HOUSE OF NAMES BY COLM TOIBIN
thaColm Toibin was born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford Ireland in 1955. Not long after the death of his father is when Toibin 12 years old, started writing stories and poetry. He later went to graduate from the University College Dublin. www.chipublib.org/colm-toibin-biography/ Toibin is an openly gay man.
Toibin retells the Greek myth of Clytemnestra, Agamemnon, and the rest of their family, into an intriguing vengeful violent family drama. Toibin gives. Toibin contributes using his own familial experiences, but he keeps the story set firmly in ancient Greece. House of Names is the telling of how Clytemnestra seeks revenge and power against Agamemnon who willingly sacrifices their 16yr old daughter to the gods to help in a war. Clytemnestra's affair with Aegisthus. The power seeking Electra, and the gullible brother Orestes. Toibin seems to link with the female characters perspectives since they are in the first person narrative. As for Orestes he is set in the third person narrative.
These are a couple resources I found that give an intriguing captivation in their summary of House of Names.
www.npr.org/2017/05/10/527629908/house-of-names-is-a-violent-page-turner-and-a-surprising-departure
Toibin retells the Greek myth of Clytemnestra, Agamemnon, and the rest of their family, into an intriguing vengeful violent family drama. Toibin gives. Toibin contributes using his own familial experiences, but he keeps the story set firmly in ancient Greece. House of Names is the telling of how Clytemnestra seeks revenge and power against Agamemnon who willingly sacrifices their 16yr old daughter to the gods to help in a war. Clytemnestra's affair with Aegisthus. The power seeking Electra, and the gullible brother Orestes. Toibin seems to link with the female characters perspectives since they are in the first person narrative. As for Orestes he is set in the third person narrative.
These are a couple resources I found that give an intriguing captivation in their summary of House of Names.
www.npr.org/2017/05/10/527629908/house-of-names-is-a-violent-page-turner-and-a-surprising-departure
The Lost Books of The Odyssey |
Zachary Mason is a computer scientist who grew up in the Silicon Valley and attended Bard College with a doctorate degree from Brandeis University. He puplished his first novel in 2007, a retelling of Homer''s Odyssey.
Zachary Mason gives a nice energetic twist to Homer's version of the Odyssey. Each one of his books is like jumping into a new thrilling adventure. Ranging from fleeing from a giant cyclopes, sailing the sea's with deadly sirens, to meeting a witch with magical abilities. Mason portrays Odysseus in a way the audience can relate. Even though most hero's in Greek Mythology are gods, goddesses or demi gods Odysseus is just.a mortal. One of my favorite chapters in the book "The Sirens" you realize he is not a god but a mortal who can succumb to the deathly charms of the Sirens. Even though Mason has his own twist to each of the chapters he does manage to keep Odysseus's personality traits in tact.
Here is a couple resources that give a good comparison on Mason's Odyssey vs Homer's Odyssey, there's also a link on a recap of book "The Sirens."
www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/odyssey/the-sirens
www.theguardian.com/books/2010/may/15/lost-books-odyssey-zachary-mason
slate.com/culture/2010/02/zachary-mason-s-the-lost-books-of-the-odyssey.html
Zachary Mason gives a nice energetic twist to Homer's version of the Odyssey. Each one of his books is like jumping into a new thrilling adventure. Ranging from fleeing from a giant cyclopes, sailing the sea's with deadly sirens, to meeting a witch with magical abilities. Mason portrays Odysseus in a way the audience can relate. Even though most hero's in Greek Mythology are gods, goddesses or demi gods Odysseus is just.a mortal. One of my favorite chapters in the book "The Sirens" you realize he is not a god but a mortal who can succumb to the deathly charms of the Sirens. Even though Mason has his own twist to each of the chapters he does manage to keep Odysseus's personality traits in tact.
Here is a couple resources that give a good comparison on Mason's Odyssey vs Homer's Odyssey, there's also a link on a recap of book "The Sirens."
www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/odyssey/the-sirens
www.theguardian.com/books/2010/may/15/lost-books-odyssey-zachary-mason
slate.com/culture/2010/02/zachary-mason-s-the-lost-books-of-the-odyssey.html
Madeline Miller's CIRCE
Madeline Miller is a New York and Philadelphia native who attended Brown University where she earned her BA and MA in classics. Living in Manhattan being so close the the metropolitan Museum of Art was a big part of her upbringing. She has been teaching high school students for over fifteen years.
