Reviews

The Táin: From the Irish Epic Táin Bó Cúailnge by Louis Le Brocquy

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maggie_hamel's review

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adventurous challenging 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

3.0

lebelinconnu's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

vitsa's review

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2.0

This book was an incredibly tough read which, in my opinion, is a great shame. It is a translation of an epic poem, it should have been an exciting, quick read, but it was bogged down with so many random characters that would only be mentioned once, naming of random places and repetitive narration that it was a chore to get through. And all of those references serve absolutely no purpose without an expert on Celtic mythology/history to guide you through them. I would have really appreciated if the author has done some work adapting this so that it can be read as a standalone story, but perhaps I need to look to another version for that.

quisby's review

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4.0

If you cast Odysseus, Paul Bunyan and Rambo in a Tarantino movie set in prehistoric Ireland, you'll have a decent approximation of what it's like to read about the prodigiously hyperviolent exploits of Cú Chulainn. It's great.

thereadingrambler's review against another edition

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2.5

Honestly, I have no idea how to review this book. Or how to rate it. I gave it a solid 2.5. Exact middle of the range so I don't have to make real decisions. Because this is a medieval epic, folktale, legend...thing. So critiquing it too harshly seems like critiquing Irish culture itself. But this was an experience. A lot of death. Not a lot of cows.

danahuff's review

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5.0

The story of the Cattle Raid of Cooley, complete with Queen Medb (Mab or Maeve) and the Irish hero Cuchullain. Humorous, bawdy, and heroic, this tale surely is one of the reasons why the Irish are known for their storytelling.