Reviews

The Iliad by Homer

smartbimbo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

thetrickyfox's review against another edition

adventurous 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

3.25

It is hard to review the Illiad in English because you have to balance the review of the actual work with a review of the translation. This is a good, solid translation, and I'd easily give it 4.5 stars for that. The explanatory introductory chapters do well explaining the linguistic and stylistic decisions made. It reads well as an oral poem. The story itself is one most people with any knowledge of Greek mythology will be familiar with, although it covers a remarkably short period of time of the Trojan war, which I never realised prior to reading it. There is some beautiful metaphorical language and emotion in the writing. However... the characters are deeply unlikeable, every single one of them (somehow Meneleus is the most likeable of all). In many other versions covering the same myth, both ancient and modern this isn't the case, so it was very jarring. The reactions feel very staged and scripted and it feels disconnected from a common human experience. Beyond that though, the main reason I couldn't get on with the Illiad is its strong book of Genesis vibe. Endless lists of names, endless lists of whose father is who and whose father did what, endless lists of who smote who in the same 5 pre-prescribed ways. For some people that may be a non issue but for me it was a painful break of pace and I found myself being bored for long stretches.

camstipated's review against another edition

slow-paced

3.0

It's a lot of boring repetition and almost nothing happens. The gore was cool. My translation used the Roman names for whatever reason, so that was annoying. 

kord's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

naindu's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

grahamjohnson's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This is the first translation of the Iliad I’ve ever read which brought home just how unenduringly sad it is. 

mittland's review against another edition

5.0

terrifying, hilarious, gorgeous. this was a slow start for me but once i got into it i started crying at the way the sunrise was described. i dont own this book but i very much would like to just to reread certain passages over and over every day of my life

maryhasalittlezoo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark slow-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

5.0

book_busy's review against another edition

4.0

So so so long. Some of it was just lists of men that fought or died but the sections featuring the gods were fabulous and absurd. Love how Zeus is canonically a himbo (an abusive one at that -yeesh) frat bro.

ritaralha's review against another edition

5.0

Um épico que começa com cólera

Canta, ó deusa, a cólera de Aquiles, o Pelida
(mortífera!, que tantas dores trouxe aos Aqueus
e tantas almas valentes de heróis lançou no Hades,
ficando seus corpos como presa para cães e aves
de rapina, enquanto se cumpria a vontade de Zeus),
desde o momento em que primeiro se desentenderam
o Atrida, soberano dos homens, e o divino Aquiles

e termina com um acto de humanidade

Fitando-o com sobrolho carregado lhe respondeu o veloz Aquiles:
“Não me irrites agora, ó ancião! Eu próprio estou decidido
a restituir-te Heitor (…)
(…)Do carro de belas cambas
Tiraram o incontável resgate pela cabeça de Heitor.
Mas deixaram lá duas vestes e uma túnica bem tecida,
para que Aquiles vestisse o morto e o entregasse para ser levado
para casa.



Homero morreu, Virgílio também e eu já não me estou a sentir nada bem...

Frederico Lourenço: “A ‘Ilíada’ e a ‘Odisseia’ são dois grandes tratados sobre a natureza humana”


A Ilíada pelas mãos de Frederico Lourenço