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poetpenelopee's review
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
5.0
It’s a good reference book of Greek Mythology written by an Ancient Greek writer. You will learn the names of every single relative of everyone though.
inhisbluegardens's review
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
3.75
This is a really great overview of the Greek myths, organised chronologically by familial timeline. I think this way of ordering the myths is a nice way to tell these stories for someone who is unfamiliar with who's who in Ancient Greece. Keep in mind that this doesn't have the same sort of epic storytelling like Homer - they are sparsely told and read more like summaries.
"The Library" is a good mix of old favourites and stories that were new to me, so I personally had a great time taking note of the myths that I wanted to know more about. The section on Herakles and his family members is a highlight.
Again, this is very much a summary of the Greek myths but is definitely valuable as a reference for general study. You must know by now that I am Oxford World's Classics Barbie and this volume is no different: a fascinating introduction that is well worth the read and great explanatory notes, too.
"The Library" is a good mix of old favourites and stories that were new to me, so I personally had a great time taking note of the myths that I wanted to know more about. The section on Herakles and his family members is a highlight.
Again, this is very much a summary of the Greek myths but is definitely valuable as a reference for general study. You must know by now that I am Oxford World's Classics Barbie and this volume is no different: a fascinating introduction that is well worth the read and great explanatory notes, too.
benedettal's review against another edition
4.0
This is so good! Love the myths featured here, I feel like one just can’t go wrong with the standards. Not much to say though, it’s brilliant and though it feels a little basic, that’s just because this is the blueprint. And we love that.
jackpumpkinhead's review
fast-paced
4.0
Now, due to my erudition, you can draw upon the coils of time, and know the stories of old. Look no longer in the pages of Homer, or in elegy, or the tragic Muse, or lyric verse, and seek no longer in the sonorous verses of the cyclic poets; no, look in me, and you will discover all that the world contains.
Just wildly cool to me that I can read the sparknotes of Greek mythology, written in the 1st or 2nd century BCE.
Just wildly cool to me that I can read the sparknotes of Greek mythology, written in the 1st or 2nd century BCE.
dee9401's review
5.0
Yes, for people like me, this can be a beach read! Fascinating collection of Greek mythology in which I made extensive notes. In some cases, this summary is the only remaining reference to now-lost ancient sources. At other times, the summary is too short or lacks the robustness of the original. But, as a whole, what a find and what a great reference to go along with other summaries, original sources, etc.