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berenikeasteria's review
4.0
I enjoyed this collaborative title a lot more than I did A Song of Troy. Something about it really worked.
Vicky Alvear Shecter writes the first section, following Penelope and Telemakhos, and whilst it isn’t overly ambitious in re-writing the myth or providing a fresh perspective like some of the other entries are, she absolutely nails the voice. It reads like The Odyssey. It was all very familiar, and perfectly pitched. She won bonus points from me for her correct depiction of pederasty. Here’s the thing about homosexuality in ancient Greece – the ancient Greeks didn’t use the labels that we do today. Whether you were attracted to men or women mattered much less than whether you were the dominant or submissive partner – at least, it did if you were a man; you wanted to avoid coming across as womanish at all costs, what women wanted and desired both in heterosexual and homosexual relationships seems to have been frequently ignored. Ordinary male homosexual relationships as we might understand them today did occur (see the Theban band), but in several regions they were frowned upon and only a very specific type of homosexual relationship was allowed – one between an adolescent boy and an older man. This seems seriously sketchy to us today, but the ancient Greeks surprisingly approved of this arrangement. The reason is because it was seen as educative – the older man would teach the youth not only about sex but everything he needed to know about growing up and being an adult man, sponsor him in athletic contest, introduce him to important contacts, and the youth would serve as muse and inspiration for his own work. A more equal dynamic tended to be frowned upon more often (depending on where in the Greek world you went), because it was not for a noble purpose like education, but for pleasure and indulgence. Woe betide you if you were the submissive partner – that supposedly meant that you were so greedy for pleasure, so decadent in your desires, that you were incapable of self-control and would abase yourself by taking the ‘womanly’ role. It’s no wonder that modern day authors are reluctant to tackle this quirk of ancient Greek culture! An equal homosexual relationship could be seen as damning, with a good dose of sexism thrown in, while an unequal one between a teenager and a man was actively encouraged! Plaudits to Vicky for actually accurately including a pederastic relationship, although, in a nod to modern sensibilities, the youth, now cast off as too grown up, is a more palatable twenty years old.
Scott Oden and Amalia Carosella’s stories I feel like I should mention together, because both tackle two of the most fantastical elements in The Odyssey – the cyclops and the sirens – and attempt to make them historically plausible. I’m not sure if I could say that I enjoyed them. They swept me away, strongly grounded as they were in story-telling and oral traditions, and felt very surreal. I know it’s an odd statement to make – more realistic versions of fantastical events seem more surreal – but because these stories are so changed from the original, and are almost entirely new, they felt odd in the context of the familiar Odyssey whose fantastical episodes I know so well. Thought-provoking, both of them.
I’ll be honest, David Blixt’s section on Calypso was the most forgettable for me. I didn’t really have any criticisms, but I just wasn’t as invested in the story, maybe because I know how much Odysseus’ seven long years with Calypso drag down his adventures and account for much of his decade’s absence between Troy and returning to Ithaka. Speaking of Ithaka, I thought that Russ Whitfield’s finale mirrored the way that Shecter spot on found the voice of The Odyssey. It proved an excellent wrap up to the whole book.
As for Libbie Hawker’s section on Circe – yes! Emphatic yes. I cannot say enough good things about it. I have not read many of Libbie’s other novels yet, but I was frustrated with her Hatshepsut quartet. I got the sense that she could write really well – there were flashes of brilliance – but it was so patchy and unpolished, pacing especially was an issue. Here I feel vindicated. From start to finish Libbie’s short story of Circe was compelling, vividly realised, characters well fleshed out, pacing on point – yes, yes, yes! I’m going to say something that I have no doubt will annoy some people – Libbie’s Circe is better than Madeline Miller’s Circe. I am so pleased. I have to cite this story as the best one of the whole book. Well done!
8 out of 10
crystalstarrlight's review
4.0
Bullet Review:
That final story with Odysseus! WOW!!
