Title: The Odyssey
Author: Homer
Type: Fiction/Poetry
Page Count/Review Word Count: 354
Rating: 4*/5
Homer – The Odyssey
Disclaimer: While I aim to be unbiased, I received a copy of this book for free for review purposes.
Well, I finally did it. It took me three or four months reading a few pages each evening before I fell asleep, but I managed it. And it was actually a super enjoyable read.
The edition that I read was a translation in verse by Anthony Verity that was published by Oxford University Press, and it’s a beautiful edition. I accepted it for review a good few years ago, but I’ve only just actually finished it.
What I liked most about reading this was the fact that I started to understand the different myths and legends that make up the Odyssey and I could see the way that they’ve influenced popular society and been retold in other media. Of course, I struggled to actually understand what was going on half the time, but that’s okay because the language alone was beautiful and there was a useful appendix that basically gave you an outline of the story that you could refer to.
Homer
It’s hard to rate something like the Odyssey because it’s a classic for a reason, but I can honestly give it a four out of five for sheer enjoyment alone. Sure, it was slow going and there were times where I thought I wasn’t going to finish it, but I still enjoyed the experience and I’m glad that I took the time to read it. I’m also glad that I happened to read this edition of it, because the book itself was so aesthetically pleasing that it didn’t bother me too much to spend prolonged periods of time in front of it.
It’s funny because in a way, reading the Odyssey reminded me of reading Stephen King’s Dark Tower series. That’s because something was always happening at every point, and while it rarely feels as though you’re actually making any progress, the reader walks with Odysseus as he inches slowly closer and closer to his destination.
Odysseus
