Set in the ancient world of classical Greece, The Double Tongue follows Arieka, a young woman living in a society shaped by rigid tradition, religious ritual, and philosophical inquiry. Raised in a world where prophecy and interpretation hold immense power, she becomes deeply involved with the Oracle at Delphi.

As Arieka enters the inner circle of the Oracle’s influence, she is drawn into a life of spiritual authority and manipulation, where truth and deception are often indistinguishable. Her relationship with her mentor, the ageing priest Pythia, exposes her to the tensions between reason and superstition, power and submission.

Written with Golding’s characteristic philosophical depth, The Double Tongue explores the nature of belief, language, and authority. It is a reflective and atmospheric novel about the ways humans construct meaning—and the fragile boundary between wisdom and illusion.