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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
I read this novel a loooooong time ago, and after picking up Circe, I thought that another perspective might be good!
I loved the depth of research that was done, and how meticulous the story was. However, it definitely draaaaaggggged in places. And it is a BIG book.
All in all, a good read, but honestly? It's just okay.
I loved the depth of research that was done, and how meticulous the story was. However, it definitely draaaaaggggged in places. And it is a BIG book.
All in all, a good read, but honestly? It's just okay.
Okay, Margaret George is an extremely "wordy" author. She likes adjectives and she likes to use them a lot. I am a simple woman, if the day is hot then I don't want to hear about how the sweat drops slide down your face.
Also, I think she got bored in the last 100 pages because Helen just kind of summarizes things and then the book is over.
Also, I hate Helen of Troy. If I was to write a fiction book about a fiction woman I would make Helen of Troy a power house. I don't CARE that Homer didn't write her like that. I would write her like that. To me, Helen would be in the war room planning the attacks. She would be on the field with the Amazon Women thrusting and cutting her way to freedom.
Instead, George turned her into a whiney, childish, frightened woman and the only reason I finished this book was because it was hot in my apartment, I didn't want to move and I have weekends off.
Seriously.
Also, I think she got bored in the last 100 pages because Helen just kind of summarizes things and then the book is over.
Also, I hate Helen of Troy. If I was to write a fiction book about a fiction woman I would make Helen of Troy a power house. I don't CARE that Homer didn't write her like that. I would write her like that. To me, Helen would be in the war room planning the attacks. She would be on the field with the Amazon Women thrusting and cutting her way to freedom.
Instead, George turned her into a whiney, childish, frightened woman and the only reason I finished this book was because it was hot in my apartment, I didn't want to move and I have weekends off.
Seriously.
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I finally conquered Troy!
Yesterday, before I read the last page of the book and the afterwords by the author, I was ready to rant and rave about how selfish and vapid Helen was and how ridiculous everyone seemed with their claims of seeing the future and being visited by gods every other day....then I learned that it's a good possibility that she never existed and is simply a myth. How can I get self-righteous with a myth?
But seriously, I couldn't feel any sympathy for Helen and Paris. They should have known better. Paris was 16 so he was probably letting his hormones do the talking but Helen was a grown woman.
She knew her brother-in-law was looking for a fight with Troy and so she runs away in the middle of the night with the Prince of Troy and was shocked that they would gather a vast army and invade? Please!
She left her daughter behind and she left her parents to deal with the humiliation and we're supposed to swoon over the great love affair? Whatever, Helen!
So, all ranting aside, this was a lovely read. Margaret George does an amazing job of transporting us back to a time that may or may not have existed. It seemed real to me.
She gave each character such distinct personalities that they all came alive.
However, the character of Helen and the authors interpretation of Cleopatra were very similar. I guess being queens of ancient lands, you'd imagine they'd have similar personalities or Margaret George has a formula for her ancient queens.
I've got her story of Mary of Magdelene on my TBR list. Surely, Mary's character will be different.
Bottom line: great read, enchanting writing.
Yesterday, before I read the last page of the book and the afterwords by the author, I was ready to rant and rave about how selfish and vapid Helen was and how ridiculous everyone seemed with their claims of seeing the future and being visited by gods every other day....then I learned that it's a good possibility that she never existed and is simply a myth. How can I get self-righteous with a myth?
But seriously, I couldn't feel any sympathy for Helen and Paris. They should have known better. Paris was 16 so he was probably letting his hormones do the talking but Helen was a grown woman.
She knew her brother-in-law was looking for a fight with Troy and so she runs away in the middle of the night with the Prince of Troy and was shocked that they would gather a vast army and invade? Please!
She left her daughter behind and she left her parents to deal with the humiliation and we're supposed to swoon over the great love affair? Whatever, Helen!
So, all ranting aside, this was a lovely read. Margaret George does an amazing job of transporting us back to a time that may or may not have existed. It seemed real to me.
She gave each character such distinct personalities that they all came alive.
