Ki Longfellow, author of the acclaimed The Secret Magdalene, brings us the astonishing life of Hypatia of Alexandria, a woman famed throughout the Mediterranean world for her exceptional intelligence. For 17 centuries, Hypatia's story was overlooked by history, but Longfellow gives voice to this remarkable figure.

Set against the backdrop of a Roman Empire in turmoil and the rise of Christianity, Hypatia emerges as the last great bastion of reason. A philosopher and mathematician par excellence, she surpasses all contemporaries, regardless of gender. With her brilliance lighting up the era, she is courted by men of various persuasions and is recognized as the preeminent scholar of her time. Her life is rich with accomplishments in mathematics and philosophy, and she invents numerous devices that remain largely uncredited.

The narrative is not only an exploration of Hypatia's genius but also delves into her personal life, presenting a heart-wrenching love story and her valiant struggle against prevailing intolerance. Hypatia's journey is both a tragedy and a triumph, and through Longfellow's writing, she walks off the page fully realized, while Alexandria, the 'New York City of its day', strives to be a beacon of enlightenment in an increasingly shadowed world.