Graffiti — Petrie Harbouri

Graffiti, that humblest form of words offered up in clandestine anonymity, has always provided a release for those who repress desires, insults or convictions. And Athens, where Petrie Harbouri's first novel is set, is a city rich in graffiti. It is also a city where conventions of gender and the status quo are not readily trammeled.

Tasos, middle-aged, Greek and not very verbal, has recently seen his marriage to Marianna wrecked by his passion for the young Leonora--only, too slow on the uptake, he has lost them both. Into his life slides English Felix--gay, insecure, profusely verbal, yet somehow comforting. In her elegant and perceptive novel, Petrie Harbouri examines the hows and whys of the love that develops between the two men--human, fallible, and stumbling. And she explores what happens to Marianna and Leonora through their own voices, bringing to life this curious and engaging circle of characters who dance unforgettably in the shadow of the Acropolis.