It nearly took me a year but I think 1) I went through a reading funk (I barely made my 30 book challenge last year and that was mostly because of the audiobooks and comics I read) and 2) I kept getting stuck in the more boring (IMO) stories (namely the Kyklops and the Sirens ones). Libbie Hawker’s Circe story is FANTASTIC and probably my favorite of this complication.
In short, I definitely enjoyed it despite how long it took me to finish.
Full Review:
In 2018, for the first time, I got a chance to read The Iliad, a book that 1) makes me sound pretentious AF and 2) was surprisingly easier to read than the Bible and many other more modern books I've ever read. Reading that lead me to read the first assembly of short stories, A Song of War. As with many compendiums of short stories, that had some good, some meh, and some boring.
Today, after starting this poor book nearly a year ago, I have finished it. Like with "A Song of War", some of the stories knock it out of the park (Hawker's Circe short story is absolutely divine) and some are incredibly strange (the Kyklops and the Siren stories). However, I think that, although I spent nearly a year on this series of essays, the stories were generally better than the ones in "A Song of War".
I suppose before reading this, I should have picked up the Odyssey, but I did not. I walked into these stories mostly blind, with a very scant knowledge of what happens. (My high school/college education included nothing about the Odyssey, so what I know is from cultural osmosis.) While that might have made it more difficult for me to know what would happen, it didn't deter my enjoyment overall of the stories.
The entire set of short stories is based on the premise: What if the characters believe in gods, but all the miraculous or godly events were just explained by fantastical storytelling or other mundane events? It's a neat conceit, one that the authors here generally did well. (Not sure I bought the Kyklops and Sirens stories, but I do feel like the authors tried very hard, based on their explanations at the end of this book.)
The opening story with Penelope and her son, Telemachus, was well done and enjoyable, a good opener for this set. We move onto the Kyklops, a story told in oral history form, a grandparent to a grandchild. It was probably here that my first big hiccup happened; I struggled to get through this story as it was so peculiar.
Then there was Libbie Hawker's standout Circe piece. Absolutely stunning. I cannot give more compliments for this piece of work - I adored every moment I spent with Circe! I've read some of Hawker's works, which I've had (unfortunately) mixed feelings for, but this was sheer brilliance.
The Siren's story was another one of those odd ones, another area where I slowed to a halt. Then I picked up steam again at Calypso's story, and then finally, the end when Odysseus returns to his court.
For people who enjoy the Iliad and the Odyssey, I definitely recommend this compilation, even with the minor blips of the Kyklops and the Siren stories (I really feel these authors had the hardest job of translating their fantastical stories into something more realistic). Again, even though I spent a LONG time reading these, I don't attribute that to the fault of this selection. The stories were at the end, enjoyable and a rollercoaster of emotions.
That final story with Odysseus! WOW!!
It nearly took me a year but I think 1) I went through a reading funk (I barely made my 30 book challenge last year and that was mostly because of the audiobooks and comics I read) and 2) I kept getting stuck in the more boring (IMO) stories (namely the Kyklops and the Sirens ones). Libbie Hawker’s Circe story is FANTASTIC and probably my favorite of this complication.
In short, I definitely enjoyed it despite how long it took me to finish.
Full Review:
In 2018, for the first time, I got a chance to read The Iliad, a book that 1) makes me sound pretentious AF and 2) was surprisingly easier to read than the Bible and many other more modern books I've ever read. Reading that lead me to read the first assembly of short stories, A Song of War. As with many compendiums of short stories, that had some good, some meh, and some boring.
Today, after starting this poor book nearly a year ago, I have finished it. Like with "A Song of War", some of the stories knock it out of the park (Hawker's Circe short story is absolutely divine) and some are incredibly strange (the Kyklops and the Siren stories). However, I think that, although I spent nearly a year on this series of essays, the stories were generally better than the ones in "A Song of War".
