nostalginaut's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting to see how radically different the Newbery Award winning book from 1934 is presented, compared to contemporary award-winning books. (Though there's always a special place in my heart for this mythology-type-stuff.)
cheermio's review against another edition
3.0
Content warnings: slavery, racism, rampaging mobs, death, violence, & a kitten dies.
Inas is pretty spoiled and selfish but also brave and clever. If you like Greece, you're bound to like this Minoan tale. For its time, it is impressive and also it is a fun adventure story with a strong (though not particularly socially justice motivated) heroine.
Inas is pretty spoiled and selfish but also brave and clever. If you like Greece, you're bound to like this Minoan tale. For its time, it is impressive and also it is a fun adventure story with a strong (though not particularly socially justice motivated) heroine.
ricksilva's review against another edition
5.0
This feminist reimagining of the myths of Theseus and Icarus won the Newbery Award in 1934, and in many ways fits in perfectly with more recent mythology-themed stories.
Inas is the adventurous and fiercely competitive daughter of Daidalos, genius inventor serving Cretan King Minos. Caught up in Princess Ariadne's love affair with the Greek captive Theseus, and dealing with powerful court figures plotting against her father, Inas faces physical and social dangers with wit and courage.
Inas has a daredevil approach to life that is a lot of fun, as well as a healthy dose of snark, especially as she waxes cynical over the princess's love for Theseus, who Inas regards as something of a muscleheaded jock.
The book crams a lot of plot into its pages, and covers many of the elements of the Theseus and Icarus myths, while attempting to present a historical (if perhaps a bit idealized) version of Crete. The story does contain some racist language typical of 1930s writing, although those items are relatively few and not of major plot significance.
In spite of Inas having a male love interest, she remains front and center in all of the action elements of the story. There is a nice mix of action and court intrigue, and the worldbuilding, while not always historically on the mark, is wonderfully flavorful.
This is a fun story that is worth being rediscovered by today's fans of female-centered middle grade adventures.
Inas is the adventurous and fiercely competitive daughter of Daidalos, genius inventor serving Cretan King Minos. Caught up in Princess Ariadne's love affair with the Greek captive Theseus, and dealing with powerful court figures plotting against her father, Inas faces physical and social dangers with wit and courage.
Inas has a daredevil approach to life that is a lot of fun, as well as a healthy dose of snark, especially as she waxes cynical over the princess's love for Theseus, who Inas regards as something of a muscleheaded jock.
The book crams a lot of plot into its pages, and covers many of the elements of the Theseus and Icarus myths, while attempting to present a historical (if perhaps a bit idealized) version of Crete. The story does contain some racist language typical of 1930s writing, although those items are relatively few and not of major plot significance.
In spite of Inas having a male love interest, she remains front and center in all of the action elements of the story. There is a nice mix of action and court intrigue, and the worldbuilding, while not always historically on the mark, is wonderfully flavorful.
This is a fun story that is worth being rediscovered by today's fans of female-centered middle grade adventures.
triscuit807's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars or better. Re-interpretation of the myth of Daedalus (Daidalus herein) and his work for King Minos as well as his flights with his son Icarus (gender changed to a daughter, Inas). IMHO this book has everything that its co-Newbery Honor Book "The Forgotten Daughter" doesn't. Inas is the impetuous daughter of the Cretan inventor Daidalus. She sponge dives for fun, travels by mule alone across the hills of Crete, flies with her father's gliders, AND is a bull leaper/dancer. This is Crete during the height of the Minoan period and the greatest of the palaces was at Knossos. Sir Arthur Evans beginning in 1900 excavated that palace. and Erick Berry made very good use of that information. Her story and descriptions include details of dress, trade (Egypt and elsewhere aroung the Mediterranean, customs, and water management that Evans discovered. I found the story to be very historically accurate. Inas acts very like projections of a well-to-do young Cretan woman would have her behave. The Minoan era was a female-centric era. All of this is interpreted from the admittedly fragmentary frescoes. I did find the omissions regarding female dress amusing, but it is a book for children from 1933; women were typically depicted bare-breasted in the frescoes, but Berry just neglects to describe what Inas is wearing in addition to a kilt, i.e. nothing. Legendarily Knossos was ruled by King Minos who had Daidalus construct a Labyrinth for the Minotaur, a mythic man-beast to whom sacrifices of 7 young men and 7 young women were made - the famous Athenian Theseus was the one who defeated it. The myth has a basis in reality in the depiction of bull-leaping in the frescoes on the palace walls, and both genders participated. In the novel, Inas is the one who lays the thread (at Princess Ariadne's request) that allows Theseus to escape. And Icarus's fatal plunge does not happen to Inas. All in all this was a fun read. I read it for my 2018 Reading Challenge and my Newbery Challenge (Honor Book 1934).
scaifea's review against another edition
3.0
A neat re-telling (sort of) of the Theseus and Ariadne myth, through the eyes of Daidalos' daughter. The writing isn't earth-shattering or anything, but it's a fun story nonetheless.
nostalginaut's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting to see how radically different the Newbery Award winning book from 1934 is presented, compared to contemporary award-winning books. (Though there's always a special place in my heart for this mythology-type-stuff.)
james_annis's review
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
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