Review of Knossos by Laura Gill

Knossos takes the big view of the history of Crete, unfolding the years between 1900 and 1200 BC in a series of interrelated, extended stories. The emphasis is on the place—eventually the actual building complex that we know as Knossos—rather than individuals, but Gill also builds characters we care about within each time period. She develops the daily life in each epoch with precision and convincing richness. The novel starts with a sea-going trader, the legendary Knos, who brings his people to Crete and ends with the final crumbling and abandonment of Knossos. Gill uses her strong historical background to bring a portrayal of this complicated set of buildings as modern archaeology has suggested they were most likely used—not a famous palace but a sacred and bureaucratic space. She creates a logical explanation for the rise of the Minotaur legend and other mythological elements associated with Minoan history. She rationalizes these elements rather than moving into their fantastical possibilities, an approach that works with her place-centered reconstruction of events. If you want to enjoy learning the broad expanse of Minoan history with an engaging plot, this is a good read.

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