Amber & Clay
By Laura Amy Schlitz
Reviewed by Rebecca Rupp
Amber is Melisto, daughter of a wealthy family in 5th-century BCE Athens, adored by
her father and disliked by her mother. Clay is Rhaskos, a Thracian slave. Both are sent away
from home: Melisto to become a Bear Girl in service to the goddess Artemis; Rhaskos to
serve a potter.
Their stories – and the way in which they interlink – are told partly in verse and partly in prose, with occasional input from the gods. The story is also echoed in the present day, with labeled museum artifacts that tell their own version of the tale.
One of the best – and truly impressive – books I’ve read in a long time. It’s intended
for ages 10 and up, but don’t be deceived – it’s for all ages.