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a1tanveer's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
mathildur's review
4.0
According to Spurling, Achilles and Briseis were in love. According to me, they were not.
Nevertheless, this was a really nice book! Definitely a good place to start if you want to learn more about the Greek myths, it was very informative and although all but the Odyssey/Penelope-chapters were written in a somewhat straight-forward, impersonal way, it was very entertaining. I initially bought this, instead of buying the volume called Arcadian Nights, because this one claimed to be about the "Gods, women and men from Greek myth", as opposed to "Gods, heroes and monsters from Greek myth", but it didn't have much to offer when it came to the characterization of the women, in my opinion. They weren't given voices in the same way I had hoped for. Still, I enjoyed reading this, and I'll probably end up buying the other one as well, if only to learn more about the myths and explore them from the inside of Spurling's mind.
Nevertheless, this was a really nice book! Definitely a good place to start if you want to learn more about the Greek myths, it was very informative and although all but the Odyssey/Penelope-chapters were written in a somewhat straight-forward, impersonal way, it was very entertaining. I initially bought this, instead of buying the volume called Arcadian Nights, because this one claimed to be about the "Gods, women and men from Greek myth", as opposed to "Gods, heroes and monsters from Greek myth", but it didn't have much to offer when it came to the characterization of the women, in my opinion. They weren't given voices in the same way I had hoped for. Still, I enjoyed reading this, and I'll probably end up buying the other one as well, if only to learn more about the myths and explore them from the inside of Spurling's mind.
em_davies7019's review
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
historic_chronicles's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
"When Achilles comes for you, you too will be good for vultures."
John Spurling has created a collection of classical stories which centre around famous pairs of men and women in Greek mythology: Prometheus and Pandora, Jason and Medea, Oedipus and Antigone, Achilles and Thetis, and of course, Odysseus and Penelope.
Refreshed with a modern narrative, these rich tales highlight moral and just lessons, philosophy, and the art of humour. Simplistic and accessible, Spurling has chosen some of the most popular stories and characters that would be an ideal start for one who is looking for a clear and no-nonsense introduction to the world of Greek mythology.
While a little more focused on the men over women than I would prefer, it is clear that Spurling is a skilled storyteller, weaving action, bravado and passion effortlessly throughout his narrative.
My personal favourite of the tales in this book was that of Achilles and Thetis. The bond between mother and son is depicted powerfully and leaves a lasting impression long after the chapter has ended. A mother who would do anything to protect her son and a man destined for glory, this will surely inspire others to read further into the texts that were of inspiration.
A gripping and interesting read, I am looking forward to reading more of Spurling's work in "Arcadian Nights".
Thank you to @duck_books for so kindly sending me a copy to review.
John Spurling has created a collection of classical stories which centre around famous pairs of men and women in Greek mythology: Prometheus and Pandora, Jason and Medea, Oedipus and Antigone, Achilles and Thetis, and of course, Odysseus and Penelope.
Refreshed with a modern narrative, these rich tales highlight moral and just lessons, philosophy, and the art of humour. Simplistic and accessible, Spurling has chosen some of the most popular stories and characters that would be an ideal start for one who is looking for a clear and no-nonsense introduction to the world of Greek mythology.
While a little more focused on the men over women than I would prefer, it is clear that Spurling is a skilled storyteller, weaving action, bravado and passion effortlessly throughout his narrative.
My personal favourite of the tales in this book was that of Achilles and Thetis. The bond between mother and son is depicted powerfully and leaves a lasting impression long after the chapter has ended. A mother who would do anything to protect her son and a man destined for glory, this will surely inspire others to read further into the texts that were of inspiration.
A gripping and interesting read, I am looking forward to reading more of Spurling's work in "Arcadian Nights".
Thank you to @duck_books for so kindly sending me a copy to review.
travelsalongmybookshelf's review
4.0
Arcadian Days - John Spurling
‘The be-all and end-all of this war was pride, as perhaps it is of most wars.’
These are tales of the Gods, women and men of Greek myth retold and centred on pairs of men and women; Prometheus and Pandora, Jason and Medea, Oedipus and Antigone, Achilles and Thetis and Odysseus and Penelope.
‘There is no creature that breathes and crawls on the earth more miserable than man.’
Greek mythology is one of my favourite genres and this is a great addition. The stories are well known and here are well told. They do feel more male focussed than I thought they might be, but that tends to be Greek mythology all over. I liked how the author added his own opinions in his telling of the stories, it felt different to the Greek retellings I have read before and not entirely fiction.
‘What you are, you discover too late, is only food for vultures.’
The story that really lit my fire for this book is that of Achilles and Thetis, it’s powerful and written as a mixture of fact and fiction and interposed with sections from Homer, this was the strongest story for me. It is about friendship, a mothers love and courage. It has made me now want to read the original Homer, timid as I am of this epic!
‘When Achilles comes for you, you too will be good for vultures.’
✩✩✩✰
Thanks so much Vic @instabooktours ,John Spurling and Duckworth Books for another epic book tour and for my copy of this book!
‘The be-all and end-all of this war was pride, as perhaps it is of most wars.’
These are tales of the Gods, women and men of Greek myth retold and centred on pairs of men and women; Prometheus and Pandora, Jason and Medea, Oedipus and Antigone, Achilles and Thetis and Odysseus and Penelope.
‘There is no creature that breathes and crawls on the earth more miserable than man.’
Greek mythology is one of my favourite genres and this is a great addition. The stories are well known and here are well told. They do feel more male focussed than I thought they might be, but that tends to be Greek mythology all over. I liked how the author added his own opinions in his telling of the stories, it felt different to the Greek retellings I have read before and not entirely fiction.
‘What you are, you discover too late, is only food for vultures.’
The story that really lit my fire for this book is that of Achilles and Thetis, it’s powerful and written as a mixture of fact and fiction and interposed with sections from Homer, this was the strongest story for me. It is about friendship, a mothers love and courage. It has made me now want to read the original Homer, timid as I am of this epic!
‘When Achilles comes for you, you too will be good for vultures.’
✩✩✩✰
Thanks so much Vic @instabooktours ,John Spurling and Duckworth Books for another epic book tour and for my copy of this book!
benedettal's review
5.0
A great selection of Greek myths, told in an engaging and easy to read way. Perfect for beginners and a good point of reference for anyone who loves mythology.
bookishreadsandme's review
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Arcadian Days, a collection of great male and female pairings of Greek myth. As a big fan of mythology this book ticked all the boxes for me.
All of these myths are quite well known but it was refreshing to have it retold in a modern way that is clear and flows well. I have previously read books in this genre that have felt heavy and too detailed at times but this didn’t feel that way.
The narration is witty and I really liked how the author fills in stories with likely outcomes and some of his own literary criticism.
The stories that I enjoyed the most were Thetis and Achilles and Odysseus and Penelope. The tales are filled with passion, love, bravery and adventure and kept me gripped to the pages.
The tales all came across more male focused but this is to be expected with these well known Greek myths. They have always been more centred on men.
If you love Greek mythology this book is for you. It is richly told and you can tell how much research and love the author has for this genre. A thrilling piece of mythological storytelling.
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