You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

octavii42's profile picture

octavii42 's review for:

The Iliad by Homer
4.0
challenging dark reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

How to review the Iliad....well I really enjoyed the translation by Robert Fagles. It was poetic, interesting and flowed well. There were parts I really enjoyed such as the explosive arguments between Achilles and Agamemnon. Some touching moments between Hector and Andromache and Achilles grief. It was full of beautiful metaphor and imagery. I particularly enjoyed the description of Achilles shield as crafted by Hephaestus. The battles could sometimes be tiresome particularly as Homer insisted on giving each fighyer a lengthy description only for him to a die a moment later. I imagine it was thrilling for the ancient Greeks to hear about their ancestors but less so thousands of years later. Odysseus was particularly great in the iliad. I enjoyed his wit and his courage in standing up to those more powerful than him! He gets a little annoying in The Odyssey with his constant lying!