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eososray's review against another edition
4.0
To write a story where the end is already known and the characters are those of legend would seem to leave little for a writer to work with but McCullough has no problem making this story come alive.
Told by multiple points of view, the story could at times feel as if it was a little choppy but the different voices were distinct and interesting. Having parts of the story told by the Trojans and parts by the Greeks, gave a wonderful overview of the war from both sides.
Every writer has their own interpretation of the characters in this story, legend can only tell us so much and so the actual personalities of the people are left wide open for an author to create. In this version, Helen and Paris aren't viewed in the rosy light of romance but under the bright lights showing vanity, stupidity and boredom. Priam is foolish, Agamemnon ambitious and greedy, Odysseus deceitful.....which all ended up making a very realistic and compelling tale.
Told by multiple points of view, the story could at times feel as if it was a little choppy but the different voices were distinct and interesting. Having parts of the story told by the Trojans and parts by the Greeks, gave a wonderful overview of the war from both sides.
Every writer has their own interpretation of the characters in this story, legend can only tell us so much and so the actual personalities of the people are left wide open for an author to create. In this version, Helen and Paris aren't viewed in the rosy light of romance but under the bright lights showing vanity, stupidity and boredom. Priam is foolish, Agamemnon ambitious and greedy, Odysseus deceitful.....which all ended up making a very realistic and compelling tale.
kandicez's review against another edition
5.0
I was moved to tears by this book, and felt ridiculous shedding them. I knew who would live and die, and exactly how it all turned out. That's McCullough's genius, though. She gives us all the little details, history books leave out, that make us feel for, and in some instances love, or hate a character. Everyone knows Odysseus was brilliant, but we don't think about how much that brilliance would have cost him. Achilles was brave, but he could have been sweet, kind and fair alongside his ruthless warring.
I love the way McC explains all the mythic/mystic mumbo jumbo with logical ideas that don't necessarily negate the intervention of the Gods, just...leave room for another explanation. I have always been a fan of Greek and Roman mythology, and even as a child, I knew it wasn't true, but always felt the legends could have happened in just the way they were described...just with mortal maneuvering, as opposed to immortal. She drives this point home, and is smart enough to explain things in a realistic way, without straying from the myth.
As I read, I would often be struck by how ruthless or cruel some act would seem. It was in perfect keeping with the time of the story, but because McC is so good at actually putting me IN her setting, I wouldn't realize how foreign it was until I was ready to stop reading. That's a great talent. Not only can she consistently suspend my disbelief, but she continually has me accepting, as the natural course of things, actions that would sicken me in life. She has me rooting for characters that commit acts I should find appalling, and relishing their acts of revenge that should actually be, not only disturbing, but down right disgusting.
I think this would be a great companion piece to [b:The Iliad|1371|The Iliad|Homer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388188509l/1371._SX50_.jpg|3293141]. I've read The Iliad, but know it can be intimidating and even dry for the young readers that are required to read it. If they were given this book as well, I think they would actually relish the experience of The Iliad. This book could never replace that classic, and I don't think that's what McC is going for. I think she is just trying to flesh out characters we have all heard of, but don't know well enough to care for. I fell in love with as many as I grew to hate. She certainly touched my heart and soul.
I love the way McC explains all the mythic/mystic mumbo jumbo with logical ideas that don't necessarily negate the intervention of the Gods, just...leave room for another explanation. I have always been a fan of Greek and Roman mythology, and even as a child, I knew it wasn't true, but always felt the legends could have happened in just the way they were described...just with mortal maneuvering, as opposed to immortal. She drives this point home, and is smart enough to explain things in a realistic way, without straying from the myth.
As I read, I would often be struck by how ruthless or cruel some act would seem. It was in perfect keeping with the time of the story, but because McC is so good at actually putting me IN her setting, I wouldn't realize how foreign it was until I was ready to stop reading. That's a great talent. Not only can she consistently suspend my disbelief, but she continually has me accepting, as the natural course of things, actions that would sicken me in life. She has me rooting for characters that commit acts I should find appalling, and relishing their acts of revenge that should actually be, not only disturbing, but down right disgusting.