I suppose before reading this, I should have picked up the Odyssey, but I did not. I walked into these stories mostly blind, with a very scant knowledge of what happens. (My high school/college education included nothing about the Odyssey, so what I know is from cultural osmosis.) While that might have made it more difficult for me to know what would happen, it didn't deter my enjoyment overall of the stories.
The entire set of short stories is based on the premise: What if the characters believe in gods, but all the miraculous or godly events were just explained by fantastical storytelling or other mundane events? It's a neat conceit, one that the authors here generally did well. (Not sure I bought the Kyklops and Sirens stories, but I do feel like the authors tried very hard, based on their explanations at the end of this book.)
The opening story with Penelope and her son, Telemachus, was well done and enjoyable, a good opener for this set. We move onto the Kyklops, a story told in oral history form, a grandparent to a grandchild. It was probably here that my first big hiccup happened; I struggled to get through this story as it was so peculiar.
Then there was Libbie Hawker's standout Circe piece. Absolutely stunning. I cannot give more compliments for this piece of work - I adored every moment I spent with Circe! I've read some of Hawker's works, which I've had (unfortunately) mixed feelings for, but this was sheer brilliance.
The Siren's story was another one of those odd ones, another area where I slowed to a halt. Then I picked up steam again at Calypso's story, and then finally, the end when Odysseus returns to his court.
For people who enjoy the Iliad and the Odyssey, I definitely recommend this compilation, even with the minor blips of the Kyklops and the Siren stories (I really feel these authors had the hardest job of translating their fantastical stories into something more realistic). Again, even though I spent a LONG time reading these, I don't attribute that to the fault of this selection. The stories were at the end, enjoyable and a rollercoaster of emotions.
100pagesaday's review
5.0
We have all heard of Odysseus' journey and the fanciful tales he brought back while being away for 20 years after the War of Troy. We have heard the stories from Odysseus' point of view, now the H Team brings us the stories from the point of view of those that he told the tales about. Through Penelope, we find out how she ruled singularly as a Queen, through Telemachus, we learn what it was like to grow up without a father and King, we learn the stories behind the Kyklops and Sirens and the witch Circes as well as Calypso.
I have loved reading the past stories that the H Team has cooked up and couldn't wait to read what they have developed for Odysseus. Seven different stories and points of view woven seamlessly together to tell of Odysseus from the other side. To me, this was an ingenious way of getting to know the real Odysseus, as he was known as a trickster. In this context, the gods and goddesses still existed, however, some of the mythology was dispelled. I enjoyed reading every different story on their own and couldn't wait to see who would give me insight into Odysseus next. The themes of Odysseus' tales stayed true, pride, oath, service, gratitude, survival and perseverance are still strong subjects throughout each tale. While I appreciated each story, there were several that stuck out for me. Penelope and Telemachus' tales were those of survival. I was impressed with Penelope's cunning and skill to stop her people from attacking her home in the absence of a king and her ingenuity to make money for her land. Telemachus was an interesting character for me, I felt his pain at his father's departure and wanted him to grow into a leader as much as Penelope did. Circe's tale also entranced me. Instead of a witch who trapped Odysseus on an island, Circe has been banished to the island with her handmaids and has been making do on her women-led island. When Odysseus arrives, he is a problematic for the women and uses them at his will. Overall, I was amazed at how Odysseus' story changed from the point of view of the other characters and how I was still entranced by the amazing journey and stories that have been created.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
