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A review by marleysclassics
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Though definitely not being the first retelling of Greek myths I've read, The Penelopiad certainly is a very special one. The fact that it is very short (not even 200 pages long which each of them being printed everything but densely), made it a bit difficult to actually get to know the characters on a deeper, emotional level. The book rather felt like an essay turned into a narration. While this made the reading experience less intriguing in some way, it also made it especially interesting in another. How multilayers the retelling actually is, only really became clear to me step by step. At first I saw Penelope as the main narrator as the "highest authority", and I had the impression the book was quite boring and one-sided. At some point, I began to realize what the Chorus line, referring to the classical Greek drama, was all about (or I at least found my own interpretation of its role). This showed me that even though looking at the life and deeds of Odysseus through the eyes of Penelope as a new, feminist perspective, this doesn't have to mean that it is the (only) true and fully reliable one.
Margaret Atwood tells this story (or stories) in a new and complex way, bringing different versions and interpretations of it together. After getting used to the way she does that, I am now very fascinated by The Penelopiad and can recommend it for sure. Especially shortly after finishing Homer's Odyssey, this book which is a summary, an analysis, interpretation and a further development of the text, was great in many ways. I still wish, it would be a lot longer, as it sort of felt like it just showed what perspectives on the story there are, but didn't actually dive deeper into these perspectives. Still, this remains the only real critique I can think of.
Margaret Atwood tells this story (or stories) in a new and complex way, bringing different versions and interpretations of it together. After getting used to the way she does that, I am now very fascinated by The Penelopiad and can recommend it for sure. Especially shortly after finishing Homer's Odyssey, this book which is a summary, an analysis, interpretation and a further development of the text, was great in many ways. I still wish, it would be a lot longer, as it sort of felt like it just showed what perspectives on the story there are, but didn't actually dive deeper into these perspectives. Still, this remains the only real critique I can think of.