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cpratreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I did not enjoy reading this book. It was such a slog.
I am not a big fan of war focused narratives, so that part is on me. But the descriptions are simply too in-depth. I also would have an existential crisis if I lived in this book, as the Gods seem to always do what they want, except when they don't, so it doens't even make anything feel important.
If you like lists, then boy do I have a story for you. The lists in this book are endless, and include: the name of every ship being sailed including a description and how many men are on board - the name of every person who dies ever in this war, how they die, and who they are related to - the names of everyone that participates in any sort of game, wager, race, etc. A list lovers dream, truely.
I am not a big fan of war focused narratives, so that part is on me. But the descriptions are simply too in-depth. I also would have an existential crisis if I lived in this book, as the Gods seem to always do what they want, except when they don't, so it doens't even make anything feel important.
If you like lists, then boy do I have a story for you. The lists in this book are endless, and include: the name of every ship being sailed including a description and how many men are on board - the name of every person who dies ever in this war, how they die, and who they are related to - the names of everyone that participates in any sort of game, wager, race, etc. A list lovers dream, truely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Sexual violence, and War
Moderate: Blood, Gore, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcohol
murderousscottishgremlin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This was my first foray into epic poetry and I’m excited to see how the Odyssey compares. Wilson’s translation was concise and accessible, while still conveying all of the drama and lyrical nature of the poem. I found the books dealing with Achilles’ grief for Patrocles particularly impactful.
“Baby, I am The Iliad, of course you couldn’t read me” - Coming Of Age by Maisie Peters (Homer could never).
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Murder
Moderate: Sexism
dioinysus's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
5.0
This translation of the Iliad achieves one aspect of it that has long been forgotten, that the tale within it precedes writing. Oral tradition is the basis of all culture and before it was compiled and studied by the greeks themselves these were the legends told as history that were passed down through generations til they became myths. Without losing any the beauty and carnage of the poem this translation discards the "elevated language" that any "classic" story is often approached with, crafting what I believe is a version of the Iliad that is both truly engaging and exciting as well as heartbreaking but without falling into added meaning by the author. The tale is presented as was, is, and will be and it's up to the one that engages with it to do with it what they will, either as an insight on early greek culture and it's values or by grasping the human experience conveyed in it and understanding what makes this a timeless tale about grief.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and War
Moderate: Child death, Sexual violence, and Slavery
prettiestwhistles's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Gore, Grief, Violence, Death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Animal death, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Rape, Kidnapping, and Alcohol
b0ygenius's review
I'll finish this at some point i swear
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and War
glitchb1t's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This is the translation to read. Beautiful and accessible, Wilson's pragmatic poetry truly brings the characters to life.
As literature, it reads as a tragic antiwar story. It meanders over asides more often than Moby Dick. It ends a couple of chapters too soon. But there's a reason it has survived so many thousands of years. It's a compelling tension between the two sides, none of whom actually want this stupid war.
As literature, it reads as a tragic antiwar story. It meanders over asides more often than Moby Dick. It ends a couple of chapters too soon. But there's a reason it has survived so many thousands of years. It's a compelling tension between the two sides, none of whom actually want this stupid war.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
nicoles_reading_corner's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Child death, War, Blood, and Death
valenwhite's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
It was a bit too slow at times, and the fact that they'd just jump to 4-page speeches about their ancestry in the middle of the battlefield took me out of it, but the second half of the book gets more interesting and it was easier to digest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gore, Violence, and War
Moderate: Slavery
gilnean's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Infidelity, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Violence, Death, Blood, Kidnapping, Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Genocide, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Incest, Vomit, Gun violence, Child death, Physical abuse, Body horror, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Toxic relationship, and Excrement
chaos_positive's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
as dense as a overbaked fruit cake but if you are willing to take the trudge, it has a lot of very poignant themes, Achilles being chronically very angry, so many different ways people get killed by spears, genuinely very impressive, and if you choice to listen to it, even the very very long lists of who killed who and who's son they were become very rhythmic almost like a drumbeat march of the dead. also if you're tired of men in media not showing emotion you best believe these murder hobos clad in bronze cry for their fallen friends. also it might even make you laugh a few times like there is actually two ajaxes and they are by in large referred to as ajax and ajax , also my favorite quote is, "ajax, you are excellent at quarreling and terrible at thinking" an absolutely marvelous insult you might not like it if you are really put off about women literally being treated as objects, it was written a few thousand years before the suffragettes made that unpopular. (if you want the same vibes but with women with more agency check out the odyssey, women hold more power in that one and aren't traded like baseball cards)
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, Grief, Blood, Animal death, Slavery, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Misogyny
it's very bloody and unforgiving, nobody is spared the suffering, but it's written in a way that distances you because it is so matter of fact about these things, a "this is how things are, no point dwelling on them unnecessarily" attitude.