The Iliad & The Odyssey (Collectible Editions) by Homer
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Web ID: 14421900The Progenitor of Greek Myth
These books are amazing. If you are a mythology fan, it is a must read. It’s the foundation of all known Greek Myths. The Iliad has always been my favorite book, but this was by and far my favorite translation. It is important to note that while The Iliad and The Odyssey are both attributed to the same author, the writing style is vastly different between books. So much so that there is serious debate as to who Homer was and if he truly wrote both, if you’re at all interested in history I would recommend looking in to the discussions. I say that to say this, you will likely greatly prefer one book over the other. The Iliad is more technical and reads more like a non fiction book while the Odyssey reads more like a fiction. Many enjoy the Odyssey and hate the Iliad and vice versa, so if you start reading the Iliad and don’t much fancy it, try reading the Odyssey instead of giving up on the book all together. The Iliad is a beautiful story of love and vengeance, a man driven by the loss of his most beloved companion: a true tragedy. The Odyssey is a tale of perseverance despite the suffering, love, and a desperate struggle to get home. They also show the difference between the times when they were written. In the Iliad, the gods are warriors, they give their favor to the strongest and withhold it from the weak, switching back and forth as they deem which mortals are worthy. In the Odyssey, the gods function as arbiters of justice, caring not about the strongest but about what they deem moral. It’s easy to see that the Iliad was most likely written during a time of strife and warfare, whereas the Odyssey was likely written at a time where the people were more concerned about internal affairs and morality than external conflicts. The Odyssey is not written in chronological order. I personally prefer to skip through the chapters to read them in order, however it will still make sense to you if you read the chapters as they’re written. If you are planning on reading the Iliad because you loved the Song of Achilles, be warned that the retelling is completely different from the actual myth. It’s undeniable that Achilles and Patroclus were lovers, even the Ancient Greeks depicted them as such in the plays of the time, and the story is a tale of tragic love, but it is not a romance. It is not fluffy and sweet at any point. You can tell how they love one another through the actions and descriptions in the book, but the point of the book is war and vengeance. However, I would still recommend that you read this book so you have a better understanding of the true myth and perhaps you will love the original characters even more than the retold ones. All in all, both are great reads.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Disappointed
I love Greek mythology and anything affiliated, but this book was one of the only books I DNFed. It was such a difficult read, I just couldn't get through the book, and unfortunately, I had to give up. Story aside, the book itself is stunning. I love the special edition books for the quality of the cover and pages.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Read It For School And Would Happily Read It Again
I'm glad I just went ahead and got this edition when I needed it for school. It's beautiful and sturdy and has everything I needed. It really was such an interesting epic, though I may be biased because I'm low-key obsessed with Greece/Rome. I actually would love to read it again for fun.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Love this book so much
The cover is absolutely beautiful in person and it’s a really good read I recommend anyone. Also starting to collect these tbh this is my third one the look of them draws people in and starts conversations
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com