THE ARCHIVIST

A short novel explores the mysterious origins of an ancient sphinx.

At a point in ancient history “before time,” a nameless young girl travels to the ruins of a great sphinx. She arrives in this place somewhat magically, “as if the wind had carried her from a golden palace far away.” The girl does not behave like a child. She appears to have wisdom that is something of a surprise even to her. For instance, she demonstrates how to clean one’s teeth with a fibrous reed. And she tells someone when she is explaining a burial process, “I don’t know how I remember this, but this is how we do it where I come from.” She also has focus. Although the locals eye the girl with some suspicion, they are also curious as to what she wants from their arid, sandy land. Then the girl starts to dig with great excitement. Never mind the unbearable heat and the sand fleas. Despite doubts from the locals, she will prove that their society has been built on the ruins of a much older civilization. She will get to the bottom of the story of the sphinx. Lewis’ gripping tale, at under 100 pages, will keep readers guessing throughout. The protagonist is clearly no ordinary kid interested in what is beneath the sand. The main burning questions have to do with what she will find and what she will do with her discovery. As the narrative progresses, it incorporates the mythlike actions of an ancient king who adorned a sphinx “in both lapis and gold.” As intriguing as such scenes are, they often include bland assertions. For instance, a local points out (rather unnecessarily) that the nameless girl “is an enigma.” Such obviousness is not as dreamy as the plot, yet the story still deftly takes readers to another world.

An inviting if sometimes dry tale of the desire to uncover a lost myth.