A review by mazloum
The Iliad by Homer

4.0

This was certainly a very interesting experience for me, especially since I had no idea what to expect. Sure, I already knew of what the Iliad contained - the tale of Troy, Achilles, Hector, Helen and Paris - but, I was somewhat worried about the actual telling of the story. I've read my fair share of classics, but this was something different; an ancient tale/poem given voice in a somewhat modern language, trying to depict everything as accurately as possible.

And, with respect to that, the book is a resounding success.

It is actually quite a treat to feel like you're experiencing the story the way Homer intended his readers/listeners to (I might have no way of telling if that's true, but I choose to believe that it is), and while phrases linger a tad too long at times, and some of the vocabulary (and even actual sentences) have a penchant for rampant repetition, it never gets so bad that you decide to abandon the book, simply because there's a very ancient air about the entire affair. You sometimes feel as if you're experiencing the battles hands-on, aloft in the air amongst Zeus, Here and Athene.

To conclude, the Iliad is - needless to say - a great tale, and this retelling of it was something I enjoyed quite a lot.