Beyond the Gates of Hercules: A Tale of the Lost Atlantis

by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño

Even though a daughter of the leading family of Atlantis foresees that her brother will be instrumental in the destruction of their homeland, nothing can be done to prevent the tragedy.

246 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 1971

About the author

Elizabeth Borton de Treviño was the highly acclaimed author of many books for young people. Born in California, it was her move to Mexico in the 1930s that inspired many of her books, including El Güero: A True Adventure Story and Leona: A Love Story. She won the Newbery Medal in 1966 for I, Juan de Pareja.

Elizabeth was born in Bakersfield, California, the daughter of attorney Fred Ellsworth Borton and Carrie Louise Christensen. She attended Stanford University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1925 with a bachelor's degree in Latin American history. After finishing college, she moved to Massachusetts to study violin at the Boston Conservatory, and then worked as a reporter. On her marriage to Luis Treviño Arreola y Gómez Sanchez de la Barquera (b. August 5, 1902), she moved to his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico. They had two sons, Luis Fredrico Treviño-Borton and Enrique Ricardo Treviño-Borton.

Among her other books are: Nacar the White Deer, The Greek of Toledo, Casilda of the Rising Moon, Beyond the Gates of Hercules, and The Fourth Gift. In later life, she wrote several memoirs of her life as an American who had married into a traditional Mexican family: the best-seller My Heart Lies South and its sequels, Where the Heart Is, and The Hearthstone of My Heart.

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Reviews

[Lala · Rating 3 out of 5]

***

The Archer family lives in Poseida, an island of Atlantis. There they grow the sacred saffron flowers gifted them by an angel. Following the lives of the Archer family and their six children over many years, especially the youngest son, Baka, a brilliant young man who is misunderstood by his family, always vying for love but quick to anger and resentment when denied; and their only daughters, twins Aurora and Atlanta, who share an especially close bond and dread they day they are to be separated for Atlanta is meant to become a priestess.

The Atlanteans are simple, good, hard-working people, many which possess the gift of being able to think telepathically to one another. There are angels and prophecies aplenty, especially in the latter half of the book.

While overall a good story, the ending was rather dark and abrupt it was a little surprising that there was no hope of redemption for the villain. Probably because of course Atlantis has to sink, at the end, even though the characters seemed to be moving on a different path.

Personal history: Purchased a discard copy from my library- because I couldn't resist an old story about Atlantis.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting ideas and worldbuilding, but unfortunately poor plot execution and flat characters.

[Greg Kerestan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was twelve or thirteen, spending a week at Ocean City with a sack full of library books, Oingo Boingo albums and Pokémon pop tarts. This book is forever burnt into my week there, swimming through my head as I discovered anime, girls and the power of writing at the same time.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would almost put this in YA-- could go either way. A fantastically imagined world of Atlantis, and a tale of the inevitability of fate. Outstanding!