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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
i wanted to love the story especially since i love epic the musical, but the story didn’t click for me. it didn’t have to do with the translation of the book, it was specifically that i didn’t find the plot interesting. i couldn’t connect with the characters. i did also annotate this book to make sure i understood what was going on, but even with that, where i should be more engaged, i just wanted to quickly finish this book
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Just a man trying to get home
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
tense
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
okay. here’s the deal. i liked it. but i didn’t love it.
odysseus does so many interesting things and has so many interesting interactions like with circe, scylla, polyphemus, the underworld, etc. but those books are SO short in comparison to the multiple books spent on him doing basically nothing in ithaca
i need to give the illiad a read as in general it looks like people enjoy one over the other
i liked the translation quite a bit though! felt a lot more like it was meant to be read out loud and it highlighted some moments that were unexpectedly funny
odysseus does so many interesting things and has so many interesting interactions like with circe, scylla, polyphemus, the underworld, etc. but those books are SO short in comparison to the multiple books spent on him doing basically nothing in ithaca
i need to give the illiad a read as in general it looks like people enjoy one over the other
i liked the translation quite a bit though! felt a lot more like it was meant to be read out loud and it highlighted some moments that were unexpectedly funny
“But the great leveler, Death: not even the gods can defend a man, not even one they love, that day when fate takes hold and lays him out at last”
In honor of the Ithaca saga being released I decided to go back to the great teller of tales himself. This is a story about will, and the ongoing clashes of the wills of the gods, Odysseus, and the various hosts/guests are what make it such a compelling story. Odysseus is reliant of the generosity of others for his success, yet it is his own intelligence that grants him Athena’s favor and vivid storytelling that helps him win over/against other people. Although I find the revenge plot a bit drawn out, his scene with Penelope is one of the loveliest reunions in literature and makes it all worth it—a marriage of true minds indeed! Overall, it improved upon reread! I have high hopes that the Chris Nolan adaptation evokes at least some of the same feeling as Homer’s muse.
In honor of the Ithaca saga being released I decided to go back to the great teller of tales himself. This is a story about will, and the ongoing clashes of the wills of the gods, Odysseus, and the various hosts/guests are what make it such a compelling story. Odysseus is reliant of the generosity of others for his success, yet it is his own intelligence that grants him Athena’s favor and vivid storytelling that helps him win over/against other people. Although I find the revenge plot a bit drawn out, his scene with Penelope is one of the loveliest reunions in literature and makes it all worth it—a marriage of true minds indeed! Overall, it improved upon reread! I have high hopes that the Chris Nolan adaptation evokes at least some of the same feeling as Homer’s muse.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
My review for Emily Wilson's translation: The Odyssey was quite the journey! It is definitely easier to read than the Iliad since there is a lot more action. I read the translations by Emily Wilson and Robert Fagles at the same time, book by book, which made for a very interesting reading experience. I got to witness and explore the differences in translation, and I have to say I enjoyed Wilson's a whole lot more than Fagles'. Not only due to the lack of words like bitch and whore, but also because Wilson's translation contains less misogyny and does not shy away from using words like slave to help readers understand the ongoing power dynamics between characters. I can't wait to read Wilson's translation of the Iliad now!! Still, I cannot give this book more than 4 stars in good faith, because it took forever to read and it felt like such a chore at times lmao.
For Fagles', the translation was all right to read, but I would not recommend it.
For Fagles', the translation was all right to read, but I would not recommend it.