The Penelopiad
Book Title: The Penelopiad
Book Description: Penelope. Immortalised in legend and myth as the devoted wife of the glorious Odysseus, silently weaving and unpicking and weaving again as she waits for her husband's return. Now Penelope wanders the underworld, spinning a different kind of thread: her own side of the story - a tale of lust, greed and murder. The Myths series brings together some of the world's finest writers, each of whom has retold a myth in a contemporary and memorable way. Authors in the series include Karen Armstrong, Margaret Atwood, A.S. Byatt, David Grossman, Natsuo Kirino, Alexander McCall Smith, Philip Pullman, Ali Smith and Jeanette Winterson.
Book Edition: Margaret Atwood
Book Format: Hardcover
Publisher Logo:
ISBN: 978-1786892485
Number Of Pages: 224
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Story / Interest
(5)
This book opened the door to many other retold stories of Greek mythology!
I love mythology stories. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood (one of my favorite authors!!) is a unique retelling of Homer’s classic Odyssey, as seen from Penelope’s perspective. It is a wonderful blend of storytelling, personal musings, and biting wit, perfect for ages 14 and up. The Penelopiad playfully subverts its source material in a fun and creative way. Atwood shows how our perception of the character’s actions in the Odyssey is completely skewed by Homer’s version. By exploring Penelope’s thoughts, readers are given a deeper, more interesting look at the characters of the story. The narrative alternates between Penelope’s personal musings and monologues from her handmaids, clearly conveying how Penelope and her maidens are seen by Homer and the rest of the world and how they see themselves. Atwood’s writing style is quite unique and compelling. Her language is both poetic and whip-smart, bringing a light and humorous sense of the absurd to the text. Her dry wit and humor really shine through her descriptions of the maidens and at times are even laugh-out-loud funny. The Penelopiad is overall an intelligent and creative retelling of the Odyssey. Its clever writing and insight into Penelope’s mind make it a must-read for fans of the classic tale. I would rate The Penelopiad 5/5 stars – an absolute must-read!
Overall
5