steve_sanders's review against another edition
5.0
Emily Wilson’s work here isn’t so much translation as transformation. She takes a work that, even in its best incarnations, could be remote and antiquated and brings out the fundamental humanity of the gods and the god-like. In doing so, she makes an ancient text feel fresh and relevant without dumbing it down in the least. A miraculous effort.
marlieraines's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
caffeinatedcoffeegirl's review against another edition
3.0
I read this for school. I don't think I would have read it out of interest.
_sarah_reads_'s review against another edition
4.0
Listened to this on audio--Claire Danes does a great job narrating. At first I was annoyed by all the preamble explaining context and key points of the text but ended up being happy to have a deeper understanding.
Odysseus was a big jerk. That's the main thing I came away with. I mean, there's more to the story than that, but man, he's a bully. He likes to hurt people, even people who love him and support him.
Odysseus was a big jerk. That's the main thing I came away with. I mean, there's more to the story than that, but man, he's a bully. He likes to hurt people, even people who love him and support him.
potterpav's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
this one gets 3.5 because it'll never be the iliad and also there was no diomedes in it? i think i wrote about him maybe 50 times in each chapter because seriously where has my son gone? anyway it started out great and i loved odysseus and then by like chapter 6 i really couldn't stand him anymore. don't get me wrong he had his good moments but he was mainly overwhelmingly annoying and got himself into so many situations simply because he is a pathological liar. that's all it is. athena and penelope saved this book because if it was just me and telemachus i can already tell you who's leaving the room with a black eye. the achilles scenes (PLURAL?!) have fed me for the rest of my life. i am so at peace right now. diomedes, please come home xx
mshene's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ethan_libra's review against another edition
4.0
I mean...it's the Odyssey. One of the most well-known and widely celebrated texts of all time, and it still holds up today! Really though, what could I say that someone else hasn't already? The story progresses magically, from the dramatic and exposition-filled beginning, to the adventurous second act told through story, to the final chapters that start slow, but bring it all back for an incredible ending. I could say that Odysseus is kind of an a-hole in his flashbacks, and that there was some problematic stuff going on in Ancient Greece. But these are minor complaints when compared to the awesome journey The Odyssey will take you on, and the characters and events you may never forget.
robdabear's review against another edition
4.0
Aesthetically pleasing, fascinating epic with an easy translation. I'm not a huge fan of Greek mythology, however the epithets and descriptions were worth the labor.