I have loved reading the past stories that the H Team has cooked up and couldn't wait to read what they have developed for Odysseus. Seven different stories and points of view woven seamlessly together to tell of Odysseus from the other side. To me, this was an ingenious way of getting to know the real Odysseus, as he was known as a trickster. In this context, the gods and goddesses still existed, however, some of the mythology was dispelled. I enjoyed reading every different story on their own and couldn't wait to see who would give me insight into Odysseus next. The themes of Odysseus' tales stayed true, pride, oath, service, gratitude, survival and perseverance are still strong subjects throughout each tale. While I appreciated each story, there were several that stuck out for me. Penelope and Telemachus' tales were those of survival. I was impressed with Penelope's cunning and skill to stop her people from attacking her home in the absence of a king and her ingenuity to make money for her land. Telemachus was an interesting character for me, I felt his pain at his father's departure and wanted him to grow into a leader as much as Penelope did. Circe's tale also entranced me. Instead of a witch who trapped Odysseus on an island, Circe has been banished to the island with her handmaids and has been making do on her women-led island. When Odysseus arrives, he is a problematic for the women and uses them at his will. Overall, I was amazed at how Odysseus' story changed from the point of view of the other characters and how I was still entranced by the amazing journey and stories that have been created.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
bookfever's review against another edition
5.0
First of all I want to say that I'm a huge fan of these books. A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii, A Year of Ravens: A Novel of Boudica's Rebellion and A Song of War: A Novel of Troy. They were all really great and I simply adore them! Second, I want to say that usually I review each story individually but I'm not doing that this time around. I'm doing things a little differently with A Sea of Sorrow, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I think.The primary reason for this is that I didn't actually slow down enough to sit down and write decent reviews for each and every story. But this shows how much I enjoyed reading the book—whenever I finished one story I couldn't wait to dive into the next one. I just couldn't help myself. I was hooked!
Half of the authors of the book were unfamiliar to me, which is another thing I love about these books. I always get to know new authors that I want to read more books from. In this case David Blixt, Amalia Carosella and Scott Oden were new to me. Libbie Hawker, Vicky Alvear Shecter and Russell Whitfield I was already familiar with. I always really enjoy their writing. I was probably more excited to read the stories of the unfamiliar authors because I didn't know what to expect from them but they certainly didn't disappoint me.
I enjoyed each and every story but of course I had some favorites that left me feeling very impressed. These favorites were Hekate's Daughter by Libbie Hawker, The Siren's Song by Amalia Carosella and Calypso's Vow by David Blixt. They were all pretty tragic but also beautiful in a way, I thought. Especially the story of Calypso was brilliant to me. I loved it so much. But to be clear, I enjoyed each and every story. Not one was disappointing but these particular three left an impression with me.
Overall, A Sea of Sorrow: A Novel of Odysseus was one amazing read. Like the synopsis says, "six authors bring to life the epic tale of The Odyssey seen through the eyes of its shattered victims..." which I think is such a unique and clever concept. I also love how the stories and authors don't fully focus on the mythology and supernatural but give it a realistic twist that made the stories all the more stunning.
Half of the authors of the book were unfamiliar to me, which is another thing I love about these books. I always get to know new authors that I want to read more books from. In this case David Blixt, Amalia Carosella and Scott Oden were new to me. Libbie Hawker, Vicky Alvear Shecter and Russell Whitfield I was already familiar with. I always really enjoy their writing. I was probably more excited to read the stories of the unfamiliar authors because I didn't know what to expect from them but they certainly didn't disappoint me.
I enjoyed each and every story but of course I had some favorites that left me feeling very impressed. These favorites were Hekate's Daughter by Libbie Hawker, The Siren's Song by Amalia Carosella and Calypso's Vow by David Blixt. They were all pretty tragic but also beautiful in a way, I thought. Especially the story of Calypso was brilliant to me. I loved it so much. But to be clear, I enjoyed each and every story. Not one was disappointing but these particular three left an impression with me.
