4.9k reviews for:

The Iliad

Homer

3.8 AVERAGE


this one is my new favourite translation of the iliad....her translation is so good and so clear.

that aside, i'm (once again) devastated, i keep forgetting how present grief is all through this goddamn book (wow no shit). truly a timeless story i will never get tired of it.
dark emotional sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A momentous text, sprawling with a rich and extensive world that Homer lavishly crafts over the course of the poem. Homer is so adept at portraying the utter meaninglessness of war- both sides over the course of this poem's pages grapple with its tragedy, with the rage and heartbreak it causes, how it turns people into monsters. The best moments here are those where Trojans and Dardanians are reconciled, even slightly, namely with Glaucus and Diomedes, and Priam and Achilles. There is an incredible sense of tragic fate throughout, where characters' actions are rendered hopeless in fighting against their fate. Homer is notable in his empathy for both sides, despite being a Greek himself. Both the Trojans and the Achaeans are ultimately given humanity, and from both sides memorable characters spring to life, be it Achilles and his wrath, Hector and his pride, Sarpedon facing death, or Ajax standing at the helm, the last one fighting for the survival of the Greeks. I especially love how every time a soldier is killed off they are named, and a bit about their life is given, personifying them within the brutal scope of the war. Ultimately, Homer paints a picture broad in its moral exploration and dripping with loss and poignancy. It seems that we still, even thousands of years later, remain the same as the Trojans and the Achaeans, fighting unjustifiable wars, our fates resting at the amused hands of the gods. This is truly a timeless text, and the story of the Trojan War is one that haunts us even now. No wonder it's the birth of Western literature.
adventurous challenging informative tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous informative medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
adventurous slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
challenging slow-paced
adventurous challenging dark sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
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_miasnovelnotes_'s review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 24%

library hold is over too soon to complete