Scan barcode
lanceschaubert's review against another edition
5.0
To miss how thoroughly this influenced Harry Potter, one would have to be rather dull. It’s a story about an orphaned boy who appeals in prayer to an older magic in order to undo a blood curse that connects him irrevocably to the murderer of his parents, one who remains a distant cousin of said orphan. His parental figure is the key betrayer and envisions him as the “asp who suckled at my breast.” It includes swaddling clothes for the wretched murderer, a Hermione figure, the rescuing of slaves, and a last line about a scar never hurting him again.
It’s painfully obvious when you read it as source material.
On its own two feet, however, the Cookson version yields up even more remarkable ballads with journeys into elegy and eulogy alike, blasting in iambic trumpets and jesting with crambo. The appeal even if retroactive sacramental thinking, via Cookson, is not lost on this reader.
Part two of Agamemnon shows a way out of the blood curse, however bloody. We shall see what the final holds.
It’s painfully obvious when you read it as source material.
On its own two feet, however, the Cookson version yields up even more remarkable ballads with journeys into elegy and eulogy alike, blasting in iambic trumpets and jesting with crambo. The appeal even if retroactive sacramental thinking, via Cookson, is not lost on this reader.
Part two of Agamemnon shows a way out of the blood curse, however bloody. We shall see what the final holds.
kennaly's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
juliterario's review
4.0
Esta vez no quedé taaan maravillada. Seguí con la trilogía La Orestíada de Esquilo, y me encanta. Disfruté muchísimo leer el primer libro (Agamenón), pero esta continuación no me impactó tanto como la primera entrega. Es una lectura que realmente estoy disfrutando y, si, sin duda terminaré la trilogía, pero si tuviera que elegir entre Las Coéforas y el primer libro, siento que el primer libro es mucho mejor. Además, este es muy corto y no pasa casi nada jajaj.
milkqbiscuit's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
malmal's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
2.75
It had more of a plot than the last one but :/
marileti's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kathyhope_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
totoboroto70sg's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Batman pero trágedia griega.
sofrosune's review against another edition
3.0
Orestes arrives with his friend Pylades (who speaks 3 lines of text), to avenge his father King Agamemnon.
notwellread's review against another edition
3.0
People often say that the middle book in a trilogy is often the most difficult to write and least enjoyable to read, since it does not introduce the promise that comes with a first book and cannot hold the dramatic conclusion of a final book, and I feel this applies to Aeschylus as well. I have actually seen this performed in Greek before, and even that I did not feel was particularly great, though the actual quality of the performance was fine (when modern performances of Greek plays are often terrible). The main piece of interest is Orestes’ dilemma between his duty to avenge his father and the disgrace that comes with killing one’s mother, but it is still clear here what choice he will make, even if you are somehow unfamiliar with the story (and I think Euripides’ Electra, which is later, actually gives Orestes more of a conflicted conscience and actually shows him agonising over the choice while Electra (who I feel is woefully underwritten here – Aeschylus is not much of a fan of women unless he can portray them as menacing and evil) attempts to egg him on – I think I prefer this version of the story more, but I am biased towards Euripides as I tend to prefer him to the other tragedians anyway.
This is short (and quite easy to get through if you are already familiar with the story) and so on that basis I think I enjoyed it more in English than going more slowly through the Greek would have allowed for, since apart from the obvious climax there is less substance and eventfulness in the middle play compared to the beginning and end of the trilogy. It provides some progression for the plot but I don’t feel it stands out from the Agamemnon or the Eumenides much at all, but, like many middle books in trilogies, seems to provide more of a setting-up for the final book as its primary feature more so than anything else.
This is short (and quite easy to get through if you are already familiar with the story) and so on that basis I think I enjoyed it more in English than going more slowly through the Greek would have allowed for, since apart from the obvious climax there is less substance and eventfulness in the middle play compared to the beginning and end of the trilogy. It provides some progression for the plot but I don’t feel it stands out from the Agamemnon or the Eumenides much at all, but, like many middle books in trilogies, seems to provide more of a setting-up for the final book as its primary feature more so than anything else.
More...