Plot Summary

The Just City

Jo Walton
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The Just City

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2015

Book Brief

Jo Walton

The Just City

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2015
Book Details
Pages

247

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Atlantis • Mythical Era

Publication Year

2015

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

The Just City by Jo Walton features the goddess Pallas Athene establishing a utopian society based on Plato's philosophy, by relocating children from slave markets and philosophical figures across time to the Just City, where Apollo, disguised as a human, falls in love with a resident named Simmea. The arrival of philosopher Sokrates incites the citizens to question their lack of freedom, leading to unrest and a revelation about the sentient robots laboring in the city. Themes of consent, slavery, and forced marriage are present.

Contemplative

Fantastical

Inspirational

Challenging

Reviews & Readership

4.0

8,723 ratings

67%

Loved it

24%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Jo Walton's novel, The Just City, has garnered praise for its imaginative premise, blending philosophy with fantasy as gods and mortals attempt to create Plato's Republic. Critics commend Walton's exploration of ethics and justice, although some feel the pacing is uneven and the characters can be one-dimensional. Overall, it’s a thought-provoking read for fans of speculative fiction.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Just City?

A reader who enjoys philosophical explorations, historical fiction, and speculative elements would appreciate The Just City by Jo Walton. Fans of Plato's The Republic or readers of Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Dispossessed will find its intellectual depth and imaginative inquiry into ideal societies compelling.

4.0

8,723 ratings

67%

Loved it

24%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

Fun Facts

The Just City by Jo Walton is part of a trilogy known as the Thessaly series, which creatively reimagines Plato's philosophical ideas and explores what it means to create an ideal society.

The book features characters who are portrayed as both mythological figures and historical individuals, uniquely blending elements of science fiction and philosophy.

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Jo Walton, the author, has won several prestigious awards, including the Hugo and Nebula Awards, known for her speculative fiction that often blends different genres and themes.

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Book Details
Pages

247

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Atlantis • Mythical Era

Publication Year

2015

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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