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Awix (3310 KP) rated Troy (2004) in Movies
Mar 26, 2019
Hollywood retelling of the tale of Troy is just a bit better than you might expect in pretty much every department. Trojan prince Paris steals Greek queen Helen, leading to... does no-one read the Iliad any more? There's a lot of bother, let's put it that way.
Whole thing is handled in broad strokes and there are quite a few divergences from the traditional legend (the Trojan war lasts about a fortnight, not ten years, and you can forget any notion of Brad Pitt's Achilles being into, er, Greek-style romance, if you know what I mean), but overall this is fun, rousing stuff. Looking back on it now the various bits of political subtext not-so-subtly inserted into the film seem amusingly quaint more than anything else. A well-staged, classy blockbuster.
Whole thing is handled in broad strokes and there are quite a few divergences from the traditional legend (the Trojan war lasts about a fortnight, not ten years, and you can forget any notion of Brad Pitt's Achilles being into, er, Greek-style romance, if you know what I mean), but overall this is fun, rousing stuff. Looking back on it now the various bits of political subtext not-so-subtly inserted into the film seem amusingly quaint more than anything else. A well-staged, classy blockbuster.
BookCritics (259 KP) rated Lincoln in the Bardo in Books
May 16, 2017
Lincoln in the Bardo is an incredible first novel from a master of the short fiction format. The shared narration is reminiscent of a Greek chorus or a conversation, rendered on the page like the script of a play.
Critic- Melissa Ward
Original Score- 5 out of 5
Read Review: http://balletbookworm.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/lincoln-in-bardo-by-george-saunders.html
Original Score- 5 out of 5
Read Review: http://balletbookworm.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/lincoln-in-bardo-by-george-saunders.html
Percy and his friends must travel through the ever changing labyrinth of Daedalus to try to save their camp. The action and use of Greek myth was still fun, but it felt very formulaic after reading the first three in the series.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-review-battle-of-labyrinth-by-rick.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-review-battle-of-labyrinth-by-rick.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Betty Fussell recommended The Odyssey in Books (curated)
Accessible (2 more)
Simplified
Incredible insight into how much the modern world has taken from Greek and Roman culture
A lot of pretty complex names to remember (1 more)
Constant footnotes (usually at least one per page) to explain certain aspects, or highlight an interesting fact.
Mythos - The Greek legends retold
Ah, what a great read. Stephen Fry writes exactly how you would expect him to, if you've ever heard him speak. He understands the subject matter, and more importantly, realises how easily a reader will be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of players in these myths and answers that problem without condescension.
The book reads as a quasi-novel, from the birth of the universe to the third and fourth generations of immortals (this includes the creators, the titans, the gods, and mythical creatures/characters, spawns of titans and gods, gods and creatures, gods and men and all sorts.) and their adventures, each following on from the other.
I have always had an interest in the Greek myths and gods, and as I suggested above the really interesting part of these stories, beyond the very human nature of the immortals (jealousy, unreasonableness, duplicity, rage, deceit and pride) which makes for so much more of a believable creation theory, is the myriad ways they have influenced English language (any many others I'm sure). To give an example (I'm showing my own ignorance flagrantly here) a simple thing, the alphabet. It never occurred to me, in my own self centered existence, this simply come from the first and second letters of the Greek alphabet. Alpha and Beta. So simple, so obvious, yet I never made this connection.
The stories themselves are wonderful, and the best thing about them is they all tie in with a creation theory. Something, whatever it is, is learned, or created. Some paradigm is set, some moral conundrum is answered, or something in the world is explained by the end of every story told (the tides, the moon, wine, love, soul, war, sex, the seasons, humanity itself just to name a few). It's such an entertaining read, and I find myself telling anyone who will listen some of the revelations I find in this book page on page on page.
As an end note, don't be overwhelmed by the prospect of reading about these stories, this installment ONLY covers from creation, to the establishment of the twelve Greek gods, and their children. It stops before the even greater amount of legends stemming from human demigods (Hercules, Perseus etc) and these are picked up in Fry's most recent offering, Heroes (which I am yet to read).
If you have any interest in the Greek mythology, or etymology, or even history as a whole, this is absolutely one for you.
- Rob
The book reads as a quasi-novel, from the birth of the universe to the third and fourth generations of immortals (this includes the creators, the titans, the gods, and mythical creatures/characters, spawns of titans and gods, gods and creatures, gods and men and all sorts.) and their adventures, each following on from the other.
I have always had an interest in the Greek myths and gods, and as I suggested above the really interesting part of these stories, beyond the very human nature of the immortals (jealousy, unreasonableness, duplicity, rage, deceit and pride) which makes for so much more of a believable creation theory, is the myriad ways they have influenced English language (any many others I'm sure). To give an example (I'm showing my own ignorance flagrantly here) a simple thing, the alphabet. It never occurred to me, in my own self centered existence, this simply come from the first and second letters of the Greek alphabet. Alpha and Beta. So simple, so obvious, yet I never made this connection.
The stories themselves are wonderful, and the best thing about them is they all tie in with a creation theory. Something, whatever it is, is learned, or created. Some paradigm is set, some moral conundrum is answered, or something in the world is explained by the end of every story told (the tides, the moon, wine, love, soul, war, sex, the seasons, humanity itself just to name a few). It's such an entertaining read, and I find myself telling anyone who will listen some of the revelations I find in this book page on page on page.
