The Just City is a brilliant book. College courses could and should be taught about it. The premise is a spectacular "what if". What if the Greek gods are real? What if one of those gods (Athene) wishes to create a Just City based on Plato's Republic? What if she decides to conduct her experiment in an isolated location (oh yes, it is Atlantis) where it cannot affect history? What if she is able to travel through time gathering up slave children ten years of age from different eras to become part of her experiment? What if she is only able to bring in Masters (guardians, instructors, chaperones) who have prayed directly to her requesting this life? What if her brother Apollo decides to be born as a mortal and live in this Just City as a human being in order to experience humanity? What if Athene decides to bring Socrates to the city five years into the experiment? The results are described by three different narrators: one from each of the three major groups. There is Simmea, a young Egyptian girl born sometime between 500 and 1000 A.D. who is kidnapped by slavers and sold to the masters. We also have Maia, a very educated Victorian lady who yearns for equality in a place that values learning above all else. And, Apollo is there to tell his story of a god trying to understand being human. Their stories intersect over about seven years of this experiment. It is a fascinating idea and not a book that I would normally gravitate to. I usually prefer lighter entertainment and Jo Walton really made me think. At times I was caught up in the story. Other times I got somewhat bogged down in the intellectual debates. I am glad that I persevered to the end but I doubt that I will read any sequels.