anna_praill's review against another edition
4.0
Super quick as there isn’t that much of her work left to read. I get why everyone cares so much about her now. Even the small bits we do still have are so beautiful and I felt truly affected by a lot of the fragments.
maddiejatkinson's review against another edition
5.0
“and on a soft bed, delicate, you would let loose your longing”.
sylviebrekke's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars because sappho is such a girlboss. also for this quote:
“someone will remember us
i say
even in another time”
“someone will remember us
i say
even in another time”
brenticus's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
I have another book that uses Carson's translation of Sappho, but it doesn't have the Greek on the facing page.
I can't read Greek, but it makes a huge difference. The fragmentary nature can be hard to read in English because much of it is scattered letters, not at all translatable. But some of the sounds of the Greek come through, and the shape of it, and it adds something to the work to show that even what we can translate isn't all that we have of Sappho, and all that we have is a small portion of her works.
For the more complete poems, it is, of course, a beautiful translation. Carson beautifully steps out of the way to let Sappho shine through.
I can't read Greek, but it makes a huge difference. The fragmentary nature can be hard to read in English because much of it is scattered letters, not at all translatable. But some of the sounds of the Greek come through, and the shape of it, and it adds something to the work to show that even what we can translate isn't all that we have of Sappho, and all that we have is a small portion of her works.
For the more complete poems, it is, of course, a beautiful translation. Carson beautifully steps out of the way to let Sappho shine through.