Reviews

The Epic of Gilgamesh by Unknown

hunziker's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

see_reads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective fast-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

4.5

A fresh and modern look at one of the most ancient poems in existence. Helle's use of white page space to show missing fragments is deft and highlights how much of our (current) understanding of Gilgamesh is impacted by textual absences. The essays at the end are elucidating and appealled to my Classicist roots, though perhaps were a little shallow at times (by the very fact that they are aimed at not specialist audiences). I also appreciated how Helle drew attention to the poems roots in modern day Iraq, rather than eliding it's origins like many museums so with Mesopotamian artefacts.

Gilgamesh the poem demonstrates the role of art has been used to hold tyranny to account, telling truth to power that hubris of gods and kings has terrible consequences - both for communities and individuals. In that regard, it is impossible not to recall Beowulf - despite the two epics lack of connection - nonetheless, this unavoidable intertextuality highlights the strength and ongoing relevance of epic and art today.

bennought's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

3.75

yoursam's review against another edition

informative fast-paced

3.75

saprat's review against another edition

adventurous

4.0

something about gilgamesh leaving his kingdom and civilization, retreating into nature and becoming wild and animalistic, all while grieving heavily for enkidu, will always sort of kill me. the way in which gilgamesh, in his mourning for enkidu, begins to emulate his fallen friend's wildness; the way it portrays grief as an untamed thing that cannot be controlled by man. sob. anyways shoutout to my world lit class that unanimously agreed that enkidu and gilgamesh were gay. bro idk which translation says it but "gilgamesh grieved for enkidu like a bride" are you kidding

slushysands's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

laurakehl's review against another edition

adventurous challenging fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

3.0

lucazani11's review against another edition

4.0

the major teaching from the Epic of Gilgamesh is that death is inevitable. Gilgamesh wastes so much time and energy in a futile effort to find eternal life. He turns his back on family and friends to wander the wilderness in search of something he can never have.

yarfaqikhdir's review

3.0

We definitely got the fantasy books hero arcs from The Epic of Gilgamesh, also, the Akkadian names are so much easier to remember than the Sumerian names, however, it's quite obvious to decipher which family of languages they fall into based solely on pronunciation and similarity to other languages in their respective families.

Also...prehistoric bi (let's be honest they're more gay than bi) couple that didn't go around dating random women after they fell in love with each other?? HELL YES! (judging Achilles and Patroclus so hard right now)

For the record; I don't enjoy the lgtbq+ books but you can't avoid them in ancient texts, anyways! The Epic of Gilgamesh is not for the weak of mind who will say oh no this is similar to this bible/quranic story (like the flood story that repeats literally all over mankind's mythology and every religion)...let them be separate things folks, because they are!

gilgaschmoan's review against another edition

adventurous funny inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0