Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Odyssey by Homer

33 reviews

hjb_128's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5


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therealslimkatie's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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mariakureads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I've read a different version of Homer's work but I was intrigued by this one and I have to say that I do love Wilson's translation of this epic poem.
Her use of modern language and choice of iambic pentameter for her translation felt new and contemporary and it was easier to read and visualize for me. This alone was a challenge as she managed to keep the same number of verses from the original Greek!
I never saw the big hero that others did in Odysseus, yes he had adventures and some were heroic indeed, but the man himself ...no I never truly saw it and in Wilson's translation I get some vindication as here we see a complicated man, an unreliable narrator to his own quests, a mischief maker, a doubter of his wife who he left alone for 20+ years while he himself is a huge flirt.
Wilson's translation is quite honestly a great read and a challenging one that makes you wonder about previous translations but even the violence is felt to be more violent and brutal and I can't tell if that's the modernized wording or if it was always there just worded differently so that it didn't come across as such.
All in all, I'm tempted to read Wilson's take on the Illiad.


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bookishmagpie's review against another edition

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

4.5

All I'll say right now is that Odysseus is a silly man who loves to lie.

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bookishly_'s review against another edition

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adventurous challenging medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A

4.5

At over 500 pages, Emily Wilson’s translation of Homer’s Odyssey is a hefty read. It is also immensely engaging and readable, with straightforward prose that definitely captures the sense of a world very different from our own. The only reason this wasn’t a five-star rating is because I’ve heard from people with more familiarity with Ancient Greek that it isn’t the most literal translation, which poses a few issues, but as an act of interpretative literary translation I think it’s incredible. Wilson makes some excellent translational choices that are well outlined in the Introduction and Translator’s Note, which I believe nobody should skip. Honestly fabulous, a much enjoyed reread.

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catherineallsop's review against another edition

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

5.0


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athenian_frog's review against another edition

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

4.25


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seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0


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gabriella_'s review against another edition

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adventurous medium-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

3.5

the fact of the matter is this could’ve been avoided 

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xandra_lyn's review against another edition

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adventurous informative reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is the best translation of the Odyssey I've ever read (I've read 3). I really respect Emily Wilson's translation decisions. It made the boring parts of the Odyssey interesting and fast paced 

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