I think this would be a great companion piece to [b:The Iliad|1371|The Iliad|Homer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388188509l/1371._SX50_.jpg|3293141]. I've read The Iliad, but know it can be intimidating and even dry for the young readers that are required to read it. If they were given this book as well, I think they would actually relish the experience of The Iliad. This book could never replace that classic, and I don't think that's what McC is going for. I think she is just trying to flesh out characters we have all heard of, but don't know well enough to care for. I fell in love with as many as I grew to hate. She certainly touched my heart and soul.
viljaneito's review against another edition
3.0
Todella kiinnostava kirja! Antiikki-huumassani päädyin lukemaan tämän heti Akhilleen laulun jälkeen, mikä ei ehkä ollut Troijan laululle edullisin vaihtoehto. Päädyin jatkuvasti vertailemaan kirjoja keskenään ja vaikka teokset ovat keskenään todella erilaisia, eikä niitä varsinaisesti voi asettaa paremmuusjärjestykseen, Akhilleen laulu iski enemmän tunteisiin. Siinä missä edellä mainittu on katsaus Akhilleen ja Patrokleen rakkaustarinaan, Troijan laulu käsittelee kokonaisvaltaisemmin koko Troijan sotaa monesta näkökulmasta. Kirja todella maalasi Troijan sodan silmieni eteen ja nautin paljon siitä, miten tapahtumia tarkasteltiin monesta näkökulmasta. Troijan laulu jäi kuitenkin vähän etäiseksi, vaikka siitä kovasti pidinkin.
Lempihenkilöni oli ehdottomasti Odysseus, sillä oi älykkäille henkilöille. Ah, sillä kaverilla leikkasi. Myös Helenan luvuista nautin, sillä vaikka kyseessä on käsittämättömän itsekäs ja raivostuttava nainen, olivat hänen lukunsa juuri siksi niin tavattoman mielenkiintoisia. Akhilleesta en paljoa perustanut, varmaan siksi, että Akhilleen laulu oli vielä tuoreena mielessä ja McCulloughin näkemys Akhilleesta ja Patrokleesta on sävyltään erilainen kuin Akhilleen laulussa.
Akhilleen laulun ja Troijan laulun vertailu oli kuitenkin ehdottoman kiinnostavaa, sillä kirjat kattavat samoja tapahtumia eri painopistein ja eroavaisuuksia löytyy. Nautin pikku asioiden vertailusta, enkä tahdo erityisemmin asettaa kirjoja paremmusjärjestykseen. Näistä kahdesta Akhilleen laulu oli kuitenkin oma suosikkini, sillä se iski enemmän tunteisiin. Jos taas haluan myöhemmin muistella Troijan sodan tapahtumia ja syitä romaanimuodossa, tartun Troijan lauluun.
Hieno, ehdottomasti lukemisen arvoinen teos kuitenkin kyseessä!
Lempihenkilöni oli ehdottomasti Odysseus, sillä oi älykkäille henkilöille. Ah, sillä kaverilla leikkasi. Myös Helenan luvuista nautin, sillä vaikka kyseessä on käsittämättömän itsekäs ja raivostuttava nainen, olivat hänen lukunsa juuri siksi niin tavattoman mielenkiintoisia. Akhilleesta en paljoa perustanut, varmaan siksi, että Akhilleen laulu oli vielä tuoreena mielessä ja McCulloughin näkemys Akhilleesta ja Patrokleesta on sävyltään erilainen kuin Akhilleen laulussa.
