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Bookish Quotes
"This book is not written in anger. It is written in fury."
The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus (Myths, The)
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The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus (Myths, The)
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This book is in a Controlled Release!
10 journalers for this copy...
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Rec'd in the mail today! Thank you so much for the RABCK in honor of your 300th book registered! I can't wait to get to this! It looks like a lot of fun!October 16, 2007: This book has been moved to the "short list!" Actually, though, that is STILL quite a formidable pile, but at least it's starting to see the light of day! You should see another journal entry sooner or later, maybe even sooner THAN later!!! November 30, 2007: Next to be read! Will be sent out as a RABCK when I'm done! December 4, 2007: Finished today! Oh, what fun! An old story (had me running for my old classic lit texts) with a feminist twist, and a fresh new voice! Thanks for sharing! I've searched wishlists, the few who listed this have not responded to P.M.s ... will announce on the BookRing forum. |
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Lucy-Lemon in the UK, Shipping Pref: Anywhere! ArabellaFigg in the UK, Shipping Pref: ? PlaytheMan in Queensland Australia, Shipping Pref: Anywhere! Meexia in Singapore, No Shipping Preference noted |
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Released 4 yrs ago (12/10/2007 UTC) at Outgoing mail/work! No worries, use my own stamps! in Fort Myers, Florida USA WILD RELEASE NOTES:
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Received yesterday from manola-pacifico as a requested RABCK as I'm reading the Canongate Myths - thank you very much! Looking forward to reading my third book of the Canongate Myths!
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"Even an obvious fabrication is some comfort when you have few others." - Thoughts on The Penelopiad by Margaret AtwoodAh, Margaret Atwood. I've only read two of your works - your quite obscure short story collection, Bluebeard's Egg, and this retelling of The Odyssey from Penelope's point of view - and still I know for certain I will love the rest. I have yet to read your award-winning books, but I will hold on to The Penelopiad and claim it as my favorite of yours (so far). "Half-Dorothy Parker, half-Desperate Housewives," so says the blurb from The Independent (UK), and while I haven't read anything by Dorothy Parker and am no big fan of Desperate Housewives, I will go on a limb here and assume they must be really great, to be half-and-half of something as wonderful as this book. Written in two alternating forms - in a narration and in varying styles of poetry, for isn't Atwood known for both? - The Penelopiad is the story of the loyal and cunning Penelope, Odysseus' wife, who really isn't all that popular or well-known in Greek literature as her husband (I didn't even know about her until I read the book, but then again I haven't read The Odyssey - such a shortcoming, I know). She is sassy, in a refined sort of way; she is hilarious, the kind that makes you want to guffaw but for some reason you try to stifle it all in a prolonged chuckle. Penelope is sarcastic and ironic and grave and serious, and she makes you laugh even though she's sad, and I am still in awe with how Atwood perfected such a voice. Penelope is a character that is such a character, if you know what I mean. The story is told by Penelope herself (the narration) and by her twelve maids - the twelve maids who were hanged by Odysseus upon his return after years of absence - as a sort of Chorus that kept asking one question: why were they hanged? And here we find out that The Odyssey is plagued with intrigue; that upon closer inspection, it wasn't just about Odysseus and his adventures. That maybe, just maybe, Penelope wasn't the quintessential faithful wife history claims her to be. "What can a woman do when scandalous gossip travels the world? If she defends herself, she sounds guilty." There so much duality in The Penelopiad: the styles of writing, the versions of each episode in the story, the characters themselves. Well, everything and everyone except Odysseus, I guess - known as a trickster, a great persuader, a liar and a con-man, which he all is, consistently, even to his own wife. And she to him, maybe, could be. "The two of us were - by our own admission - proficient and shameless liars of long standing. It's a wonder either one of us believed a word the other said. Ultimately, The Penelopiad makes you think of how the truth is obscured by the passing of time, and how nothing is ever reliable, not even one's self. PS. In keeping with Atwood's everything-isn't-what-it's-said-to-be, Helen of Troy - who happens to be Penelope's cousin - is quite the little bitch. Originally posted here. |
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Released 1 yr ago (2/23/2011 UTC) at Potential BookCrossers, Bookring -- Controlled Releases CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
BookCrossing: the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise.Guess what - you've caught a travelling book! Welcome to BookCrossing, where you can follow the journeys of books released into the world. How it works: The book in your hands has been registered on BookCrossing and has been assigned a BookCrossing ID number (BCID). Since you've caught and entered the book's BCID, you may make a journal entry below - let us know how and where you found it, maybe even tell us what you thought about the book, but most especially, let us know that one of our books is in good hands (if you wish to remain anonymous, you may opt for the AnonymousFinder option). It's completely free to join, and I hope you'd consider placing akosikulot or whoever wild-released or sent you the book as your referring member. BookCrossing is free to use, fun, and can be anonymous! READ AND RELEASE! Happy reading! I'm passing this book, along with two other books in the Canongate Myths, to friends (and potential BookCrossers - fingers crossed!) as a sort of mini-bookring, because I loved the series so much and wanted them to know about it. Hi guys! I'm pretty sure your curiosity will get the best of you and you'll check out those BCIDs - I hope you'd take the time to make a journal (you can choose the AnonymousFinder option if you want) to let me and the previous readers of the book know where it's traveled! I hope you enjoy the book as much as we did. :) |
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