Nike: A Romance, by Nicholas Flokos
Houghton Mifflin, Co., 2000
Nike: A Romance, by Nicholas Flokos, is a fun and fast read about the Greek island of Samothrace's loss of their statue of Nike and one man's efforts to get the statue back.
Buried by an earthquake, the statue of Nike is recovered by a Frenchman and whisked away to the Louvre. Photi Anthropotis, keeper of the ruins of the sanctuary where the statue once stood, dreams of rescuing his beloved Nike and returning her to her rightful place.
When an American documentary filmmaker arrives on the scene, she stirs Photi's passions (in more ways than one) and launches the plot to retrieve Nike and capture the statue's return on film. Along the way, there are mishaps and heartbreaks, as well as a surprise twist that distinguishes this novel from many contemporary stories that assume there must always be a clean, tidy (and usually happy) ending.
Flokos has a knack for descriptions, bringing to life his characters and their surroundings. The dialogue is well-paced and always feels 'just right.'
Nike is subtitled 'A Romance,' and this is certainly the case. Photi truly loves his statue, and his duty to its sanctuary, making great sacrifices in search of justice. And a man's search for justice always makes for a worthwhile read.
This is Flokos' first novel.
