The Just City / Jo Walton

The Just City

by Jo Walton

fantasy

copyright 2014

read (skimmed) in January 2017

rated 6/10: read to pass the time

As far as I can tell -- without having read Plato's Republic -- this book is an analysis of Plato's Republic and the reasons why it would not work. With one of the reasons being, the people who tried did not follow the exact Republic instructions.

Okay, so I've learnt something about Plato. And his Republic. And reality. If I were a fan of the Republic, this could be fascinating. Without that background knowledge -- or interest -- it's just a rather boring story.

The characters are quite likeable. Unfortunately, they spend an awful lot of time discussing philosophy. Interesting, yes. Quite well explained, yes. Right now, I was hoping for some mindless excitement... I skimmed the last half of the book. Just to see if it ended poorly.

It ended poorly. For the new Republic, that is. Which was a relief: any other ending would have been blind optimism.

Right at the start there's a suggestion that efforts to create the Republic have caused an increase in slavery. The author recognises this downside of the efforts to create Utopia. As the book progresses there are more things that -- in my opinion -- are negatives. Parts of the "ideal" Republic which are just nonsense. You don't get freedom of thought by forcing people to all think the same way.

Plato's ideas are presented and implemented. And occasionally questioned. Then, at the end, the questions become rejection. (Sorry if that was a spoiler.) The book is, I believe, an honest analysis. Including comments on Plato's own limitations due to the assumptions of his own society.

It's an interesting book. Easy to read. Thought-provoking. Today, however, I found it to be a bit ho hum. With nothing which made me want to read every word. If I read it again -- in a different mood -- I suspect that I may read and enjoy every word.

Today, though, it's just a book which I read to pass the time. And when time ran short, I skimmed to the final chapters.

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"Like the measles, love is most dangerous when it comes late in life." … Lord Byron