Circe by far has been a good read. Madeline Miller gives Circe's point of view in the first person narrative, but with a feminists perspective. It's placed in chronological order which makes it very easy to follow. I find the novel very interactive and a lot of personal development/growth. Which can be relatable to the readers. She is a powerful witch the gods fear. Starting from her birth, following to her exile out of fear from the gods to the Island Aiaia and so forth leading to her encounter with Odysseus. Miller gives Circe in my opinion a personality unlike that of your typical gods which makes her stand out from the rest. Circe's curiosity with mortals stems partly with her encounter with Prometheus. Miller gives the readers in this novel a sense of placement and power over oneself. Circe develops quite strongly trying to find out who she is and what she can do as a goddess/witch.
It wasn't an instant number one New York Times best seller for nothing. I also hear it is being adapted into a series by HBO Max which I am looking forward to watching. One of my favorite pictures i found was her surrounded by her lions and other animals she adored.
I have listed a few links that really go into better detail of all the amazing characters throughout this novel. There is also a link with a good Q&A with Miller.
www.theguardian.com/books/2018/apr/21/circe-by-madeline-miller-review
www.publicbooks.org/madeline-miller-on-circe-mythological-realism-and-literary-correctives/
madelinemiller.com/circe/
Circe by far has been a good read. Madeline Miller gives Circe's point of view in the first person narrative, but with a feminists perspective. It's placed in chronological order which makes it very easy to follow. I find the novel very interactive and a lot of personal development/growth. Which can be relatable to the readers. She is a powerful witch the gods fear. Starting from her birth, following to her exile out of fear from the gods to the Island Aiaia and so forth leading to her encounter with Odysseus. Miller gives Circe in my opinion a personality unlike that of your typical gods which makes her stand out from the rest. Circe's curiosity with mortals stems partly with her encounter with Prometheus. Miller gives the readers in this novel a sense of placement and power over oneself. Circe develops quite strongly trying to find out who she is and what she can do as a goddess/witch.
It wasn't an instant number one New York Times best seller for nothing. I also hear it is being adapted into a series by HBO Max which I am looking forward to watching. One of my favorite pictures i found was her surrounded by her lions and other animals she adored.
I have listed a few links that really go into better detail of all the amazing characters throughout this novel. There is also a link with a good Q&A with Miller.
www.theguardian.com/books/2018/apr/21/circe-by-madeline-miller-review
www.publicbooks.org/madeline-miller-on-circe-mythological-realism-and-literary-correctives/
madelinemiller.com/circe/
MARGARET ATWOOD'S THE PENELOPIAD
Margaret Atwood grew up in Northern Ontario, Quebec, and Toronto. She got her undergraduate degree from Victoria College at the University of Toronto, and a masters degree at the University of Radcliffe.
This book is written through Penelope and the twelve maids, mainly first person narrative. Penelope has long been dead when narrating this story. So most events she speaks about have happened in the past. The twelve maids are a central part to this story as they play a big role in how Penelope will forever regret the horrible deaths they endured. Penelope still living in guilt in the afterlife. I do like how Margaret gives Penelope a clever, smart outwitting power hungry type of character. She wasn't a pushover in the least and played her cards well. But, again put her maids lives at risk. I like how Atwood makes it very clear throughout the whole novel of the relationships of every character making it easy to follow, even if you're not familiar to the characters. It even gives a little humor with Penelope talking about her relationship with Helen. However, the role Telemachus plays through Penelope's eyes doesn't give much warmth as how you think a mother and son should be.
It's definitely a good read and the links I provided are good resources about each of the characters so you can get a better understanding of their relationships and a good Bio into Margaret Atwood herself.
www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Penelopiad/
www.nightwoodtheatre.net/uploads/The_Penelopiad_study_guide_-_Nightwood.pdf
This book is written through Penelope and the twelve maids, mainly first person narrative. Penelope has long been dead when narrating this story. So most events she speaks about have happened in the past. The twelve maids are a central part to this story as they play a big role in how Penelope will forever regret the horrible deaths they endured. Penelope still living in guilt in the afterlife. I do like how Margaret gives Penelope a clever, smart outwitting power hungry type of character. She wasn't a pushover in the least and played her cards well. But, again put her maids lives at risk. I like how Atwood makes it very clear throughout the whole novel of the relationships of every character making it easy to follow, even if you're not familiar to the characters. It even gives a little humor with Penelope talking about her relationship with Helen. However, the role Telemachus plays through Penelope's eyes doesn't give much warmth as how you think a mother and son should be.
It's definitely a good read and the links I provided are good resources about each of the characters so you can get a better understanding of their relationships and a good Bio into Margaret Atwood herself.
www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Penelopiad/
www.nightwoodtheatre.net/uploads/The_Penelopiad_study_guide_-_Nightwood.pdf