Overall, A Sea of Sorrow: A Novel of Odysseus was one amazing read. Like the synopsis says, "six authors bring to life the epic tale of The Odyssey seen through the eyes of its shattered victims..." which I think is such a unique and clever concept. I also love how the stories and authors don't fully focus on the mythology and supernatural but give it a realistic twist that made the stories all the more stunning.
krisis86's review
3.0
This wasn't my favorite of this type of book but it wasn't my least favorite, so a solid 3 stars. There are only 6 viewpoints in this one so it's got a different feel but it's still enjoyable and worth reading.
bookfever's review
5.0
First of all I want to say that I'm a huge fan of these books. A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii, A Year of Ravens: A Novel of Boudica's Rebellion and A Song of War: A Novel of Troy. They were all really great and I simply adore them! Second, I want to say that usually I review each story individually but I'm not doing that this time around. I'm doing things a little differently with A Sea of Sorrow, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I think.The primary reason for this is that I didn't actually slow down enough to sit down and write decent reviews for each and every story. But this shows how much I enjoyed reading the book—whenever I finished one story I couldn't wait to dive into the next one. I just couldn't help myself. I was hooked!
Half of the authors of the book were unfamiliar to me, which is another thing I love about these books. I always get to know new authors that I want to read more books from. In this case David Blixt, Amalia Carosella and Scott Oden were new to me. Libbie Hawker, Vicky Alvear Shecter and Russell Whitfield I was already familiar with. I always really enjoy their writing. I was probably more excited to read the stories of the unfamiliar authors because I didn't know what to expect from them but they certainly didn't disappoint me.
I enjoyed each and every story but of course I had some favorites that left me feeling very impressed. These favorites were Hekate's Daughter by Libbie Hawker, The Siren's Song by Amalia Carosella and Calypso's Vow by David Blixt. They were all pretty tragic but also beautiful in a way, I thought. Especially the story of Calypso was brilliant to me. I loved it so much. But to be clear, I enjoyed each and every story. Not one was disappointing but these particular three left an impression with me.
Overall, A Sea of Sorrow: A Novel of Odysseus was one amazing read. Like the synopsis says, "six authors bring to life the epic tale of The Odyssey seen through the eyes of its shattered victims..." which I think is such a unique and clever concept. I also love how the stories and authors don't fully focus on the mythology and supernatural but give it a realistic twist that made the stories all the more stunning.
Half of the authors of the book were unfamiliar to me, which is another thing I love about these books. I always get to know new authors that I want to read more books from. In this case David Blixt, Amalia Carosella and Scott Oden were new to me. Libbie Hawker, Vicky Alvear Shecter and Russell Whitfield I was already familiar with. I always really enjoy their writing. I was probably more excited to read the stories of the unfamiliar authors because I didn't know what to expect from them but they certainly didn't disappoint me.
I enjoyed each and every story but of course I had some favorites that left me feeling very impressed. These favorites were Hekate's Daughter by Libbie Hawker, The Siren's Song by Amalia Carosella and Calypso's Vow by David Blixt. They were all pretty tragic but also beautiful in a way, I thought. Especially the story of Calypso was brilliant to me. I loved it so much. But to be clear, I enjoyed each and every story. Not one was disappointing but these particular three left an impression with me.
Overall, A Sea of Sorrow: A Novel of Odysseus was one amazing read. Like the synopsis says, "six authors bring to life the epic tale of The Odyssey seen through the eyes of its shattered victims..." which I think is such a unique and clever concept. I also love how the stories and authors don't fully focus on the mythology and supernatural but give it a realistic twist that made the stories all the more stunning.
abookishaffair's review against another edition
4.0
"A Sea of Sorrow" is the story of Odysseus. It is an anthology and the latest offering from the H team, a bunch of powerhouse historical fiction writers. Like their previous offerings, this anthology packs a punch and I am so happy to see anthologies cross over to the historical fiction realm where they don't seem to be found often. After reading this book and the other H team books, it is very perplexing to me as to why this is.
It is no wonder that Odysseus makes for a great retelling. His story has everything: adventure, mystical beings, and a great journey. This book covers many of the monsters and men that Odysseus meets while he makes his way home. Oden covers the KyKlops (who is given much more depth and motive than the original). Carosella explains what sirens really might have been, which is fascinating. And then of course, there is Blixt's story of the infamous Calypso.
