Cheryl Anne Gardner''s The Splendor of
Antiquity takes an alternative approach to narration, using the voice of a mummified
Babylonian god''s spirit, still conjoined to his remains. Jolϊete''s fondness for
antiquity has prompted the delivery of the remains to her lab at Toulouse University in France, where she deciphers the ancient mysteries when she isn''t out in the field, digging them up. As she painstakingly creates a model of the mummy''s likeness, he looks on adoringly from the metaphysical existence he returned to after his death.
Jolϊete unknowingly has the affections of a dead man and reluctantly accepts the affections of a colleague. Olivier Botton is perceived as the gigolo of academia, and she is understandably wary of his indiscretions. But if there is one woman who has the ability to capture his heart and quell his amorous conquests, it is Jolϊete. It is up to Olivier to prove this to Jolϊete''s hardened heart.
One of the most inspiring qualities of Cheryl Anne Gardner''s novellas is the strong, multifaceted female protagonist. Though her heroines often find themselves face to face with personal shadows or enduring extreme heartbreak and emotional challenges, they would never be considered weak or shallow. This is a more acurate portrayal of the modern female psyche than is prevalent in many romance novels. Jolϊete is a brilliant archaeologist with a strong intuition that leads her to successful discoveries, earning her the nickname "Gravedigger."
An examination of the effects of first love occupies a large role in the plot. "A woman''s first love is, by its very definition, the basis on which she will measure all of other romantic encounters in her life." Jolϊete has deadened herself to emotion and is reluctant to allow herself to experience a full relationship because of the scars forged abruptly by an idealized lover.
The Splendor of Antiquity , Gardner''s third
novella, is not as macabre as her other works, despite the deceased narrator. While this is one of the most addictive aspects of her writing, the mystique of the ancient world certainly creates an alluring draw to the more benign subject matter. Gardner''s eloquent prose never falters.