laugh with recognition upon the hallmarks of a bad translation, A pleaaure if you like stories with a university setting and intrigue.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital advance review copy.

There is a level of formality in the prose that probably suits the personalities of the characters but it left me struggling. Every sentence has a balance and a poise to it that someone else is going to love but for me it felt over-polished and I struggled to care.

A modern retelling of the story of Daphne and Apollo, I found this book to be very compelling even though the two protagonists had little virtue in them.

This read very academic- props to the author for the original storyline! Though the suspense kept building, I went into this with the mindset of a thriller.

The Latinist is certainly an interesting book. Since I have an Undergraduate degree in Latin I found much of it compelling. However as it followed the myth of Daphne and Apollo the push and pull between the young PhD candidate and her older male mentor seemed unreal.

The Latinist by Mark Prins will appeal to fans of similarly elite university set novels like Donna Tartt's The Secret History and more modern takes on millennial ennui like Lauren Oyler's Fake Accounts or Katie Kitamura's Intimacies. The story is appealing with a central problem that is both small-scale yet incredibly profound that it is easy to see oneself in the main character. Prins writes each chapter in a way that makes the reader believe anything can happen, even when the dread of every day life is sometimes more powerful than any random act of tragedy. Highly recommend!

The Latinist's writing style completely threw me off! I like to read pretty quickly through the pages and a lot of the flashbacks we get smashed into the middle of important segments was throwing a wrench into my reading experience. I was intrigued by a sort of Machiavellian premise between two rivaling characters but this novel drifts away from the concept that makes it so enticing.

The Latinist by Mark Prins is a literary fiction novel following Tessa, an Oxford graduate student working under the notable faculty member, Christopher. However, Tessa is blindsided before her defense after learning her mentor has destroyed her professional reputation. Chris has ruined her career as a maneuver to keep her close to him at Oxford. Yet, his ploys become increasingly concerning as he continues to try and gain control over her life. While Tessa is left reeling, she discovers an unknown second-century Latin poet that can regain her professional career. Can Tessa use this to get out from under Chris's thumb, or will she be stuck?

When I first read this synopsis, I imagined a gripping, almost thriller-like novel. Instead, this novel builds the tension slowly as Chris's control grows over time. This created a taut atmosphere, curious to learn how everything will unfold. As a character, Tessa is a complicated individual making a series of poor decisions throughout the novel. However, you still want Tessa to get out of this terrible situation to discover how she will grow after. In contrast, Chris is a manipulative, controlling man and his behavior is difficult to read at times.

For those that enjoy to nerd out, you will appreciate the classical references included in this book. It's helpful to be familiar with the mythology of Daphne and Apollo as the relationship between Tessa and Chris is meant to reflect this myth. Certainly a great read for those enjoying dark academia. I particularly enjoyed the Latin translations included in the novel, which added to the academic vibe. There are topics touched that are common in academia such as favoritism, political machinations in the academy, what is means to be an academic, the reliance of a mentee on the mentor for career advancement, and much more. As an academic, these themes are all too real.

Overall I really enjoyed this novel and recommend this book looking for a dark book exploring the complicated and toxic dynamics of the mentor-mentee relationship in academia.

Many thanks to the publisher W. W. Norton & Company and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This is one of those frustrating novels that you want to grab by the shoulders and shake because it has all the potential in the world to be something extraordinary, but for whatever reason it seems content to just be Fine. Roughly tracing the outlines of the Apollo and Daphne myth, The Latinist follows Oxford classics scholar Tessa, who discovers that her supervisor, the renowned scholar and Head of Department Chris Eccles, is sabotaging her career. This novel’s main strength lies in this conceit—Prins does an eerily brilliant job at capturing the quiet horror of finding yourself trapped in a situation where you’re entirely dependent on another person, who you’re slowly realizing does not have your best interests at heart. Certain passages of this novel cut me to my core, made me feel physically ill with recognition.

Unfortunately, Prins is determined to undermine his own fantastic setup by indulging the urge to humanize Chris in ways that I felt pulled against the novel’s main objectives. At first, I didn’t mind reading the passages from Chris’s perspective, as they initially just serve to corroborate how disturbing his behavior is; it seemed like a harmless if unnecessary addition. But then there’s a whole subplot involving his dying mother that ultimately doesn’t go anywhere worthwhile, that I was just itching to cut out of the manuscript altogether. What is even accomplished by reiterating to the reader that Chris is a fallible human? We know that from the start, and having that point belabored just feels patronizing.

