Reviews

Sappho: A New Rendering by Henry de Vere Stacpoole, Libby Stephenson

larissalee's review

4.0

If I had a time machine...

...but since I don't, I'll listen to fragments of Sappho's works and scribble me own poems inspired by hers. I'd like to get a full collection in print, for reference - audiobook isn't ideal for this kind of collection, I think.

justwhistle's review

fast-paced

4.0

briannadasilva's review

4.0

Loved Sapho's poems, and the translation. Wasn't a fan of Ovid's interpretation of her though. Leave it to a man in an ancient patriarchal society to describe a woman's passions. 😐 *ahem* It felt off. Anyway, I may read another version of Sapho's poetry *without* later additions by men, because I am super fascinated by her and her writing.

sura_reads_books's review

2.0

I enjoyed reading this translation, but (and I’m not sure if I’m right or wrong here because I don’t know much about translating) it looks to me like a lot of creative liberties were taken to make the fragments rhyme.

Favorite fragments from this translation: IV (I Loved Thee), XV (Grace), XVI (As on the Hills), XXVI (The Altar), XXXI (Friend), XXXVII (Anger), XL (The Captive), LII (Regret), LIII (Fragment)

elmasbooks's review

4.0

4.5

Absolutely love Sappho’s poetry. The minus 0.5 point is because I didn’t like the translation. I felt as though he didn’t do Sappho justice, he made it very heteronormative. I would like to ban men from translating Sappho’s work lol.

amal_z's review

5.0

I cannot believe this is just a fragment. JUST A FRAGMENT!!!!!
We got to see a glimpse of such immaculate work!! This is by far the best I've read and it's only so little of what she put out to the world.
There are scraps of observation here that are gorgeously constructed. AAAAAA. I have no words to describe thisssss!!!
JUST EXTRAORDINARYY!!

ivy_reads's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

5.0

lovmelovmycats's review

3.0

Fragments is right.