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A review by alinaa
The Golden Fleece by Robert Graves
3.0
Overall I did like this book, but I have very mixed feelings about it. The writing reads very nicely and gives the narrative an epic tone, which I liked. But as we have no focalizer and an omniscient narrator, I couldn't really connect to the characters and felt very detached from the story, it just didn't draw me in.
It is a very interesting book, though. There's a lot to learn about Jason and the Argonauts in here, and I think it's amazing how much additional information the reader is offered. Graves begins his tale way before Jason, with a religious change in Greece and how the Golden Fleece actually came to be. The struggle between the Triple Goddess and the Olympic system was extremely interesting and I really enjoyed those parts!
I also liked that none of the characters are plain and perfect heroes. I'm still not sure if there are truly any heroes in here. Hercules, for example, came across as more of a comic relief character, his stupidity and accidental brutality often had me laughing. Then there's Medea, who isn't just this evil princess but who's feelings and motives are very much analysed.
So while I wasn't drawn into the story and sometimes felt bored by the plot, I liked how much the book had me thinking all the time, and the many details it offers. I would definitely recommend this if you want to know more about this particular myth!
I also wrote a longer review on my blog, if you'd like to know more :)
http://parchmentdragon.blogspot.de/2017/07/the-golden-fleece-by-robert-graves.html?m=1
It is a very interesting book, though. There's a lot to learn about Jason and the Argonauts in here, and I think it's amazing how much additional information the reader is offered. Graves begins his tale way before Jason, with a religious change in Greece and how the Golden Fleece actually came to be. The struggle between the Triple Goddess and the Olympic system was extremely interesting and I really enjoyed those parts!
I also liked that none of the characters are plain and perfect heroes. I'm still not sure if there are truly any heroes in here. Hercules, for example, came across as more of a comic relief character, his stupidity and accidental brutality often had me laughing. Then there's Medea, who isn't just this evil princess but who's feelings and motives are very much analysed.
So while I wasn't drawn into the story and sometimes felt bored by the plot, I liked how much the book had me thinking all the time, and the many details it offers. I would definitely recommend this if you want to know more about this particular myth!
I also wrote a longer review on my blog, if you'd like to know more :)
http://parchmentdragon.blogspot.de/2017/07/the-golden-fleece-by-robert-graves.html?m=1