Scan barcode
wickham's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I wanted rather desperately to like this book, as I adored Bernheimer's previous compilation of new fairy tales. The concept is terrific - mythos ancient and new are the very essence of story, a landscape where emotional truths trump physical truths every time. Yet where I had been expecting whimsy and color I found an unfortunate nihilism that seems more interested in demystifying the extraordinary than anything else. My love of mythos, fantasy, and fairy tale is not a historical one. When I pick up a book like "XO Orpheus" I am expecting to be taken to another world or to have my own shaken up and made new, not to read the specter of an author's depressed psyche between the lines.
This compilation has some standout stories which seem to understand and reflect the mythos that it's based on. However it is primarily sad, difficult tales from authors clearly over 40 and tired. Perhaps that's to someone's taste, but it's certainly not to mine.
This compilation has some standout stories which seem to understand and reflect the mythos that it's based on. However it is primarily sad, difficult tales from authors clearly over 40 and tired. Perhaps that's to someone's taste, but it's certainly not to mine.
missbookiverse's review against another edition
2.0
Somebody please remind me to never buy/read another collection edited by Kate Bernheimer even if it hits hard on one of my buzzwords. Apparently, her reading taste and mine are vastly different, as are our ideas of what a myth (or fairy tale, see My Mother She Killed Me...) retelling should be like. I like mine to be magical and epic, set in ancient times, she seems to like hers contemporary and bleak – which is fine, most of the stories in this collection aren't exactly bad, they're just not what I'm looking for when I pick up a collection of myth retellings. The only story in here that makes me consider keeping it on my shelf is Madeline Miller's wonderful [b:Galatea|18162954|Galatea|Madeline Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1375741967l/18162954._SY75_.jpg|25525254], but you can also get it as a single ebook. Also, I think 50 is too high a number for any anthology, it just gets tedious after a while.
farosh's review against another edition
my favorite stories of this anthology were: galatea and pygmalion, the squid who fell in love with the sun, narcissus, belle-medusa and betrayal.
beastreader's review against another edition
3.0
I am not familiar with all of the myths in this collection. However I did have an enjoyable time reading this book. To be honest I did not read all of the stories. This is one of those books that you can randomly pick a few stories to read at a time and go back to reference to other stories again and again.
The stories in this book may seem like new twists on old, classic myth stories but they are not. Well not really in a way. They may be new from the ones you are familar with but the stories are more true to the original stories. I would call this collection of stories the "unedited" version. I have been introduced to so many new authors with this book. The layout of this collection was nice as well. It just flowed from one story to the next. If you are into mythology than you should check this book out.
The stories in this book may seem like new twists on old, classic myth stories but they are not. Well not really in a way. They may be new from the ones you are familar with but the stories are more true to the original stories. I would call this collection of stories the "unedited" version. I have been introduced to so many new authors with this book. The layout of this collection was nice as well. It just flowed from one story to the next. If you are into mythology than you should check this book out.
courtneyrreadds's review against another edition
Honestly just found it so confusing and as a result boring.
rmlknisely's review against another edition
4.0
Like any collection, XO Orpheus had some really strong moments and just a few stories that didn't particularly appeal to me.
"Sawdust" by Edward Carey, "Labyrinth" by Ron Currie, Jr., "Henry and Booboo" by Elanor Dymott, and "Drona's Death" by Max Gladstone were some of the standout pieces in this collection.
"Sawdust" by Edward Carey, "Labyrinth" by Ron Currie, Jr., "Henry and Booboo" by Elanor Dymott, and "Drona's Death" by Max Gladstone were some of the standout pieces in this collection.
jordansbookescape's review against another edition
2.0
XO Orpheus is an anthology full of myth retellings. It includes Greek mythology, biblical retellings and many other myths from different cultures.
I was really looking forward to this book. I mean, I’m a classics major why wouldn’t I want to read a myth retelling anthology? However, I struggled to get through this. Some of the stories were good, but some either went over my head or just weren’t interesting. The original myths themselves are fascinating, but having them take place in a modern world wasn’t what I was looking for. I might pick up the fairy tale retellings one, but not for awhile.
I was really looking forward to this book. I mean, I’m a classics major why wouldn’t I want to read a myth retelling anthology? However, I struggled to get through this. Some of the stories were good, but some either went over my head or just weren’t interesting. The original myths themselves are fascinating, but having them take place in a modern world wasn’t what I was looking for. I might pick up the fairy tale retellings one, but not for awhile.
balletbookworm's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent story collection. Even after finishing I think the standout story is the first one in the collection which just happens to be by Laura van den Berg.
nbcknwlf's review against another edition
2.0
DNF. As everyone else has said, the main attraction here is Madeline Miller’s story.