Akhilleen laulun ja Troijan laulun vertailu oli kuitenkin ehdottoman kiinnostavaa, sillä kirjat kattavat samoja tapahtumia eri painopistein ja eroavaisuuksia löytyy. Nautin pikku asioiden vertailusta, enkä tahdo erityisemmin asettaa kirjoja paremmusjärjestykseen. Näistä kahdesta Akhilleen laulu oli kuitenkin oma suosikkini, sillä se iski enemmän tunteisiin. Jos taas haluan myöhemmin muistella Troijan sodan tapahtumia ja syitä romaanimuodossa, tartun Troijan lauluun.
Hieno, ehdottomasti lukemisen arvoinen teos kuitenkin kyseessä!
ganieva's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content and Rape
saj_81's review against another edition
2.0
I think I liked the idea of this book more than I liked the book itself. Getting inside the story of Troy? Sounds great! And in some ways it was. There were parts that were interesting.
The problem is, that the characters just didn't come alive to me. It's always annoying when you have your character do the explaining for you, because nobody does that naturally. I'm not sitting here wearing woollen socks thinking: "she knew that in some cultures woollen socks weren't as common as in Finland. Smiling to herself, she thought about her ancestors and how they had knit thick grey socks for the cold Finnish winters...etc." Perhaps Colleen McCullough constantly finds herself giving little lectures about everyday things, but I really doubt if the Trojans did that as well. If the narrator wants to reveal some backround, there are better ways of doing that.
Then there was the part that always makes me giggle, and I know it's not supposed to. Throughout the book, McCullough points out several times that homosexual relationships were very normal at the time. I knew this, we studied it in highschool history class (actually, my teacher was also enthusiastic about this topic). The first time this came up, I paid no special attention, but after that it got ridiculous. It was like she was saying: "Look! Homosexuality was VERY NORMAL! I'm such a modern person to include so many homosexual relationships in my book! Aren't I hip and awesome? LOL!"
Yes, I think she really secretly wanted to say LOL.
The problem is, that the characters just didn't come alive to me. It's always annoying when you have your character do the explaining for you, because nobody does that naturally. I'm not sitting here wearing woollen socks thinking: "she knew that in some cultures woollen socks weren't as common as in Finland. Smiling to herself, she thought about her ancestors and how they had knit thick grey socks for the cold Finnish winters...etc." Perhaps Colleen McCullough constantly finds herself giving little lectures about everyday things, but I really doubt if the Trojans did that as well. If the narrator wants to reveal some backround, there are better ways of doing that.
Then there was the part that always makes me giggle, and I know it's not supposed to. Throughout the book, McCullough points out several times that homosexual relationships were very normal at the time. I knew this, we studied it in highschool history class (actually, my teacher was also enthusiastic about this topic). The first time this came up, I paid no special attention, but after that it got ridiculous. It was like she was saying: "Look! Homosexuality was VERY NORMAL! I'm such a modern person to include so many homosexual relationships in my book! Aren't I hip and awesome? LOL!"
Yes, I think she really secretly wanted to say LOL.
tab2004's review against another edition
2.0
Not a big fan of Colleen McCullough although I love Greeek mythology and was happy to see a name author tackle the subject matter. I think if she had centered on one or two characters point of view I would have enjoyed it more. As it was I don't really enjoy her style of writing and just found most of the characters unlikeable.
kahale's review against another edition
4.0
the Trojan War has always fascinated me. This fictional account really brought all of the characters alive for me. It was especially good the way the author wrote each chapter from the point of view of the different characters and how they interrelated to each other such as Helen, Achilles, Odysseus and others. This would be a good companion book for students reading the Illiad to explain some of the Greek customs, war etiquette and the character interplay of the classic piece of literature.
bonesundstones's review against another edition
4.0
This is an amazing book that follows the story of The Iliad, only this time told from the points of view of those who "lived" it. The book adds humanity to those characters we associate with The Iliad: Helen, Paris, Achilles, Odysseus, among others, which makes this a much more modern telling of the Trojan war story. I definitely recommend it.