Critical Praise

“I sat down to read just a few pages of Eromenos by Melanie J. McDonald and I couldn’t put it down. I read the entire novel in one sitting. . .”

—Three Dollar Bill Reviews

“. . .Antinous is a complex character. . .rigorous attention to historical accuracy and a vivid recreation of Roman society in the second century AD. . .most impressive. . .”

—Booksquawk

“. . .eminently readable, historically accurate, there are depths to discover, symbols, foreshadowings, and it’s all written beautifully, too, which made this a five star read. . .”

—Speak Its Name

“What is the nature of love? Of control? These big questions without easy answers are the heart of the book, as we watch Antinous come to his own conclusions about both. No one knows what happened to the real Antinous. All that is known is that he drowned in the Nile and then Hadrian deified him. McDonald has given us the imaginary voice of a young man whose image has been immortalized in busts and sculptures, a young man who very well may have been as haunted as his death is mysterious.”

—Foreword Reviews