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adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
cured my song of achilles saltiness; was also really cute to see Odysseus yap about being a dad every hundred pages or so.
This was certainly a very interesting experience for me, especially since I had no idea what to expect. Sure, I already knew of what the Iliad contained - the tale of Troy, Achilles, Hector, Helen and Paris - but, I was somewhat worried about the actual telling of the story. I've read my fair share of classics, but this was something different; an ancient tale/poem given voice in a somewhat modern language, trying to depict everything as accurately as possible.
And, with respect to that, the book is a resounding success.
It is actually quite a treat to feel like you're experiencing the story the way Homer intended his readers/listeners to (I might have no way of telling if that's true, but I choose to believe that it is), and while phrases linger a tad too long at times, and some of the vocabulary (and even actual sentences) have a penchant for rampant repetition, it never gets so bad that you decide to abandon the book, simply because there's a very ancient air about the entire affair. You sometimes feel as if you're experiencing the battles hands-on, aloft in the air amongst Zeus, Here and Athene.
To conclude, the Iliad is - needless to say - a great tale, and this retelling of it was something I enjoyed quite a lot.
And, with respect to that, the book is a resounding success.
It is actually quite a treat to feel like you're experiencing the story the way Homer intended his readers/listeners to (I might have no way of telling if that's true, but I choose to believe that it is), and while phrases linger a tad too long at times, and some of the vocabulary (and even actual sentences) have a penchant for rampant repetition, it never gets so bad that you decide to abandon the book, simply because there's a very ancient air about the entire affair. You sometimes feel as if you're experiencing the battles hands-on, aloft in the air amongst Zeus, Here and Athene.
To conclude, the Iliad is - needless to say - a great tale, and this retelling of it was something I enjoyed quite a lot.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
tense
slow-paced
the gods & these men needs to pay child support
"You see, my brother, if we could escape
this war and then be free from age and death
forever, I would never choose to fight
or join the champion fighters at the front,
nor would I urge you to participate
in war where men win glory. But in fact,
a million ways to die stand all around us.
No mortal can escape or flee from death.
So let us go. Perhaps we shall succeed,
and win a triumph from another's death,
or somebody may triumph over us." (12,395-405)
this war and then be free from age and death
forever, I would never choose to fight
or join the champion fighters at the front,
nor would I urge you to participate
in war where men win glory. But in fact,
a million ways to die stand all around us.
No mortal can escape or flee from death.
So let us go. Perhaps we shall succeed,
and win a triumph from another's death,
or somebody may triumph over us." (12,395-405)
I hate to read a classic because I always have a hard time with them. This took me over a month to finish because I was not interested in the story. It is me and definitely not the book. It just is not for me. It is definitely a 3 star read at least though so I am leaving it at that.
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
The Iliad is one of those books I’ve always felt I ought to read and have always intended to read, but ultimately found the thought too intimidating. Would it be a slog? Would it bore me? Would I just not get it? Fortunately, I stumbled upon this new translation, decided I’d give it a try… And thoroughly enjoyed it!
Not only is the translation itself wonderful to read, but the introduction and end notes are an invaluable resource, giving all the context required for a new reader to appreciate both the text itself and the choices made during translation. I’m now interested to read other translations and see how they differ, but I have a feeling this is the one I will be coming back to time and time again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Slavery
Minor: Sexual assault
challenging
dark
sad
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