I have a few other complaints—for whatever reason Prins likes to throw in a mini-flashback on every other page, telling the reader about a scene that had happened two days prior, rather than just showing that scene to the reader in real-time; there’s also an anthropological discovery made partway through that hinges on such an enormous assumption that it was rather maddening that none of the characters seemed to question it—but on the whole, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy reading this. Prins’s writing is sharp and readable, Tessa is a fantastically written character, and certain passages that deal with obsession and power really sing. It just feels a bit aimless and rushed in places and I think really would have benefited thematically from keeping its narrative focus on Tessa.

Thank you to Netgalley and W.W. Norton for the advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

Loved that this made me think. Main character was very multi-faceted and well-developed. Overall, I wish it was a little bit more pacey, but would still recommend to others. Interested to see what more this author comes up with.

3.75 stars

A contemporary retelling of the Daphne and Apollo myth, The Latinist delivers a slow burn that offers an important critique on the historical suppression of the feminine perspective throughout history.

I recognize that this book will not be for everyone with its heavy emphasis on academic minutiae as well as some more obscure Greek and Roman history/mythology. I will admit that the first 20% is a bit slow moving as Prins works to give us the necessary exposition and it never truly reaches breakneck speed, but I think that the choice to set this piece at more of a simmer than a full boil is a good one.

I appreciate the choice to retell a Greek myth that is not as mainstream as everyone's favorite pair Hades and Persephone. However, I did question at times the extent to which we got the perspective of our Apollo character, Chris. I found that it occasionally stalled the forward momentum of the book, especially once we got into some of the more intense parts of the plot. However, I can acknowledge that it was necessary for the overall telling of this particular story.

Whether you enjoy academia or Greek retellings, I think this is definitely a book worth picking up.

Thank you to W.W. Norton & Company for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

The Latinist is set at the fictional Westfaling College in Oxford and focuses on Tessa, a gradate student about to get her doctorate, and Chris, the head of classics who sabotages her career chances with a bad letter of recommendation. Since I’m in PhD program myself, I love seeing authors’ takes on academia. For the most part, Prins’ depiction feels fairly realistic. He deals with some issues you can find at most universities, mainly sexism and professors mistreating graduate students. Tessa is a relatable, though not exactly likeable, main character; I saw a lot of myself in her, both good and bad, and I imagine many graduate students and academics will too. There are a few academic-related things right at the end that I found a little hard to believe. But overall the book gives a successful snapshot of academia.

This is a character-driven piece of literary fiction, so it’s a little slow moving and we spend a lot of time in the characters’ heads. We follow both Tessa and Chris. As I said, Tessa is not necessarily likable, but I did find myself rooting for her considering the situation. Chris is deplorable, and some readers may find it off-putting to spend so much time with him. Prins attempts to make him a little sympathetic with his divorce and the situation with his dying mother, but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s a creep who is obsessed with his student, hacks her email, and sabotages her job search. None of this is spoilers, by the way; we learn all this in the first chapter.

The book is heavy on Latin and classical references, as might be expected. It worked for me even though I’m not extremely knowledgeable in those subjects, so I don’t think you need to be particularly familiar with it to enjoy the book. Prins provides in-text translations for all the Latin he includes. The poet Tessa studies, Marius, is completely fictional, so there’s no background knowledge needed there. The main thing you need to know is the story of Daphne and Apollo since Chris and Tessa’s relationship is based around it. But even that is explained fairly well in the text.

I had mixed feelings on the ending. I didn’t take issue with what actually happens in the ending; that felt entirely appropriate for the story. However, I wished it had occurred a bit earlier in the narrative, at maybe the 75% point instead of the 90% point. I’m not going to say much to avoid spoilers, but I wanted to see the direct aftermath of the climax rather than receiving a summary several months later. I’ve noticed this trend lately of a shocking, major event happening at the 90% point in books and then not really being dealt with, and I kind of hate it. This is the third book I’ve encountered recently that did this.

Overall, The Latinist is a well-written and interesting look at a toxic relationship between a graduate student and her professor. While I had a slight issue with the ending, I consider it worth the read!

This book really grabbed my attention. I love mythology and books like The Secret History. I really liked the premise of retelling of the Apollo and Daphne myth in modern day society at Oxford! The themes of obsession, ambition and control make a nice parallel between classic myths and this novel.

It took me a few chapters to really become interested in the plot, and even then the story is a little slow moving. I liked how the story alternates perspectives between the two main characters, but sometimes the characters themselves seemed a little all over the place.

I am looking forward to reading more works by this author, especially if they are based on mythology. I will be recommending this book to anyone interested in Ancient Rome and atmospheric thrillers set in academia.