As an end note, don't be overwhelmed by the prospect of reading about these stories, this installment ONLY covers from creation, to the establishment of the twelve Greek gods, and their children. It stops before the even greater amount of legends stemming from human demigods (Hercules, Perseus etc) and these are picked up in Fry's most recent offering, Heroes (which I am yet to read).
If you have any interest in the Greek mythology, or etymology, or even history as a whole, this is absolutely one for you.
- Rob
Liberty Boston (93 KP) rated Oh. My. Gods. (Oh. My. Gods., #1) in Books
Mar 15, 2021
After trying to sort myself out I've finally gotten to a place where I can tell you without a doubt:
I DETEST THIS BOOK!!!!
Why?
1. The formatting is wonky, there's no indication when it time jumps.
2. it felt very rushed.
3. I could see the ending from a mile away.
Onto something better.
Seriously give me better greek myth-inspired books to read than this
I DETEST THIS BOOK!!!!
Why?
1. The formatting is wonky, there's no indication when it time jumps.
2. it felt very rushed.
3. I could see the ending from a mile away.
Onto something better.
Seriously give me better greek myth-inspired books to read than this
Kasi Lemmons recommended Do the Right Thing (1989) in Movies (curated)
ClareR (5603 KP) rated Those Who Are Loved in Books
May 30, 2019
An emotional look at modern Greek history.
This book is about the lives of the Koralis family, and particularly Themis, from 1930 to 2016. We follow them through some of the most disruptive times in Greek history - I hadn’t actually realised how deeply traumatic recent Greek history was.
Themis is a partisan fighter during WW2, trying to get the Germans out of Greece, and then fighting the right-wing government who had supported the invading Germans. She ends up a prisoner and endures terrible living conditions and violence at the hands of her prison guards. She returns home, marries and has a family, but her past is always with her. Greece doesn’t allow her to forget, as it continues to be led by a military government under martial law.
I loved following Themis and her siblings lives in the earlier chapters of the book, the history I’d never known about before (that Victoria Hislop describes so well), and her children and their lives in the latter half of the book.
Themis is a quietly formidable woman, who always stands by her beliefs and her family, and there are some really very emotional parts to this book.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this wonderful book - I’ll definitely be buying some copies as birthday presents this year, that’s for sure.
Themis is a partisan fighter during WW2, trying to get the Germans out of Greece, and then fighting the right-wing government who had supported the invading Germans. She ends up a prisoner and endures terrible living conditions and violence at the hands of her prison guards. She returns home, marries and has a family, but her past is always with her. Greece doesn’t allow her to forget, as it continues to be led by a military government under martial law.
I loved following Themis and her siblings lives in the earlier chapters of the book, the history I’d never known about before (that Victoria Hislop describes so well), and her children and their lives in the latter half of the book.
Themis is a quietly formidable woman, who always stands by her beliefs and her family, and there are some really very emotional parts to this book.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this wonderful book - I’ll definitely be buying some copies as birthday presents this year, that’s for sure.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Troy in Books
Mar 4, 2022
39 of 230
Book
Troy (Mythos book 3)
By Stephen Fry
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
AN EPIC BATTLE THAT LASTED TEN YEARS. A LEGENDARY STORY THAT HAS SURVIVED THOUSANDS.
'An inimitable retelling of the siege of Troy . . . Fry's narrative, artfully humorous and rich in detail, breathes life and contemporary relevance into these ancient tales'OBSERVER
'Stephen Fry has done it again. Well written and super storytelling' 5***** READER REVIEW
________
'Troy. The most marvellous kingdom in all the world. The Jewel of the Aegean. Glittering Ilion, the city that rose and fell not once but twice . . .'
When Helen, the beautiful Greek queen, is kidnapped by the Trojan prince Paris, the most legendary war of all time begins.
Watch in awe as a thousand ships are launched against the great city of Troy.
Feel the fury of the battleground as the Trojans stand resolutely against Greek might for an entire decade.
And witness the epic climax - the wooden horse, delivered to the city of Troy in a masterclass of deception by the Greeks . . .
In Stephen Fry's exceptional retelling of our greatest story, TROY will transport you to the depths of ancient Greece and beyond.
________
I love Greek Mythology and Stephen Fry is one of my favourite people. All through this book his voice was in my head. Brilliant retellings and underlying humour. Brilliant!
Book
Troy (Mythos book 3)
By Stephen Fry
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
AN EPIC BATTLE THAT LASTED TEN YEARS. A LEGENDARY STORY THAT HAS SURVIVED THOUSANDS.
'An inimitable retelling of the siege of Troy . . . Fry's narrative, artfully humorous and rich in detail, breathes life and contemporary relevance into these ancient tales'OBSERVER
'Stephen Fry has done it again. Well written and super storytelling' 5***** READER REVIEW
________
'Troy. The most marvellous kingdom in all the world. The Jewel of the Aegean. Glittering Ilion, the city that rose and fell not once but twice . . .'
When Helen, the beautiful Greek queen, is kidnapped by the Trojan prince Paris, the most legendary war of all time begins.
Watch in awe as a thousand ships are launched against the great city of Troy.
Feel the fury of the battleground as the Trojans stand resolutely against Greek might for an entire decade.
And witness the epic climax - the wooden horse, delivered to the city of Troy in a masterclass of deception by the Greeks . . .
In Stephen Fry's exceptional retelling of our greatest story, TROY will transport you to the depths of ancient Greece and beyond.
________
I love Greek Mythology and Stephen Fry is one of my favourite people. All through this book his voice was in my head. Brilliant retellings and underlying humour. Brilliant!
