4.87k reviews for:

The Iliad

Homer

3.8 AVERAGE


only having one hour to write an essay exam for this almost killed me
adventurous challenging reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

But were the Achaeans well armed?
But did their words have wings?
But was Hera white-armed?
But did Hector have a gleaming helmet?
Were the thousand NAMED MEN godlike?

I think it’s the translation but I enjoyed reading the Wikipedia article more!! Get some new fucking adjectives and descriptors!!! It’s one of the most exciting stories ever told and I dreaded picking it up because listening to it was painful

This book is so crucial to Greek (archaic) literature, and almost seems a joke to have to claimed to have been read by just so many people without seeing it's importance. Aside from the daunting idea that this story was originally passed by word, and to attribute so many names to honor in the culture, this story does hold other powerful traits in subject-matter of the story.

I need to have a shout-out to The Illiad for having contained one of the first instances of romantic dialogue between characters shared. This book is an amazing example of personification of the human psyche by utilization of the Gods of the culture. And lest not us forget my favorite Greek term até, by which Athena forced Agamemnon's poor choices leading to 'temporary insanity'.

Though if you're reading it, please have no shame skipping a few sections in which they list the various vessels into the war-zone to attribute to family names, etc.
adventurous 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

Great but not even close to its sibling.
challenging inspiring tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
adventurous inspiring tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

TERMINÉ!!!!!!

ha sido DIFÍCIL pero muy satisfactorio y bastante entretenido

me parece fascinante cómo algo escrito hace 2700 años sigue teniendo el mismo sentido y sentimiento, la forma en la que describe la muerte y el duelo es tan real que impacta

también me gusta que no haya ningún personaje realmente bueno, el que menos mata tiene esclavos en su casa etc

y bueno los dioses son la mejor parte, sus conflictos son súper mundanos comparado con la guerra épica larguísima de los humanos o sea son como una sitcom

en general lo recomiendo si te apetece 1 reto porque merece la pena 100%

this rating is for Emily Wilson’s translation, which is impeccable and also really highlights how all these men are hilarious babies.
adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous tense
Diverse cast of characters: Yes