While Odysseus acts as a shadow over much of the book, he doesn't actually appear all that much. Shecter's first story covers Ithaca while Odysseus is away and what it does to his wife and son. She follows his return in the Epilogue, when he comes to terms with what he left and the effects it had. We finally get to see Odysseus in Whitfield's story as he returns home and what he is met with.
My favorite story in the book was Libbie Hawker's story of Circe, Odysseus's sorceress. Hawker seeks to explain that Circe doesn't truly see herself as someone with supernatural powers of the kind Odysseus gives her in the Odyssey. As with many people of the day, Circe believes in the higher powers of the gods and goddesses but with more of a grain of salt than the stories of Odysseus would previously have us believe. Hawker hits on something that has seemed to hit women throughout time: don't do something a man wants? You must be cold. You must be a bitch. Circe definitely doesn't do what Odysseus and his men want so was she really a witch or did Odysseus just make that up because he didn't get what he wanted? I think this story hit me hardest because its something that has very much been on my mind in the political realm that we are currently living through. Oh, it's so good!
And do yourself a favor: read the author's notes. It was fascinating to see what the authors were thinking about when they were writing each of their sections. If you're looking for adventure and a way to see an old myth in new light, this is the book for you.
It is no wonder that Odysseus makes for a great retelling. His story has everything: adventure, mystical beings, and a great journey. This book covers many of the monsters and men that Odysseus meets while he makes his way home. Oden covers the KyKlops (who is given much more depth and motive than the original). Carosella explains what sirens really might have been, which is fascinating. And then of course, there is Blixt's story of the infamous Calypso.
While Odysseus acts as a shadow over much of the book, he doesn't actually appear all that much. Shecter's first story covers Ithaca while Odysseus is away and what it does to his wife and son. She follows his return in the Epilogue, when he comes to terms with what he left and the effects it had. We finally get to see Odysseus in Whitfield's story as he returns home and what he is met with.
My favorite story in the book was Libbie Hawker's story of Circe, Odysseus's sorceress. Hawker seeks to explain that Circe doesn't truly see herself as someone with supernatural powers of the kind Odysseus gives her in the Odyssey. As with many people of the day, Circe believes in the higher powers of the gods and goddesses but with more of a grain of salt than the stories of Odysseus would previously have us believe. Hawker hits on something that has seemed to hit women throughout time: don't do something a man wants? You must be cold. You must be a bitch. Circe definitely doesn't do what Odysseus and his men want so was she really a witch or did Odysseus just make that up because he didn't get what he wanted? I think this story hit me hardest because its something that has very much been on my mind in the political realm that we are currently living through. Oh, it's so good!
And do yourself a favor: read the author's notes. It was fascinating to see what the authors were thinking about when they were writing each of their sections. If you're looking for adventure and a way to see an old myth in new light, this is the book for you.
elysianfield's review against another edition
4.0
I haven’t read anything by Homer and while I know the basics of Odyssey and his journey, there is much to learn. Mostly I know Circe, Calypso etc by name but that’s about it. In a way, it’s a good thing since I don’t have anything to compare these characters to.
My favorite chapters were with Penelope. I loved seeing how she manages to keep the throne during all those years her husband was away. She had to be clever to do that since the majority of Ithaca’s men were gone to war or died on the journey. And she was realistic enough to wonder how he would explain his absence during all those years away.
Another awesome collaboration from the authors. David Blixt, Scott Oden, and Amalia Carosella were new authors for me. Another great book by The H Team and I’ve really come to look forward to these books.
My favorite chapters were with Penelope. I loved seeing how she manages to keep the throne during all those years her husband was away. She had to be clever to do that since the majority of Ithaca’s men were gone to war or died on the journey. And she was realistic enough to wonder how he would explain his absence during all those years away.
Another awesome collaboration from the authors. David Blixt, Scott Oden, and Amalia Carosella were new authors for me. Another great book by The H Team and I’ve really come to look forward to these books.
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