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kay_west_reads's review
4.0
A great collection of short stories that expand on Odysseus' 20 years of adventure. Each of the stories freshly reimagines or adds to well known parts of the Odyssey. Perfect for lovers of Greek mythology retellings or fast-paced, clever short stories.
Best enjoyed with bread, figs and a clay jug of wine while looking out over the sea.
Best enjoyed with bread, figs and a clay jug of wine while looking out over the sea.
robinkaye's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jonahmcdonald's review
4.75
The only reason I won’t give this five stars is that I recognise that whilst I loved it, it conforms exactly to my interests and literary tastes. If you don’t have a fairly comprehensive grip on Greek Mythology, you may not be able to get the maximum pleasure from some of the tales, but you’ll still have a wonderful time with enchanting prose and some fascinating story-telling with the way it wraps new themes into perversions of the Odyssean mythos. I’ve never read anything quite like this, and I don’t think I ever will again.
whimsicalmeerkat's review against another edition
3.0
I did not think I would like this after I first started reading, but I really did. The fragmented stories, aptly described by a friend as being like deleted scenes, ultimately came together to create a dreamlike, beautiful book. There is an absence of complete narrative thread, but being based on [b:The Odyssey|1381|The Odyssey|Homer|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1158208330s/1381.jpg|3356006], that is OK. Even if one has not read that though, it isn't entirely necessary. As the book progresses the characters and events become more familiar while also constantly changing. Some favorites for me were Guest Friend, Decrement, The Myrmidon Golem, Odysseus in Hell. Athena in Death and Sanatorium.
bookishmagpie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
hollandvk's review
4.0
The Lost Books of the Odyssey is another contemporary book that uses well-crafted language, trickery and whimsy to explore the absurd world of Greek mythology. Through the structure and delivery, it questions the great epics and their origins. Are they the stories spun by a drunk bard or exaggerated tales from an aged Odysseus reveling in the days of his youth? There are many holes in the historic record and multiple and contradictory accounts of every myth that allow Mason to roam freely through diverse possibilities. The ideas and descriptions are excellent, but it needs a little improvement in sentence structure and meter to transform from a good book to an excellent one.
marieintheraw's review against another edition
3.0
i still think about this regularly. sadly some of the stories are the reason this isn't a higher rating.
2023 amber here: i wish didn't unhaul this.
2023 amber here: i wish didn't unhaul this.
claireviolet's review against another edition
4.0
i like the idea of this more than the execution of it. the order in which the stories were put together didn’t really do anything for me when i felt it should have, which is my main gripe. the prose is beautiful and the book has this overall dreamlike state i wasn’t expecting but thoroughly enjoyed.
heidenkind's review against another edition
1.0
I don't know about this book. It was good in some ways, but I didn't feel any desire to keep reading it.