Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
3.5 stars, rounded up because it is a very accessible read for a translation of a Greek classic and I would still recommend this to people trying to get into the Western canon (surely, i enjoyed reading this version more than the one I read in uni)
adventurous
medium-paced
Chief lesson: the only thing in this book more likely to get you killed than being a shipmate of Odysseus' is being a farm animal. The headcount of sheep, goats and cows sacrificied in this book is crazy. Words I didn't expect to come across- 'dotard', 'snood', 'Bitch!' even for 1932 when Lawrence of Arabia (TE Lawrence) wrote this prose translation.
I'm glad I read it, it being one of the granddaddys of Western Literature, but I won't be tempted to do The Iliad for many years. Nice to know the original context for the stories I had already heard of, like the Sirens, Scylla, Cyclops, etc. Surprised at the disparity between the great hero image of Odysseus and his actions through the book, but that would be a modern interpretation of a 'hero' as opposed to the ancient Greek one. Looking forward to Joyce's Ulysses now.
I'm glad I read it, it being one of the granddaddys of Western Literature, but I won't be tempted to do The Iliad for many years. Nice to know the original context for the stories I had already heard of, like the Sirens, Scylla, Cyclops, etc. Surprised at the disparity between the great hero image of Odysseus and his actions through the book, but that would be a modern interpretation of a 'hero' as opposed to the ancient Greek one. Looking forward to Joyce's Ulysses now.
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
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:
No
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's an interesting read but did not really contribute to literature.
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes