Happy December! The book of the month for December is The Odyssey, by Homer. Most definitely the oldest book I’ve reviewed so far, the story is originally a set of epic poems, as a sequel to The Iliad, the story of the Trojan War.
The story follows Odysseus, a great commander and strategist, as he tries to make his way home after ten long years of war. Because of the way the story is set out, most of it is in first person, as Odysseus relates his story to the Phaeician king.
“Odysseus’ tale was finished. Held in the spell of his words they all remained still and silent throughout the shadowy hall, till at last Alcinous turned to his guest…”
-Homer, The Odyssey
The style of writing is very different from today, which often made for a more difficult read, along with the differences to modern heroic themes. However, the story was still compelling and interesting, even with moments of humour such as “Nobody.”
I really enjoyed reading this book, though it was a difficult task at times. Reading such an epic story that is both familiar and unknown to modern audiences made the story all the more fascinating. I would recommend this book to anyone undaunted by its reputation.
- Rating: πΏπΆ
- Author: Homer
- Review: β β β β β
Postscript:
To those wondering why I decided to review the sequel instead of the first in the series, as is my usual rule; I have read Iliad, and my modern, non-academic self could barely stand the boredom. Besides, I read The Odyssey first, and it works fine as a standalone.