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰, 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠, 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐧𝐤 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬’𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐦.

Unadulterated favoritism comes at a cost, particularly career advancement in The Latinist. With a glowing recommendation letter from Classics professor Christopher Eccles (a titan in their field), Oxford grad Tessa Templeton’s future is bound to take off. Having relentlessly pursued her passion studying classical Latin Literature, at the painful expense of her relationship with Ben, there is nothing she wants more than to succeed. Chris’s support seems to be the only path to achieving her dream. Her faith in Chris comes into serious question when she receives a email informing her that he may be the one who is destroying her chances. How could it be true, surely it must be a prank? She cares for Chris, knows about the wound his father’s death caused and how difficult it has been to confront the realities of his dying marriage. He would never sabotage her career, would he? Her Daphne and Apollo dissertation was well received, far above the work of her peers, it’s a simple fact. How then could this be happening? When she discovers her peer, Liam (who has accomplished far less than her) has landed a prestigious position, she is stunned. No more so than Liam himself who always felt Chris disliked him. She discovers it isn’t a cruel prank, but why would Chris ruin her? How could she have possibly misread him? How could he be the villain in this tale when he has shown her so much support, allowed her to thrive under his wing?

The Daphne and Apollo myth comes into play as betrayal and love descend into scheming. Chris believes his heart is in the right place. His love is what Daphne needs and Ben is no longer an obstacle but he didn’t expect to have to defend his act of sabotage. Naturally he denies having written the email. His only salvation may be that she needs to remain on his good side to work at Westfaling next year. He underestimates her rage and this is far from over. She doesn’t know whether he hates her or it’s a sick form of love. The reality that she will have to accept the job at Westfaling, making his dream of keeping her close come true, horrifies her. Does she own any of the blame, has she ever led him to think she felt more? She’ll be damned if she gives in after giving up so much! She can’t even turn to Ben for love and support, now that he is gone. Instead, she travels to Italy and there probes into ‘obscure’ Latin poet Marius, who she had put off in the past at Chris’s urging. There is a taste of mystery with excavation. When she uncovers a great discovery she has the chance to rise from the ruins but how far is she willing to go?

This isn’t my usual read, but it wasn’t hard to feel outrage. The beginning is a slow humiliation but when the winds of fate began to blow in Tessa’s favor, I enjoyed the discovery she made. She takes her future in her own hands but then it gets dark. Oh poor misguided souls! I wish the ending went further yet at the same time I think it was just right. Who do you root for? Underhanded acts, shameful passion, sabotage, revenge… It’s a nice escape from reality, where people who seek to ruin others often succeed. Does she succeed? It depends on how you measure success.

Publication Date: January 4th 2022

W.W. Norton & Company

The Daphne and Apollo myth gets a slick and modern update in Mark Prins' The Latinist. While I enjoyed the nuance of this reimagination and frequent examination of Latin texts (as I also have also spent a number of years with the language), the incomplete and scattered characterization of the central players and supporting cast kept me at a distance while watching things happen to Tessa in various locales. One element that does shine is how Prins describes the contours of academia--the good, bad, and the ugly; in some ways, the relationship between Tessa and Chris reminded me of My Dark Vanessa (with a dash of the subplot of The Love Hypothesis). Like these stories and unlike many similar occurrences in real life, Prins gives power to those who society deems has the most to lose in such instances--a much-needed perspective in today's world. Gratias vobis ago to the publishers and Netgalley for this review copy.

Know that this tale of love, obsession, and academia does take a bit of patience but is, in the end, a worthy read. Chris has been Tessa's tutor and mentor at Oxford- but he also is the one who has sabotaged her future academic career. She's got something he can't ruin, however. She's found original material from a 2nd century female Latin poet but that sets off other things. It helps, I think, to have a basic knowledge of Latin but it doesn't matter if you know the story of Daphne and Apollo because this stands on its own (although I did refresh my memory). The narration shifts between Tess and Chris as well as over several time frames. Tess is meant to be sympathetic and Chris creepy and while that holds true, they aren't as trope-y as it might seem in the beginning. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a slow read in spots but fans of fiction set in academia (and Classics fans) will find themselves engaged. A good read.

I’ve got to start by saying that this book is definitely for a specific audience (but really, what book isn’t?). The Latinist was just too much for me at this time. However, I do know several of my customers that would adore it, so approving me for this title was not ultimately a waste. There is nothing wrong with the content or the writing itself. It’s just a case of the wrong book at the wrong time.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!