Goodreads Choice Awards 2025
The Just City (Thessaly, #1)

Questions About The Just City (Thessaly, #1)

by Jo Walton (Goodreads Author)

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Just City, please sign up.

Answered Questions (6)

What is the writing style like? I've never read Walton's stuff before, so I'm a bit wary about starting this, especially since time-travel/gods-mixing-with-humans themed books can sometimes go all wrong... Also, how long is the book?
Jo Walton It's 110,000 words.

The first three chapters are on Tor.com http://www.tor.com/2014/12/15/the-jus... which seems to me the best way to check whether yo…moreIt's 110,000 words.

The first three chapters are on Tor.com http://www.tor.com/2014/12/15/the-jus... which seems to me the best way to check whether you like the style.

It's three different first person points of view, which seems to me something people either like or do not.

All my books are different, so even if you had read my stuff before it wouldn't necessarily mean you'd like this one. But I'm kind of fond of it.(less)
flag
¿Other books like this? I just loved it!
Jo Walton It depends what you like about it. If you want books about people trying to set up Plato's Republic, well, my two sequels are about it.

The things tha…moreIt depends what you like about it. If you want books about people trying to set up Plato's Republic, well, my two sequels are about it.

The things that are closest to this, in my opinion, are Mary Renault's "The Last of the Wine" and "The Mask of Apollo". LotW has Socrates, MoA has Plato, both of them have philosophy and love. They're set in ancient Greece.

If you want SF that considers philosophy and deity and how to live, you might really enjoy Ada Palmer's "Too Like the Lightning" and sequels. A draft of this was influential on my thinking when I came to write this.(less)
flag
Is there any LGBTQ+ representation in this book (and the series more generally)?
Jo Walton Yes to LGB, not so much T, some ace. It's not central, but there are characters wandering about having m/m and f/f romances just normally. One of the …moreYes to LGB, not so much T, some ace. It's not central, but there are characters wandering about having m/m and f/f romances just normally. One of the POV characters in the middle book is a lesbian. (less)
flag
do you have to read the books in order to understand what is going on?
Pilgrimsoul I am enjoying the story, but there is a lot of tell rather than show. This does not bother me. It might bother some others who do not appreciate Miss …moreI am enjoying the story, but there is a lot of tell rather than show. This does not bother me. It might bother some others who do not appreciate Miss Jane Austen as much as I do.(less)
flag
Do you believe that the Just city could exist inside of time?
Stephanie Only places like Mt. Olympus are outside of time. The Just City is in the human timeline, before the Trojan War, on the island of Atlantis, before it …moreOnly places like Mt. Olympus are outside of time. The Just City is in the human timeline, before the Trojan War, on the island of Atlantis, before it was destroyed by a volcano.(less)
flag

Unanswered Questions (2)

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more