Song of Ancient Lovers

“Sweeping and lyrical… . An undeniable ode to an inspiring figure.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)“A true testament to the interconnectedness of time and space, Song of Ancient Lovers is a portal that takes you within and without mythic reality and historical conflict, ancient icons and modern media, curating a rewarding tale of love in a devastating world.” — Chicago Review of Books”transcendent… . Song of Ancient Lovers, translated by Caro De Robertis, layers chapters illuminating the allure of the story of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon over the centuries with a contemporary love story set in refugee camps in Yemen.” — Lit Hub”Readers are swept into a whirlwind upon entering celebrated Colombian writer Restrepo’s spellbinding mythical yet all-too-realistic tale of a young writer’s quest to find the truth about the legendary Queen of Sheba… . By meshing the past with the present, Restrepo traces the deep roots of Middle Eastern beauty and brutality. Laced with quotes, its exalted language sumptuously translated, this is a mystical, many-faceted, and profoundly affecting homage to the power of women.” — Booklist (starred review)“Restrepo’s gift for description and worldbuilding is impressive, as is her astonishing breadth of allusions ranging from Patti Smith to Thomas Aquinas.” — Kirkus Reviews”A testament to the power of song to renew the myths that can lull and devour but ultimately sustain us.” — Julia Alvarez, bestselling author of The Cemetery of Untold Stories and In the Time of the Butterflies”An imaginative exploration of the Queen of Sheba myth across various time periods and a deeply haunting meditation on how war renders lives asunder for all who bear its heartbreak.” — Marjan Kamali, author of The Lion Women of Tehran, The Stationery Shop, and Together Tea

Laura Restrepo is the bestselling author of six novels, including The Dark Bride, A Tale of the Dispossessed, and Delirio, which received Spain’s prestigious Alfaguara Prize. She lives in Colombia.

Caro De Robertis, a Uruguayan-American writer born in the UK, is the author of five previous novels including CANTORAS and THE GODS OF TANGO. In 2022, they received the Dos Passos Prize, awarded annually to an American author who “experiments with form, explores a range of voices and deserves more recognition”. De Robertis is an associate professor at San Francisco State University, and lives in Oakland, California with their two children.