However, the character of Helen and the authors interpretation of Cleopatra were very similar. I guess being queens of ancient lands, you'd imagine they'd have similar personalities or Margaret George has a formula for her ancient queens.
I've got her story of Mary of Magdelene on my TBR list. Surely, Mary's character will be different.
Bottom line: great read, enchanting writing.
This book was great.
The persona of Helen was written like you imagine her to be and the details were amazing.
The end made me cry, because she (and the reader) knew how it was going to end.
Definetely a great book that is enjoyable and teaches you about the Trojan War and the Greek era.
The persona of Helen was written like you imagine her to be and the details were amazing.
The end made me cry, because she (and the reader) knew how it was going to end.
Definetely a great book that is enjoyable and teaches you about the Trojan War and the Greek era.
I like to think that I'm a fast reader. Generally the speed at which I read a book - assuming I have the time - reflects how much I'm enjoying it. And although I did enjoy this book, it was SUCH a slow read. I have no idea why, but it just seemed to drag, even though the content was interesting. I love the Iliad and the whole story of the Trojan War, but this book didn't grip me as much as I thought it would.
The pacing of the book was slow and the passage of time was very unclear for the majority of it. Timing also seemed rather erratic - the chapters in Sparta before Helen met Paris took forever, whereas the actual events at Troy - that were supposed to last ten years - just rushed by. I was unsure for most of the book how much time had passed. For example, Achilles and his son confused me - I got the impression that when the war began, Achilles was 16 or 17, of a similar age to Paris. He dies in the ninth year of the war, I believe, before the arrival of Philoctetes which ultimately leads to the downfall of Troy, fulfilling one of the final prophecies. This would make him 25 or 26 when he died, yet he has a 15 year old son? I know these events are recorded in many ancient texts and sources, and it is not something of George's invention, but more clarification on the timeframe would make things easier to follow.
Helen was quite a dull narrator too. I liked the way George managed to actually get the battles into the story, even though Helen couldn't actually see them, it meant that there was actually some action rather than just narrative. I didn't really feel anything for her though, and Paris just irritated me - so naive and selfish, although I suppose that is generally how he is always represented. The character with the most depth was actually Menelaus, since we saw several sides of his character.
I have no idea why it took me so long to read. If you're interested in Troy, I would recommend it though.
Originally posted on my former blog, Rinn Reads.
The pacing of the book was slow and the passage of time was very unclear for the majority of it. Timing also seemed rather erratic - the chapters in Sparta before Helen met Paris took forever, whereas the actual events at Troy - that were supposed to last ten years - just rushed by. I was unsure for most of the book how much time had passed. For example, Achilles and his son confused me - I got the impression that when the war began, Achilles was 16 or 17, of a similar age to Paris. He dies in the ninth year of the war, I believe, before the arrival of Philoctetes which ultimately leads to the downfall of Troy, fulfilling one of the final prophecies. This would make him 25 or 26 when he died, yet he has a 15 year old son? I know these events are recorded in many ancient texts and sources, and it is not something of George's invention, but more clarification on the timeframe would make things easier to follow.
Helen was quite a dull narrator too. I liked the way George managed to actually get the battles into the story, even though Helen couldn't actually see them, it meant that there was actually some action rather than just narrative. I didn't really feel anything for her though, and Paris just irritated me - so naive and selfish, although I suppose that is generally how he is always represented. The character with the most depth was actually Menelaus, since we saw several sides of his character.
I have no idea why it took me so long to read. If you're interested in Troy, I would recommend it though.
Originally posted on my former blog, Rinn Reads.
medium-paced
I was very interesting and I love any type of historical fiction based off of ancient civilizations. But I felt as though it was extremely drawn out and couldn't hold my attention ... For my taste. It was still very interesting and would recommend.
I have only just started reading this....I am still in the first 100 pages....but so far it is quite good....she knows her mytholgy and her history quite well. She weaves the mytholgy and history into the story so flawlessly...very talented writer!
great story about Helen and her adventures to Troy. loved reading about ancient Greek culture. it did drag a couple of times, especially at the end, but overall an excellent read.