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A review by berenikeasteria
The Bull from the Sea by Mary Renault
5.0
As in this book's prequel, we are thrown right into the middle of the action from the word go, but because "The Bull from the Sea" is a sequel to "The King Must Die", as readers we find our feet immediately, having read the events of "The King Must Die" and knowing instantly the situation in which Theseus finds himself. Once again, the book is told in first person, from Theseus' point of view - clearly he is recollecting his own past, but nothing is given away about how events will eventually unfold.
The plot arc is less obvious here than the classic coming of age tale which characterised "The King Must Die", but in a way "The Bull from the Sea" follows the coming of age tale in reverse. Having won his place as king of Athens, Theseus as an adult must lay down its laws and governance, and as a young man encounters Oedipus in an echo of what he himself will become, and also finds bond friends in Pirithoos and Hippolyta. However, as he grows older, events fall out of Theseus' control. The triumphant heroic epic of the first half of Theseus' life, covered in "The King Must Die", is mirrored by the second half of his life and turns into a tragic epic. Again, this cannot be put down entirely to Mary Renault, but the legend of Theseus itself, however Renault highlights these stark contrasts well, and "The King Must Die" and "The Bull from the Sea" are very comparable in this way.
There's not much new to say about the quality of writing in this sequel, since it matches the high standards of the first book. On the historical accuracy front, Renault is as ever extremely good, considering that she was writing in 1962 with only the historical and archaeological knowledge of that time. Renault addresses the fantastical elements of the Theseus myth with realistic and plausible interpretations, too, which is no easy task. Renault understood her subject intimately, and brings Theseus, and the Bronze Age Aegean, absolutely to life. As a reader I was sucked into the world she created on the page and at times forgot that I wasn't right by Theseus' side through all his adventures. There was never a single dull moment, and Renault hits each and every note perfectly, not once falling down in terms of literary quality. Thoughtful, clever, gripping. A true classic. Highly recommended to anyone who is interested in ancient history.
The plot arc is less obvious here than the classic coming of age tale which characterised "The King Must Die", but in a way "The Bull from the Sea" follows the coming of age tale in reverse. Having won his place as king of Athens, Theseus as an adult must lay down its laws and governance, and as a young man encounters Oedipus in an echo of what he himself will become, and also finds bond friends in Pirithoos and Hippolyta. However, as he grows older, events fall out of Theseus' control. The triumphant heroic epic of the first half of Theseus' life, covered in "The King Must Die", is mirrored by the second half of his life and turns into a tragic epic. Again, this cannot be put down entirely to Mary Renault, but the legend of Theseus itself, however Renault highlights these stark contrasts well, and "The King Must Die" and "The Bull from the Sea" are very comparable in this way.
There's not much new to say about the quality of writing in this sequel, since it matches the high standards of the first book. On the historical accuracy front, Renault is as ever extremely good, considering that she was writing in 1962 with only the historical and archaeological knowledge of that time. Renault addresses the fantastical elements of the Theseus myth with realistic and plausible interpretations, too, which is no easy task. Renault understood her subject intimately, and brings Theseus, and the Bronze Age Aegean, absolutely to life. As a reader I was sucked into the world she created on the page and at times forgot that I wasn't right by Theseus' side through all his adventures. There was never a single dull moment, and Renault hits each and every note perfectly, not once falling down in terms of literary quality. Thoughtful, clever, gripping. A true classic. Highly recommended to anyone who is interested in ancient history.